What it means to be consecrated is to be set apart, sold out to God, and completely devoted to him and his service. We have also established that God’s Spirit has made us Holy and therefore we must live a life in alignment with this reality.

We live in a world where everything feeds our flesh, from the things we hear to the things we see. It feeds fleshly and sinful desires but because you have been made Holy by God, you must live your life in consecration to God. Part of this would include applying self-control.

The Holy Spirit works within believers to transform their hearts and minds. This transformation involves renewing one’s thoughts, desires, and attitudes to align with God’s will. As individuals yield to the work of the Spirit, they become more receptive to consecration and the sanctifying work of God in their lives.

Mastering self-control entails regulating your desires, especially when faced with temptations that could harm you. Consider someone who is lactose intolerant or who diligently avoids all milk-based products due to their adverse health effects. Similarly, regardless of the appeal of a tempting smoothie or irresistible ice cream, refrain from indulging if you recognize its detrimental impact on you.

In the same vein, even though you have changed desires now by God’s spirit living on your inside because you still live in a fallen flesh, you may catch yourself desiring things that are contrary to your new nature. When this happens you can quickly bring yourself to order and such is possible because self-control is a fruit of your born-again spirit. Self-control might look difficult but as a new man in Christ, the reverse is the case because the Holy Spirit empowers you to abstain from sin.

You’re no longer led by the flesh where you can’t control your desires. You have the Spirit of God on your inside and for that reason, you can bring the desires of your flesh into subjection. Amidst the clamor of temptation and the pull of worldly distractions, stand firm in the knowledge that you’re a man of the Spirit. Despite the allure of sin and the pressures of society, you can control yourself!

Galatians 5:16-18

New King James Version

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Romans 8:13-14

King James Version

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Scripture lets us know that the Spirit and flesh wrestle against each other clearly seeking dominance and so if you do not intentionally regulate your desires by mortifying your flesh, you will gratify the desires of your flesh.

What does it mean to mortify? To mortify means to put to death that which is already dead. Imagine your mum asks you to kill a chicken and you proceed to cut its head off. The fact that it jerks from to time does not mean it is not dead and so you take the chicken and kill it again. putting to death that which is already dead. That’s the job of a mortician, he puts to death that which is already dead.

Therefore, the Bible commands us to walk in the Spirit. When you do, your Spirit will gain ascendency over your flesh so regardless of the fleshly desires that creep in, you can subdue it. You are a new man in Christ, a man fully consecrated to God’s will and so you must walk in the Spirit at every given time, especially in moments when you don’t feel like it because those moments will come.

You need to remain consecrated to God. On the days when you ought to pray but you feel weak, when you should study the word but you don’t feel up to it or when you should fast but don’t want to, those are the days you need to do them the most. As a man of the Spirit, your desires and decisions should not be regulated by how you feel but rather by the leadings of God.

Colossians 3:1-2

New King James Version

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on the earth.

It is evident from this text that you can tailor your desires to the things of God. You can stay consecrated to God and seek the things that are above only. You can exercise self-control and remain invested in the things of God.

The power of God has freed you from sin and what that means for you is that you can please God now because your desires have been changed.

Ephesians 1:16-18

New King James Version

16 Do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus may give to you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the Knowledge of Him,

18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of your calling, what are the riches of the inheritance in the saints.

When you come to the knowledge of who you are in Christ and your position in Him, regulating your desires will not be difficult because you know God’s spirit empowers you to do so. For all that God will have you do this year, consecration is needed. In consecration, you can stay true to the will of God, and align yourself to His ways. It is in consecration that your priorities are redefined and you affirm that your desires are indeed changed.

As you go about your day today, ensure you meditate on these words and challenge yourself to do better.

Prayer Point:

Dear Lord, help me to be wholly consecrated to you. I surrender my desires to your will so that I may walk in full alignment with your plan and purpose for me. In times of temptation, I am empowered to exhibit self-control.