I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh, Ezekiel 36:26
What does it mean by being sanfctified? First, it means putting every compromise of sin and idolatry. In this case, compromise means living in God’s Word while at the same time disobeying it on certain aspects. Some examples include cheating in doing business, falsifying tax reports, justifying everything to become popular or sucessful. “Therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry” Colossians 3:5.
Idolatry is other things we “worship” besides God. Idols can be objects/statues, but they can also be other things that take priority over God or things that make our relatioship with God grow more distant. Thus, work, business, family, hobby, pride, title, achievements could turn into idols in our lives.
The Lord Jesus sanctified us through His blood that was shed to reedem and save us. Sanctification can only be obtained through repentance and being born again in Him. Being born again means we have become a new creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
The second meaning of being sanctified is being renewed in the heart and the spirit – becoming a person who does not have a heart of stone, but an obedient one. A person will have their heart changed when they have a personal encounter with the Lord and repent. However, a renewed heart must go through a continual test through life, problems, and interactions with other people. In this testing time, the Lord will give us strength, help us and push us to become even more obedient.
Thirdly, it means being filled with the Holy Spirit. “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Ezekiel 36:27. This is a promise the Lord had started fulfilling from the first Pentecost in the upper room in Jerusalem to now and for the time to come. This is how important it is to be baptized with the Holy Spirit with a sign of speaking in tongues. The Holy Spirit baptism brings changes to our lives, makes us more effective in our ministries, and leads us to obey the Lord’s commands.
For us to become the army of God and do the Father’s will in these end times, we have to be filled with the Holy Spirit! Do you want to be sanctified? Give yourself to be baptized by the Holy Spirit and always be on fire for the Lord. God bless!
Source: Article from GBI Gatot Subroto, Jakarta