Unlocking Divine Promises: How Your Consecration Fuels Revival in the Nations
God is calling you!
He’s calling you to a place of consecration beyond what you’ve previously known. He’s inviting every believer to this place as He revives His body to awaken a nation. This is God’s consistent pattern throughout the Bible and church history. Those who consecrate themselves fully will be the vessels He uses to manifest His power and wisdom throughout the world (Eph. 3:10).
The word “consecrate” does not imply perfection, but rather an absolute surrender, a separation from something and connection to Someone—Christ alone. When we challenge ourselves on the concept of consecration, it ultimately boils down to the heart. What fuels your desires? Where do you invest your time and resources? What consumes your thoughts in moments of solitude? An honest assessment will reveal where your heart has already been consecrated.
The Lord is calling you and me today to a deeper place of consecration. What is your response? We will never be forced by King Jesus in His great tenderness into radical consecration unto Him, yet we are daily called to conform into the image of Christ.
The “if” statements in the Bible should give us pause. Jesus used the word “if” so frequently that it should cause us to contemplate our indispensable role in fulfilling God's desires for our nation. The fact is, Jesus never places the condition of “if” upon God. He places that on man which when responded to correctly, brings about God’s results. The Biblical pattern we see is this: if man does, God will. Today we serve the same God, Jesus and Holy Spirit as those who have gone before us and changed nations. The great generals of the faith such as Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake, William Seymour, Charles Finney, and the list goes on. The Bible they had is no different than ours today; however, their response and consecration to the God of the Bible was what changed everything. Their complete and total dependency upon the Holy Spirit empowered them daily to lead supernatural lives. Today, we often crave the fruit without embracing the disciplined consecration. This is not legalism, this is simply a call to full devotion and sanctification to Jesus. The world is becoming increasingly consecrated to its demonic strategies aimed at dismantling families and tarnishing the image they bear of God’s Kingdom.
So, do we sit idly by and wait for God to intervene? Or do we confront and contradict evil with the truth and authority of the Holy Spirit? A life lived in consecration to Christ our Lord will always confront the darkness with light. A life lived in true heart submission towards God and His Word will be placed in positions of impact in this hour. This is not a question of God’s love for you. Regardless of your actions, His love remains steadfast and unwavering. The real question lies in whether you are reciprocating that love. Our devotion serves as evidence of our love for Him.
In 2 Timothy 2:20-26 Paul writes about being a vessel of honor or dishonor. “Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” Do we yearn to be the kind of vessel God desires to use? The language Paul uses here regarding being someone honorable for God to use is someone “set apart as holy”. This is the foundational idea of consecration. Who among us will set themselves apart in a profound surrender, embracing this lifestyle and pursuing the fullness of God’s heart? Let us be a people who desire to be vessels of honor, ready for every good work that God has for us on the earth. This is the eternal perspective that guided Paul’s life. Our focus and endeavors should always be anchored in eternity, then looking backwards from that vantage point. Eternity is not a destination reserved for some specific moment in time, it is a reality, and a way of life we can embrace today in the here and now.
With everything in me I long to respond correctly to this divine call. We need a people today who will wholeheartedly pursue surrender and consecration to the heart of God in every aspect of their lives. This will undoubtedly create a ripple effect in our children, families, churches, and cities. The heart ablaze with love for God is inherently infectious! David in the Bible is a prime example of one whose heart burned for God. I love what we read about David in Acts 13:36. Luke encapsulates his legacy by declaring, “He had served the purpose of God for his own generation”. Wow! What a remarkable testimony to leave behind—one that echoes through millennia. This teaches us that our ability to fulfill God's purposes for our generation lies not in our perfection but in our consecration of heart. In a time where many embark on their races but falter along the way, missing the mark, we must persist in our consecration to ensure we finish our course (Acts 20:24)! What good is it to run a race only to falter before reaching the ultimate goal? If we desire to pass the baton to the next generation, finishing our race is vital. God is calling us again, to be a people who finish the things we have been called to start. We must plant ourselves firmly in Him, unwavering in the face of adversity and amidst the darkness that surrounds us. This is not the moment to retreat into our corners and hide from the world because it may seem too daunting. Nor is it the time to cry, “Lord just come back because it is too dark! It is the time to cry out, “Lord send me so that all may come to know You!” We must not shy away from the very ones we have been called and anointed to impact! The one whose heart is completely consecrated to the purpose of God will have a steadfast resolve. This resolve allows us to look backwards from eternity and gives us the heart of God for the issues of life.
When Megan and I said yes to the call of God on our life, it was not a yes dependent upon the day, month, or circumstances around us. It was a sold out yes committed to the purpose of God for our family, including our future children. When the Lord sent us to France, there wasn't even a moment of hesitation when counting the costs of leaving our family, friends, culture and comfortability. Do we love our family and friends? Of course we do! Did we enjoy the life we had built together in Tulsa? Absolutely! Do we love Jesus and our Heavenly Father’s will more? That is a clear yes for us. A consecrated heart with an eternal perspective will always prioritize God's heart over any earthly desires.
When the war broke out in Ukraine, the next day I felt God’s heart calling me to go and help. I felt His compassion for the wives and children forced to separate from their husbands and fathers amidst a dangerous war. I was able to help numerous women and children at the Ukrainian borders, and bring them to safe locations. As a husband and father myself, I would desire the same level of protection and care for my family; and I knew it reflected the heart of our Heavenly Father towards those who were affected. In the face of very complex and dangerous situations, God was my shield and His angels were constantly around me. We must continually fix our thoughts on Christ, dwell in His presence, and abide in Him. Again, it is important to reiterate that it is not about attempting perfectionism, but living a consecrated life. Perfection’s aim is a surface action, but consecration is position in Christ. Perfection often involves striving for personal fulfillment, while consecration is dying to flesh to touch the heart of Christ. It is a daily sacrifice of Luke so that I might release the aroma of Christ. When we pursue this wholeheartedly, we will fulfill the desires and purposes of God for our generation!
When we are convinced to live lives consecrated to Christ alone, we will be called once again what the world called the followers of Jesus in the beginning of Christendom. We find this in Acts 17:6. “And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down…” This is the first description we are given from the world about those who followed Jesus. This profound statement was made in the face of persecution and within a culture steeped in darkness. We are and should be the ones who turn the world upside down! I believe it is the moment to reclaim this title! For too long the world has been turning believers upside down. We've avoided confronting darkness with light and shied away from declaring Truth, fearing the names we might be called. Sure, we will be criticized by man, maybe even persecuted, but we will capture the heart of God. We will confront the giants of our generation with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Will you answer the call today to consecrate everything unto Christ? Will you be convicted with the burning heart of God to fulfill His purposes in your generation? Will you sacrifice yourself daily to release the everlasting aroma of Christ? Let us be willing to pay the price to once again turn this world upside down with the Kingdom of God. Amidst all the darkness and uncertainty, now is the time for the Body of Christ to rise! This is the moment in history for the Holy Spirit to breathe on those who are consecrated to Him and to bring forth His harvest in the nations of the world!
