40 Day Consecration

A Journey of Fulfillment and Increase

The Lord has in store for those who are ready a season of increase and enlargement. He is calling us to RISE UP and reclaim the cities long devastated. To bring beauty back from ashes, to proclaim good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim THIS IS THE YEAR of the LORDS favor!

Are ready to see an increase in your anointing, favor, and blessing both in your your life and relationships? Are you ready to see an enlargement in realm of influence around you? As part of the Body of Christ I am inviting you by the Spirit of God to walk into an accelerated season for power, healing and increase! Are you ready?

This 40 day journey to consecrate your body, mind and spirit will bring a whole new level of ministry, anointment and Holy Spirit power to your life. The outcome of your journey will depend completely on your commitment, dedication and prayer focus over the 40 days. We are not going to be focused on gaining more money, more power in our worldly life or gaining more control. Just as King Solomon asked for in 1 Kings 3, “Give me wisdom and knowledge.” God responded with the assurance that since he only asked for God’s wisdom and knowledge and not for power, position or money, “I will give you a wise and understanding heart such as no one else has had or ever will have. And I also give you what you did not ask for-riches and fame.” It goes on to tell us that no other king in all the world would ever compared. During this consecration we are going to focus on gaining more of God! With a full and overflowing heart of God, all things are possible!

This commitment will require a sacrifice of time. When God is your first, everything else just fits in perfectly.

Before you begin this journey, pls visit www.carlashellis.com/podcast and listen to HOW TO DRAW THE FINAL LINE IN THE SAND Part 1 & 2

Consecration- What is it?

Consecrate means to make something holy or to dedicate to a higher purpose. It is another word for sanctification. Many people have a confused idea as to what sanctification really is. It must be borne in mind that we are not considering the theological term sanctification, but the use of the New Testament word "sanctify". To sanctify is to "set apart for a holy use", to "separate to God", to set apart for God that which has already been separated from sin.

In the Bible the word consecration means “the separation of oneself from things that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate one’s relationship with our perfect God.” Consecration also carries the connotation of sanctification, holiness, or purity.

The importance of being consecrated or pure in our relationship with God is emphasized in an incident in the book of Joshua. After forty years in the wilderness, the children of Israel were about to cross over the Jordan River into the Promised Land. They were then given a command and a promise: “Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you’” (Joshua 3:5). Understanding that God's promises are the same now as they were then, Joshua was speaking to us even now.

I am offering you the same challenge that Joshua did to the people, consecrate yourself, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things FOR YOU!

The Lord promised that He would do amazing things among them (Joshua 3:5). His promise is the same for you today. When you commit a time or a season, just as Jesus did in the desert, to sanctifying your life to the LORD, you can expect great things to happen first within you, then naturally around you.

God opened the Red Sea and delivered them from bondage. He opened the Jordan River and took them into the Promised Land. The psalmist declared, “Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples” (Psalm 77:13-14).

The Bible tells believers to be a holy people, separate from the world: “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Being consecrated is a critical component in our relationship to God and to those in the world. Paul tells us, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2).

In other words, as true believers in Christ, the act of consecration involves our lives being a living sacrifice to Him; we are totally separated from the defilement of the world. Each day, we are to live out our lives as a “holy” and “royal” priesthood to the glory of God, for we are now God’s people (1 Peter 2:9-10). (taken in part from gotquestions.org)

How to consecrate yourself:

Dedicate your heart to God.

To consecrate yourself is to answer God's call to spiritual consecration. This means making a conscious, willing decision to dedicate your soul, mind, heart, and body to God. This decision must be one of will, intelligence, and affection. Only you can make the decision to consecrate yourself to God. No one else can push you into it

Reflect on your motives.

Only you and God know your heart, so don't worry about whether you appear to have the right motives. View your commitment to Christ as a priority, not a hobby or a passing feeling. You should also be aware of your relationship to Christ as not a lottery ticket to get what you want, but as a relationship with the King of the Universe and as a person who is an heir to that kingdom. You will feel gratitude and love in your heart for God as your relationship begins to form. If your heart is ready to be consecrated to God, it will love God in response to the love God has for you.

Repent.

Repentance is one of the first acts you should undertake when you make the decision to consecrate yourself to God. The act of repenting involves the acknowledgment of your sins and the need for the salvation offered to you by Christ. Repentance is a free gift by God in the form of Grace. It is the price Jesus paid on the cross for your and my sin, so that we could live free. Your past sin life is dead and gone in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. His blood cleans you and gives you a brand new life and start. When you are ready to repent, all you need to do is pray for forgiveness and ask God to help you fight against temptation in the future. (see I Want A New Life on mysparkleliving.com )

Be baptized.

If you have just committed or recommitted your life to Christ, water baptism is your next step. Finding a Bible teaching church is your best place to start. This is simply an an outward sign of inner consecration. In being baptized, you are given a new spiritual life and dedicated to a life lived for the service of Christ. You should also take time to regularly renew your baptismal promises, especially if you were baptized as an infant before the decision was completely yours to make.

Separate yourself from the evils of the world.

