The Cry For Purity

Joshua commanded the people before crossing the Jordan into the Promise Land, "Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you." (Joshua 3:5, KJV). Another word for sanctify means to set apart.

When we go into the prayer closet we set apart time to be with the Lord. Or when we attend church on Sunday the time spent worshiping, praying and listening to the word of God is consecrated for the Lord's purposes and desires.

Of course, sanctification goes much deeper than time set apart or attending church service. We read in 2 Timothy 2:21 the purpose of being set apart, "If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work." (NLT).

We can think of many things in our lives that are not pure and holy. Sinful habits, thoughts and actions that cloud our mind and taint our spirits. We must be careful not to take a religious approach to sanctification. Remember it is Christ who sets us apart for His purposes. I Corinthians 6:11 says, "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." (KJV).

Beloved, when the Holy Spirit points to a certain area in our hearts like unbelief, impurity, sensuality or some other sin we must agree to His word. God is right and just. Don't argue or defend your sin with excuses and faulty reasoning. Submit to Him both the sin and the desire to sin. From personal experience, it's one thing to make a good show of trying to stop sinning but the desire to sin was often evidence that I was not completely surrendered.

When we set ourselves apart we read this promise in Job 17:9, "The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger." Out of purity flows power!

God gives abundant grace for us to seperate from worldly passions and lusts so we can cleave to Him in love and obedience. It matters in these days that we are a prepared people to see God do wonders in our generation.