1 Thessalonians 4:1-8, 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Jamie Anderson

(Inspired by something my Dad wrote recently!)

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (Amplified Bible)
FURTHERMORE, BRETHREN, we beg and admonish you in [virtue of our union with] the Lord Jesus, that [you follow the instructions which] you learned from us about how you ought to walk so as to please and gratify God, as indeed you are doing, [and] that you do so even more and more abundantly [attaining yet greater perfection in living this life]. 2 For you know what charges and precepts we gave you [on the authority and by the inspiration of] the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, that you should be consecrated (separated and set apart for pure and holy living): that you should abstain and shrink from all sexual vice, 4 That each one of you should know how to possess (control, manage) his own body in consecration (purity, separated from things profane) and honor, 5 Not [to be used] in the passion of lust like the heathen, who are ignorant of the true God and have no knowledge of His will, 6 That no man transgress and over reach his brother and defraud him in this matter or defraud his brother in business. For the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we have already warned you solemnly and told you plainly. 7 For God has not called us to impurity but to consecration [to dedicate ourselves to the most thorough purity]. 8 Therefore whoever disregards (sets aside and rejects this) disregards not man but God, Whose [very] Spirit [Whom] He gives to you is holy (chaste, pure).

Consecration is more than a position of separation, it's a place of decision. It's that time when you finally draw a line in the sand, and decide, that's it...its time. I cannot cross this line again - my life depends on it. When that decision really comes out of the depth of your heart, I can't help but think that heaven itself, literally stands to attention in light of what you have just declared. It's that moment when your destiny begins to turn, and things begin to fall into place for you. Your focus has narrowed and you can see your target clearly.

Whether it's in our physical life, our ministry life, business life or family life, these scriptures reveal God's desire for us to be set apart for Him. Please read this next statement really slowly, "the enemy has lied to you saying this is a difficult thing to do!" That, is a lie. It's so much easier than you realize. The instant you make that decision, the power of God's Holy Spirit begins to meet you right in the place where you are, whether that be challenge, fear, failure or even disillusionment. He's been waiting to 'show off' as the one 'called alongside' you! No doubt satan will do his best to cheat, steal, kill or destroy you BUT GREATER is He who is in you. Stop comparing the strength of what hell is trying to throw at you, with the strength and overwhelming power of God's grace that is living in you. Your righteousness is IN Christ Jesus and you were bought and paid for with a price that cannot be refunded and does not expire.

As basic as it sounds we must continually remind ourselves that good is way more powerful than evil, light is always brigther than dark! The Lord God Himself showed evidence of that very clearly in His defeat of Satan, casting him as lightning from heaven.

Have more faith in the positive than the negative! God really is for you. All the infinite resources of heaven are waiting for you to draw on them and use them. Take advantage of these resources through the exercising of your FAITH, and the revelation that the Father loves us. If Faith was the 'currency' of heaven, you have been authorized to make transactions between what heaven has and what earth needs. Your account is full and there is NO need for an overdraft - in fact it's the overflow you're taking from!

As you begin to believe in God's power to aid you in this decision of consecration, The Word goes to work inside you to starting making it happen. Look what 1 Thessalonians 2:13 says in the Amplified Bible:

And we also [especially] thank God continually for this, that when you received the message of God [which you heard] from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the Word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its superhuman power in those who adhere to and trust in and rely on it].

Now, as you take God at His word to 'come alongside' you by the power of His Spirit, which already lives in you, start to exercise this superhuman power and believe without fear, failure or doubt!

Forget about what's been in your past or your present, brush off the dust and get back into the race. Don't forget; this race is fixed - it's been setup that you're already going to win! Tomorrow I want you to start your day before God, and dedicate yourself to His work and see how Heaven WILL go to work for you.