Eternal Consecration

When most of us hear the word consecration we think it’s something we do for a certain number of days to fast, pray, and seek the Lord. We think it’s something we do from time to time and when it’s over, it’s over. That’s all I thought consecration was too until God began to show me that there’s much more to it than that. Consecration is not just something you do when you go on a major fast; consecration for the true believer is a lifestyle! Once you step into Christ you are eternally consecrated – set aside – to and for Him; totally set aside for the Master’s use and for His use alone. Now don’t get me wrong there is a type of consecration where you get away for a number of days to fast, pray, and really seek the Lord, but that type of consecration ends. But when your heart is eternally consecrated to Christ, this consecration continues forever.

To consecrate means to dedicate to a sacred purpose; to sanctify or set apart, to devote and reserve something for a specific use. When we say yes to Christ we are in essence saying that our vessel is reserved specifically for Him. When God began to show me this deeper meaning of living a consecrated life, it totally revolutionized my walk with Him. My whole mindset changed completely and it drew me so much closer to Him.  You see, when you have the mindset that you are eternally consecrated to Christ, you understand that you don’t take any breaks when it comes to this God thing, you get no days off. It’s a forever thing. You have a standard to live by and that standard is Christ. Everything within you is for Him and your heart says, “God do with me as you please!”

Imagine a special cup reserved for only the king to use. No one else can use that cup for any reason what so ever. Whenever and however the king wants to use that cup, he can use it. If he wanted to use that cup to hold dirt and plant seeds in it he could do so and no one could stop him because the cup is for his use. That cup has no say so on how it is used and it can’t choose to be used for anything or anyone else. Once it’s been set aside (sanctified) for the king, it can only be used for the king. The same is true for us, once we’ve said yes to God we are now eternally consecrated to Him, we are vessels of honor devoted to our King. We’ve signed a contract and we can’t take it back. We’ve laid our will down. Whatever and however the Master wants to use us is how we choose to be used. And we cannot offer ourselves to another; all we know is God and doing His will because we’ve chosen to be totally set aside for Him. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 says,

But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

So if you want to be that vessel that honors God then lay your life down, that’s how you honor Him! Don’t be the type of Christian that gives themselves the option of slipping and sliding in and out of sin or doing whatever they want when they feel like it. Be eternally consecrated to the Master! Completely lay your life down for Him and don’t pick it back up. Don’t give yourself any options other than Jesus Christ. Until you get this mindset it will be easy for you to backslide. The deepest places of our heart really says: “well if I ever get tired of living holy and doing what God says I can always dibble and dabble in sin just a little bit.” But when you’re eternally consecrated, that’s just not a choice anymore.

When I got this revelation of eternal consecration, God embedded Himself in my heart all the more. I understood all the more that I had His stamp of ownership on me. I understood that I can’t just do consecration or take off this consecration – I had to become consecration. So I couldn’t go back! I signed the contract! I had NO OTHER OPTIONS! No matter what He chooses to do with my life, I said “YES” to Him for all eternity because I’m His! Everything I have, everything I am, all my desires, my dreams, my hopes, my plans, my finances belong to Him and He’s free to do with it all as HE pleases! This is eternal consecration. And oh what a joy it is to belong to the Master and to have your life poured out on Him and for Him! I’m retrained by Him and yet I’m free at the same time because in Him there is true liberty. So if you find yourself in one day and out the next, up one month and down the next, it’s time to cut off your old lovers; chances are you’re still connected to other options of things you used to do in the world and when the Christian thing gets too hard you go back to those options for “a little bit.” But like a bride to her groom, it’s time to give yourself only and completely to Jesus to do whatever HE pleases. Close those doors and begin living a life of eternal consecration unto HIM!