Sanctification - Healing of the Soul

SANCTIFICATION 

The living Spirit of God accomplishes for us our sanctification. We are only required to be willful recipients. The Scripture likens the presence of the Holy Spirit to a spring of living waters. To the woman at the water well, Jesus explained, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”(John 4:13) The water Jesus refers to is the Holy Spirit. 

Before His ascension, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit, explaining to the disciples,  “ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”(John 14:15-17) 

Because the Holy Spirit lives in us, we can go through transformation. As we shed the old practices of the flesh, we adorn the new nature of Jesus, who is now living and manifesting in us. And if Christ lives in me, it is not my righteousness, holiness, wisdom, or beauty. It is His righteousness, holiness, wisdom, and beauty. As the mark of salvation is His peace in you, the mark of your ultimate healing is His LOVE in you. You are healed and saved from all harm when you attain that LOVE. This is the process of Sanctification. The LOVE of Christ in us is the bond that brings Christlike qualities into our lives and transforms us from “glory to glory” (II For 3:18) into the image of Christ our Savior. This is your healing. 

Sanctification - Love like a Spring of Living Water

The commitment to become more and more like Jesus transforms us from glory to glory into the likeness of Jesus (2 Cor 3:18). This is the willful process of emptying myself from all that is mine (the practices of the flesh) and filling myself with all that is His (godly character). It is the daily acknowledgment of the deeds of the flesh (wrongdoing/sin) and the honest desire to get rid of its practices. 

Daily practice of Sanctification: 

1. CONFESS - my daily wrongdoing/sin

2. REPENT - my daily wrongdoing/sin

3. CRUCIFY - my wrongdoing/sin - envision yourself putting your old flesh on Jesus’ cross and driving nails through that sinful flesh, condemning it to death. For example, take anger, hatred, bitterness, judgmental attitudes of heart, addictions, gossip, etc., and nail them on the cross of Jesus.

4. WASH IN THE BLOOD - cleansing from the defilement of daily wrongdoings

5. FILL UP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT - the seal of God that marks us for eternity 

As a result of the above-mentioned steps, a person is set free from the practices of the flesh and no longer “craves " sinful inclinations and desires. These practices have no power over them because they have been subjected to death on the cross. 

PRAYER FOR SANCTIFICATION

Jesus, I confess my inability to conquer this ______ sin. I now wholeheartedly repent from it. Forgive me, Jesus, this sin. I now renounce this practice of the flesh and desire to turn away from it. I say “no” to it. I don’t want this sin in my life. I hate it because it is evil. Lord, I now consciously exercise my free will by rejecting my enslavement to this sin. I take this sin that torments my life, put it on your cross, and nail it there. This burden of sin does not belong to my heart. It belongs to your cross, Jesus, for you already died for all of my sins and this sin. I desire to die to this part of my sinful, carnal nature. I pronounce this sin dead, and I turn away from it. 

I call upon the cleansing power of your blood to wash me pure from the defilement of this sin. Wash my mind and purify my thoughts. Wash my heart and purify its attitudes. Wash my mind, body, soul, and spirit, and make me whiter than snow, purer than gold, and shinier than the sun. Cleanse me, Oh Lord, for I desire to approach you pure in mind, body, soul, and spirit. 

I now call upon your Holy Spirit to come and gently fall on me. Come, Holy Spirit, and wash over, engulf, enter, fill, and sanctify. Heal the brokenness inside. Bring the healing of the kingdom of God and restore me in righteousness and goodness as designed from the beginning of time. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Gladden my soul by making me “see”  your presence. Penetrate deep into my heart and my mind and make your dwelling within me. Teach me how to live a life of purity; guide me to walk in the way of the kingdom of God. Equip me with strength from above to resist the temptations of the evil one, the world, and my flesh.

Jesus, I desire to be set apart for you. Holy Savior, make me holy like you. Replace my old flesh's anger, bitterness, and resentment with your righteousness. Impart in me more of your goodness, more of your love, more of your peace. May your righteousness be my righteousness and your goodness, my goodness. May the life I live in this body be consecrated into life with you. May I no longer live, but you live through me. Thank You, Lord God.

In Jesus’ name. Amen

The misery of emotional pain and despair proceeds from alienation from God for those who are outside of the kingdom of God and from immaturity in growing in the image of Christ for those who already belong to the kingdom of God. I will systematically elaborate on this statement throughout this course. Each session will take you through sanctification and transformation in the image of Christ, during which you will experience your healing.