Worship
Scripture
“Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”” – Joshua 3:5, ESV
“Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord , God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.”” -Joshua 7:13, ESV
A Mission of Discipleship
I am writing this en route back to Dallas, returning from a mission trip with the Waco team to Colorado. It was my greatest joy to see four women take the vision of mobilizing and equipping women in Waco to fulfill the Great Commission and love one another like the Church in Acts. I have watched this group grow from a mere concept to a thriving group of passionate Jesus lovers who boldly take the gospel to their city and nation. I can’t even imagine 70 of these teams of women across the United States, pulling ordinary women into extraordinary lifestyles with Jesus to see His Kingdom come and His gospel go forth.
Preparation for God’s Work
This devotional today is my personal invitation to a life of more. Before Joshua took the Israelites into the Promised Land, there was a time of preparation. It was a time to break camp, pack up, and get their sights set. It was a time to prepare their hearts for what they were about to encounter. They were getting ready to transition their lives into the fullness of God, and in order to do so, some things needed to be let go and some things needed a reset.
Sisters, I believe we are standing at a precipice of expectation and crossing over into even greater fullness and expression of the life of Christ through His people. This next chapter upon us as the Bride of Christ is going to be unlike any we have seen in our lifetime. I believe we are about ready to embark on greater levels of supernatural healings, miracles, signs, and wonders. Dead people need to see the power of God on display! The enemy has lulled them to sleep and spiritual self-sufficiency. Why would they need to give their lives to a seemingly powerless God? Unfortunately many of the churches in America have so capped the move of the Spirit in and through their churches that even believers are losing focus and passion. Religion and religious activities have us circling places in the wilderness where God never intended for us to go and pitch our tents.
We are in a significant moment of consecration and preparation! Do you feel like your heart is ready to carry what God wants to release through you, in this next chapter?
Jesus has placed the timing of this Passion month on my heart to get us ready for something significant. He is inviting us into more of His heart and His purposes. We are going to take 30 days to walk from the shores of Galilee, where Jesus first called His guys to follow Him, all the way to see the first missionaries who were thrust out of hiding. We begin our journey just two days from today. If you have not signed up, go to www.eastwest.org/ariseeaster. (You will not receive the devotionals each day unless you specifically sign up!)
I invite you to go on this significant journey with over 1000 other women! What if, together, we encountered Jesus and locked arms to fulfill what He is corporately and intimately calling us toward in this hour?
We want to be marked by the same journey that Jesus took, to walk with Him so personally and look at His face through each step. He has things He wants to share with you to challenge your own heart in consecration and preparation. There is nothing more beautiful than when He sorts through the affections and attentions of our hearts to align them with His. His grace and mercy are so sweet to us. He has much in store for us this April that will get you ready to be propelled forward.
Understanding Biblical Consecration
According to the Key Word Study Bible, Consecration is, “A verb meaning to be set apart, to be holy, to show oneself holy, to be treated as holy … to dedicate, to be made holy, to declare holy … to behave, to act holy, to dedicate oneself. The verb, in the simple stem, declares the act of setting apart, being holy (i.e. withdrawing someone or something from profane or ordinary use).”
Will you allow the Lord to take up more space in your heart and life to reveal anything that needs to be let go, in preparation for what is ahead? Perhaps there are desert spaces He just needs to meet you in to pour out His fullness and abundance. Perhaps there are spaces of resentment and disappointment with God or with others that He wants to pour His love out upon. Perhaps there is just small thinking He needs to expand before He can take you further. Maybe there are hurts or idols or distractions He wants to speak to you about.
God’s Faithfulness
Your God of impossibility wants to expand all you know and believe in order for you to cross over into vision, passion, assignment, abundance, promise, and provision.
“I am about to display a great wave of My authority and My great power and I am looking for a people whose hearts are completely Mine. I am looking for those who are completely consecrated unto Me, for they shall partner with Me to display great moves of My power and presence in this era. They shall be humble, not looking for their own glory and renown but Mine alone. They are My consecrated ones. They shall perform My exploits so that the world may know that I AM. All My children are invited to walk with Me in this way. Many are called, but only those who consecrate themselves will be chosen for what I am about to do in the earth.” -Patricia King, “A Prophetic Manifesto For The New Era”
Will you go with me in just two days on a very significant journey that I pray marks you for the rest of your days? He wants to consecrate and set you apart for what He is about to do in the Earth. You have been appointed for this hour. He is making us a people prepared to carry His presence and His power! I will see you in two days in the fishing boats on the Sea of Galilee!
