What Does It Mean to Consecrate Yourself for God's Amazing Work?

Life often feels like an uphill battle. Just like Olympic cross-country skier Kikkan Randall said, "When it gets hard halfway up that hill, if you back down, you don't get that view at the top. You don't get that downhill on the other side." This truth applies not only to athletic pursuits but to our spiritual journey as well.

The Israelites experienced this reality during their 40-year journey through the desert. After decades of wandering, they finally reached the Jordan River - the threshold to their promised land. But before they could cross over and receive what God had promised, Joshua gave them a crucial instruction: "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you" (Joshua 3:5).

What Does It Mean to Consecrate Yourself?

To consecrate means to commit ourselves to holiness - to fall before the Lord and submit ourselves completely to Him. It's about setting ourselves apart for God's purposes and preparing our hearts for what He wants to do.

The principle is clear: before God can do something amazing among us, He must first do something transformative in us. The great things God wants to accomplish through His people must begin with individual hearts that are fully surrendered to Him.

What Is the Church Really?

Many people think of the church as a building, an address, or a Sunday gathering place. But the church is actually much more profound than that. The church is the people of God - those He has set apart for His holy purposes.

C.S. Lewis captured this beautifully when he wrote: "The church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time."

The Church's True Mission

The church is the people of God on mission with God. We're called to join Him in His work of restoration - bringing the world back to His original design of wholeness, harmony, and completeness that existed before sin entered the picture.

The local church represents the greatest hope this world has. Through Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity to be a source of hope and healing in our communities and beyond.

What Does It Mean to Be a Follower of Jesus?

Being a follower of Jesus isn't just about making a one-time decision or securing a "membership card" to heaven. A true follower of Jesus is someone who commits their entire life to becoming like Jesus and helping others build their lives around Him.

This involves two key components:

- Personal transformation : Continuously growing to become more like Christ
- Mission engagement : Actively helping others discover and follow Jesus

The Five Levels of Churches

Research shows that churches typically operate at one of five levels, each with a distinct mindset:

Level 1 & 2: "Please Stay" (70% of churches)

These churches are either declining or plateaued. Their primary focus is keeping current members happy and preventing people from leaving. Unfortunately, when all energy goes toward retention, there's little left for reaching new people.

Level 3: "Please Come" (Addition Growth)

These churches focus on attracting people to their services and programs. While this isn't inherently wrong, it often results in growth through transfer rather than conversion - people moving from other churches rather than new believers coming to faith.

Level 4 & 5: "Please Go" (Reproducing Churches)

These churches understand that mature followers of Jesus naturally move toward the margins - the lost, lonely, and least of these. They equip people to be missionaries in their everyday lives, not just Sunday attendees.

The Great Commission: Our Marching Orders

Jesus didn't say, "Go into all the world and make worship attenders." His actual command in Matthew 28:19-20 was: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

The mission involves two specific actions:

- Baptizing : Celebrating new believers who surrender their lives to Christ
- Teaching : Helping people learn and obey Jesus' teachings

How to Prepare for God's Amazing Work

Step 1: Consecrate Yourself in Prayer

Before any vision or program can succeed, the entire church must come together in consecrated prayer. This means committing to seek God's will collectively, not just individually.

As Paul wrote in Colossians 1:9-12, fervent prayer leads to:

- Knowledge of God's will
- Wisdom and understanding from the Spirit
- Lives worthy of the Lord
- Bearing fruit in good works
- Growing in knowledge of God
- Strength and endurance
- Joyful thanksgiving

Step 2: Commit More Fully to Community

Churches must ask themselves a challenging question: If our church closed tomorrow, would the community miss us? We exist to bless our communities, not just to maintain our own comfort.

This commitment involves:

- Partnering with local schools and organizations : Building relationships that allow us to meet real needs in practical ways
- Collaborating across cultural lines : Working together with diverse groups to reach multilingual and multiethnic families
- Moving beyond Sunday services : Engaging in small groups and serving opportunities that foster spiritual growth

Life Application

The call to consecration isn't just for churches as organizations - it's for every individual believer. This week, commit to examining your own spiritual life and asking God how He wants to use you in His mission.

Consider these questions as you reflect on your spiritual journey:

- Am I truly consecrated to God, or am I holding back areas of my life from His lordship?
- How am I actively becoming more like Jesus in my daily life?
- Who in my network of relationships needs to hear about Jesus, and how is God calling me to reach them?
- What specific steps can I take this week to move from being a "please stay" Christian to a "please go" disciple?
- How can I contribute to my local church becoming a reproducing community that makes disciples who make disciples?

The promise remains the same today as it was for the Israelites at the Jordan River: when God's people consecrate themselves in prayer and commitment, He will do amazing things among us. The question is whether we're willing to take that first step of complete surrender and trust Him with the results.