
This morning I awoke well before the sun rose with God speaking to me about how God wants, God needs consecrated vessels. I was impressed that "God wants consecrated vessels. Vessels where the cup on the inside is clean. Why? Because the King is coming in 2019 and He wants vessels prepared to receive the glory He is going to pour out."
Then a number of scriptures immediately to flooded my mind!
I've heard many a minister preach, "God won't share His glory with another." They are referring to Isaiah 42:8. When you look at the context beginning in Isaiah 41:28 and then read the whole of Isaiah 42:8 which says, "I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images," it is clear the context is idols.
Jesus Prayed and Gave His Glory to His People
In John 17:21 Jesus prays that we would be one even as He and the Father are one. Then in verse 22 He says, "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:" Did you hear that? The glory, which You gave Me, I have given them, that they may be one! The glory, God's glory, His presence is the key to us becoming an answer to Jesus prayer in John 17:21.
But, God won't share His glory with an idol. Then I thought about all the habitual sins and iniquitous thought patterns that exists in our lives. Why? Well, I've been fasting and guess what God has been dealing with me about? He's been revealing little things, well, little to me but big to Him. Why? Well, it's like my old pastor said, sin is like bologna, no matter how thin you slice it, it is still bologna.
The problem is not the once in a while slip up. It's the iniquitous thought patterns that give way to habitual sins, mindsets or strongholds that lead to speech and actions contrary to God's word. It's the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. Or, it's the unforgiveness hidden in your heart that's revealed every time you relive the situation in your mind. It's the idolatrous strongholds revealed when align ourselves with godless political organizations who espouse policies of murder of the unborn or undermine God's definition of marriage whom witches have aligned with to curse God's anointed.... and you join in the gossip and cursing.
It's Important to Clean the Inside of the Cup
Jesus says in Mathew 23:26-28, "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Clean the inside first because that's the key to cleaning the outside. Why? Jesus reveals why in Matthew 15:19-20 where He says, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
God wants to fill our cup, your cup, with His glory. But He needs clean cups. How do we clean our cup?
- The Word - Ephesians 5:26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
- Praying in the Spirit - John 7:37-38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
The Revelation of Consecration
As I began to meditate upon consecration I found the first use of the word in my NKJV. I found it in Exodus 29:29 where the holy garments of Aaron and his sons were anointed and consecrated. I was shocked when I found the first place in scripture where this Hebrew word was used. What's the word?
- Strongs Concordance h4390. מָלֵא mâlê’; means to fill, be full of, to accomplish, confirm, consecrate, be filled or fulfill.
- Consecration means to be filled
The first place this word is used in scripture is in Genesis 1:22 where it says, "And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” The second place is in Genesis 1:28 where after God makes man in His image He gives man this charge, Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Now consider Habakkuk 2:14!
For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,
As the waters cover the sea.
Fill means Consecrate & Consecrate means fill!
Consecration and glory are inseparable! It was God's plan from the beginning and mankind is charged with consecrating himself/herself so that "the earth may be filled (Gen. 1:28) with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Gen 1:22)."
After man was given this charge sin and corruption was introduced but God had a plan to empower mankind to sanctify himself. Jesus made the way and as 2 Peter 2:2 says, "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
He's given us everything we need to be partakers of His divine nature. He's given us everything we need to sanctify and consecrate our cups. It's like the five wise virgins in Matthew 25:4. They kept their vessels full of oil were as the foolish ones did not. Keeping your vessel full is key. If you study the art of the apothecary in the Old Testament where it speaks of the oil, you will find the oil is holy. No impurity is allowed.
How Can We Respond?
I submit to you that you can follow the steps we have been taking for the last two months to prepare our hearts. You could:
- See the steps in Prepare to Make Way for the King in 2019!
- Download the 1Church1Day app and schedule the times you choose to watch and pray.
- You can share your thoughts/commitment below.