Does the sacrificial death of Jesus bear no weight in my heart, rendering the trials He endured for my sake meaningless? Why did I choose to soil the beautiful work God has done in this vessel? I can’t fully fathom the depths of grief I’ve put the Holy Spirit through when I willingly steered my body, which technically is His Holy vessel, into sin. The resultant was that I made myself a vessel of dishonor.
I became an individual in the Body of Christ who knows the Word of God but chose to rebel against it. As a vessel of dishonor, it was culture to forsake the lead of the Holy Spirit which made me the contradiction of a true child of God instead of the manifestation of one (Rom 8:14). Thank God for granting me repentance so I could get out of that dangerous rebellious rut!
God has called ALL His sons to be a representation of Him on the earth so that our lives will draw sinners to Him. How can we fulfill that mandate if we look like them? If we are entangled and entertained by the same things that they are? We cannot live a life that constantly opposes God and His Kingdom principles and call ourselves Christians. God’s intent is to manifest/reveal Himself through our bodies to others – which is our greatest and most impactful way of being a witness of the gospel.
Because of this fact, just as God challenged me, I must challenge you and ask, “What are you doing with the temple of God?” Are you allowing Him to manifest Himself wherever you go; whether at home, school, work, and especially behind closed doors?
ARE YOU A VESSEL OF HONOUR?
This expression speaks to one, who, by the power of the Holy Spirit in them, walks in obedience to every word that comes from God. Such a person willingly presents their body as a living sacrifice to God making them fit and ready for the Lord’s glory to flow in and through them. They reckon themselves dead to sin/having no fellowship with it and alive unto God (Rom 6:11-13), hence their continual pursuit and abiding in righteousness, faith, love, and peace.
ARE YOU A VESSEL OF DISHONOUR?
Do you have the Holy Spirit, yet choose to oppose the divine nature you were fitted with at salvation? There is no place in Scripture that says or suggests we are to yield ourselves to God some times. It’s quite the opposite actually!
Matthew 6: 22-23
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
NEWS FLASH!
2 Timothy 2 was written to a youth in Christ!
Consecration is not a ritual, limited to a special few, and neither is it seasonal. God is calling us, even as youth to make it our lifestyle by fully submitting to living a sacrificial life, denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily. This guarantees we will walk upright before our LORD.
Once our heart is settled in this truth, a profound peace will stir within, and the internal conflict, as it pertains to doing the will of God, will be obliterated. The reality is, we are either for Him or against Him; no man can serve two masters.
As you read this today, whom will you choose to serve in each moment of your life?
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 1 John 1: 5-7
Here’s the thing about vessels – they were created for use. God however does not desire to use us only for us to be cast away (1 Cor 9:27). His desire is that we be used inside of having fellowship with Him that we may be eternally secured, and that only comes through consecration.
Now, whether a vessel of honour or dishonour, whatever we choose cannot hinder His glory and thwart His plans. It is us who will lose if we do not choose rightly. A word to the (Godly) wise is sufficient.
Stephanie Parkes is is a member of Passion and Purity, a school-based Christian ministry. Contact Passion and Purity at freedomcomerain@gmail.com