“Without sanctification no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
What does it truly mean to pray for sanctification? Often, we throw this word around as if it were something light, something easy, but the truth is that sanctification comes at a high cost, and we must be ready to pay it. When you pray to be sanctified, you are asking God to set you apart, to take you out of the world and place you in a position where your personal interests, your plans, and even your earthly pleasures diminish drastically. In return, God expands the space He occupies in your life, until everything in you — body, soul, and spirit — is completely turned towards Him. So, before making this prayer, ask yourself: “Am I truly ready to let God do this work in me?”
And what does sanctification really require? Do not be deceived: sanctification is not something that happens by magic or merely because you wish it. It requires an intense focus on God’s perspective, and this means that every area of your life must be surrendered to Him. It is as if God puts chains on everything you are — your thoughts, your desires, your actions — and says: “This is now Mine, and it will only be used for My purpose.” And here is the detail that many try to ignore: there is no sanctification without obedience to the Word of God. You cannot skip this part! God has already revealed in the Scriptures what He expects from us, and following these instructions is the path to being set apart for Him. Sanctification is a serious process, and God does not play with it.
And do you know what the result of living this way, of paying the price of sanctification, is? Intimacy with God. When you obey the Law of God, you are not just following rules; you are becoming a faithful child, someone who walks so close to the Father that they experience blessings, deliverances, and, ultimately, the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Do not be deceived into thinking you can have sanctification without obedience — that is an illusion. Obeying what God has already revealed is the key to living a separated life, a life that pleases God and receives all that He has to give. -Adapted from O. Chambers. Until tomorrow, if the Lord permits.
Pray with me: Dear God, it is true that I often find myself asking for sanctification as if it were something simple, without reflecting on the real cost of being set apart for You, of being taken out of the world and placed where my plans, desires, and earthly pleasures diminish. Today, I acknowledge that this prayer is not light, and in asking for it, I give You permission to expand Your space in my life, until everything in me — body, soul, and spirit — is turned towards You. Help me, Lord, to embrace this process with seriousness and not to flee from Your call to a holy life.
My Father, today I ask You to place Your chains of love over every area of my life — my thoughts, desires, actions — and declare: “This is now Mine, and it will be used for My purpose.” Teach me to focus on Your perspective, surrendering all that I am to You. I ask for strength to obey Your Word, for I know there is no sanctification without obedience, and the path to being set apart for You is in the Scriptures. Guide me, correct me, and transform me, so that I may live a life that pleases You.
Oh, Most Holy God, I worship and praise You for calling me to a deep intimacy with You, for giving me the chance to be a faithful child, experiencing Your blessings, deliverances, and the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Your beloved Son is my eternal Prince and Savior. Your powerful Law is the beacon that lights my steps, a river of justice that purifies my heart. Your commandments are stars that guide my journey, a song of love in my soul. I pray in the precious name of Jesus, amen.
