Day 22: Engaging Prayer

Sanctified - by Pastor Kyle Johnson

Read: John 17:17-19

As Jesus prays for His disciples, He understood that there needed to be a work done in their lives to set them apart for the work that God had intended for them. That is what the word sanctified means, to be set apart for a holy purpose. Jesus did not expect His followers to just “have what it takes” or know enough or be good enough to accomplish the things of God on their own. In the same way, we cannot expect that of ourselves. That is the beauty in what Jesus prays. He asks the Heavenly Father to do that work in those that follow Jesus. We come from this world and we live in this world but functioning according to the ways and systems of this world are not a given. We can and should be set apart from the standard ways of things. How does this happen? As Jesus prays, it is the Word that sanctifies us. As God speaks His truth and life into us from the Word it brings a movement in our life that prepares us to do the works God has planned for us. This sanctifying work prepares us to do holy things. We can’t earn it nor deserve it, but God is faithful to do the work that Jesus prays for in our life. Allow the Bible to invade your heart and mind as God sets you apart for the holy work He is calling you into.

Pray: Heavenly Father, you alone are a Holy and Righteous God. I thank you for seeing me fit to
participate in your great and holy work. Sanctify me by your Word and your Truth. Help me to believe that as you work in me, I am being set apart for your purposes. I will complete the task you set before me today by your power and your grace. Amen.