SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT

SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT

...God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13)

Sanctification is part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Even though you’re born again and your spirit is alive to God, your mind still needs to be purified of all the garbage recorded therein. It’s the reason for the renewal of the mind the Bible talks about in Romans 12:2

The more you study and receive God’s Word, the more the wrong thoughts, ideas and relics of the old nature in your mind are removed and replaced with God’s holy thoughts, His holy words and the manifestation of His kingdom. That’s why the Bible says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...” (Colossians 3:16).

That desire to do the wrong things, to go in the way of the world, to make the wrong choice, only the Word of God can get rid of it. So, Romans 12:1says,

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

Notice that He’s addressing God’s people and not the people of the world. Don’t yield your mind to sin; don’t yield it as an instrument of unrighteousness. You’re a sanctified person.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the

of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

Notice our underlined portion! You’ve been sanctified by the Spirit to serve the living God. He’s purged your conscience of dead works through the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus Christ in your behalf. No wonder He says,

“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”(1 Corinthians 1:30). Blessed be God!

PRAYER

Blessed Lord, you’ve made me a vessel unto honour, sanctified and fit for your use and prepared unto every good work. I’m fully yielded to your Word to mould my life and character. Thank you for granting me the ability to lead a life of righteousness and true holiness. Amen.

THE KINGDOM IS YOURS

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom (Luke 12:32)

What a profound statement made by Jesus in the verse above! However, when He said it, He wasn’t addressing the new creation. God isn’t “going to give” the Kingdom to you that are born again; the Kingdom is yours. You were born into the Kingdom; you’re an heir of the Kingdom. The Kingdom belongs to you, because it belongs to Jesus and you’re a joint-heir with Him.

Recall what He said in John 16:15

“All things that the Father hath are mine...”

; that includes the Kingdom. Jesus lived the life of the Kingdom while He was on earth, and that made Him a mystery to the people of His day. He lived on a different plane. His words and actions were different from what they understood.

The Kingdom is your beloved country, the city Abraham was looking for. The Bible says,

“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:9-10).

Now, if the Kingdom is yours, what could you possibly be in need of? Jesus said in

Luke 17:21, “... behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”He said, “SEE that you carry the Kingdom; you’re not just in the Kingdom; the Kingdom is in you!” If the Kingdom is in you, then it means all the treasures, riches, splendour and glories of the Kingdom are also in you.

Can you see why you should never have a mentality of lack, want and need? No wonder He said, “...all things are yours" (1 Corinthians 3:21). What God wants is that you live from the Kingdom; live the Kingdom life and seek its glory and expansion.

CONFESSION

The Kingdom is in me; therefore, all the treasures, riches, splendour and glories of the Kingdom are also in me! I live from the Kingdom and live the Kingdom-life, seeking its glory and expansion. Today, I see and declare success, prosperity, victory, health and strength, by the power of the Holy Ghost! Amen.

EVER-INCREASING GREATNESS

Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side (Psalm 71:21)

The Lord said to Abraham in Genesis 22:17-18: “...in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed....”

Indeed, the Lord blessed Abraham and made him great. You’ll observe the blessing through several generations after him. Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon all walked in this reality.

David, who was a great king, took it to another crescendo; he knew that in greatness there’re levels. So, he prayed,

“Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side”

(Psalm 71:21).

There’re three ways of becoming great: you’re either born great or you have greatness bestowed on you, or you achieve greatness.

But thanks be unto God! When you were born again, you were born great; you were born into this wonderful family of God, connected with God Almighty and the Kingdom of God. You were born the very heir of all the riches and wealth of God’s Kingdom. To walk in this reality, first, you have to live beyond your senses. All you see isn’t all there is. There’s more to life than what you see or feel. The Bible says, For we walk by faith not by sight

(2 Corinthians 5:7)

Secondly, you must say the same thing in consent with God as it pertains to your greatness. Just like the psalmist, make confessions according to the Word and speak of your greatness. Declare by faith that of your increase, there’ll be no end. Henceforth, declare that the Lord is increasing your greatness in a significant way. It doesn’t matter what job you do, make it great, because there’s greatness in you. You’re royalty. Hallelujah!

PRAYER

I’m the seed of Abraham; I’m great, and of the increase of my greatness, there shall be no end. The Lord magnifies me and causes me to wax greater, move forward, advance in leaps and bounds. My greatness is unlimited, and great grace for prosperity and superabundance is directed towards me. Hallelujah!