The physical body will always be drawn to the ways of the world because at the core of your soul you are searching for ways to fulfill the “cup” God has placed inside of you. Consecrating yourself means putting a priority on filling your spiritual cup with the things of God over trying endlessly to fill it with the things of this world. It means making a conscience effort to stay away from those ways. There are plenty of things in the physical world that are good like food. It is good because it provides the body with the nourishment it needs to survive. In this fallen world we live in, even good things can be hijacked and used for ill and harmful purposes. In some cases, we are not aware of some of our choices that bring this evil into our sacred environments. Rejecting the evils of the world does not mean that you have to reject the good things of the world. It simply means that you have to reject the bad, evil side and intentions of worldly things. It also means that you have to acknowledge and accept those worldly things as less significant than spiritual things. It is very comparable to eating fast food that is filled with fillers, fat and foreign ingredients. It gives you an instant pleasure to your taste buds, it fills you up but within a few hours you are hungry again. Then you realize you have defiled your body with "junk food”. You probably gained a little weight and are back to square one. Following God's will for your life even when it seems to go against something neutral the world holds as a major priority—financial security, romantic love, etc, is the same as eating a meal of real whole foods. They are both satisfying and filling. They feed and nurture the very basics of the functions of our bodies and promote well being.

Draw closer to God.

Making a decision to and walking out a rejection of the wicked ways of the world will not be enough to truly transform you. The human spirit is always looking for a well to "drink" from. When you have chosen to no longer drink from a worldly source, you are left with the most fulfilling drink available, a divine source. Just as the body hungers for the ways of the world, the spirit thirsts of the ways of God. The more you train yourself to submit to the desires of your spirit, the easier it will become to continually turn to God as the source for all of your hunger and your thirst. There are practical things you can do to draw closer to God.

Pray- Prayer should be a continuing conversation all day with God. Prayer does not have to be a ritual or even sound a particular way. A simple conversation to share your heart and your thoughts with God is a great prayer life. Finding a quiet room or closet in your home for your dedicated prayer time is your war time. By this you are engaging in war against the enemy with God’s Word as your weapon. Google “scripture on fear”, “scripture of anxiety”, “scripture on abandonment”, etc. This will give you a resource of information. Get a sticky pad and begin writing the scriptures that speak to you one on each sticky paper. Then begin to stick those all over your wall where you will be praying. Using God’s spoken word combined with your verbal word creates a double edged sword to do battle with.
Devotion- Find a good daily devotion that suites your needs. A daily devotion gives you an appointed and assigned time with God and directs you through the scriptures. It is an intentional time to be alone with God to be encouraged and lifted up.
Worship- Worship is an essential part of your walk with God. Where the presence of the Lord is, the enemy will flee. Keep worship playing all day on an audio device in your home and in the rooms of your family. Finding time in your day to engage in spontaneous worship will keep the angels of Heaven dispatched into your environment, which allows the peace of God’s presence to invade your space. Examples are in the shower, the car ride to work or school, on your walk or during a workout.
Church- Find a bible teaching church in your community. Becoming part of the body of Christ is an essential part of your journey and relationship with God. After becoming part of the body get involved in a volunteer position and offer your special gifts to the church. When each part of the body does it’s part the body functions more efficiently.
Bible Study- Check with your church or church friends on what bible studies are offered. Become part of a bible study or prayer group to create an environment of women who will hold you accountable, guide you in the right direction and pray with you in your time of need.

Stay committed.

Consecration is not a single, one-time-only decision. It is a way of living. When you make the decision to consecrate yourself, you must be prepared to continue pursuing God for the rest of your life. God does not demand complete perfection, so never expect to achieve perfect righteousness.. You are only asked to make the commitment and to actively pursue it. You can stumble as you walk the path, but you must choose to keep walking even when do.

A few suggestions for your 40 day consecration:

Find a poster board or large paper to write out your focused commitment over the next 40 days. The bible reminds us in Habakkuk 2:2 “Write down the vision, and make it plain, so that he who runs may read it.” Write a list of 5-7 things you will commit during this journey.
- The first 60 min of the day is set aside for devotion and reading of the scriptures. (remember to find a devotion suitable for you)
- A time set aside every day to pray. While praying can be done all day in general conversation with God, it is a good idea during these 40 days to dedicated at least 10-15 minutes in your war room (closet or quiet place in your home) for prayer.
- A minimum of 20 minutes for spontaneous worship. (The shower is the perfect place for this.)
- A minimum of 60 minutes for reading a book of inspiration. A book that will increase your knowledge and walk with The Lord.
- A minimum of 30-45 minutes of listening to audio to increase your thinking. Leadership training, motivational podcasts, forward thinking speakers, etc.

Prayerfully consider fasting something that you really like. Some examples are sugar, fried food, bread, tv, social media, etc. Find something that could distract your time during this journey. Read Galatians 2:20
Keep a journal nearby as you pray and write out what you are praying for and what you feel God is telling you.

Scripture References:

Find a place to write down these scriptures that will help you confess and meditate on God’s Word during this journey. Take time to study these scriptures and allow God to speak to you about your journey.

Matthew 4 Jesus in the wilderness

Romans 12: 1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Isaiah 54:2-3

Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; 3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

Read Job 29

The anointing and favor that Job walked in before his trail. The Lord is inviting us to the same.

Read Psalms 91

The supernatural protection of God that comes when we abide in Him

Isaiah 44:3

For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.

Colossians 3:1-4

"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth, for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory."

Joshua 3:5

Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Job 2:28

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

1 Chronicles 4:10

"Now Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, 'Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from evil that I might not cause harm.' And God granted him what he requested."