Intro: consecration

Joshua 3:5 (ESV) - Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Consecration

Qadash (Hebrew) —> To be set apart of consecrated

1. Set apart as sacred (consecrated, dedicated).
2. Be hallowed (come in contact with holiness).
3. With no mixture.

Calling all Men

It is time for men to band together in this call to consecration. The world is in need of a “set apart” band of brothers to spiritually lift and spiritually lead. The time is not for sons, fathers, brothers and leaders to be a holiness company, unmixed from things of the world. Consecration is a choice. It is time we choose to be consecrated.

Outcome

By the end of these 5 Days of Consecration, you will learn what it takes to choose consecration and grow more spiritually sensitive to what pleases the Lord.

Devotional Outline

Focus: Identify the focus of the day.

Scripture Reading: Read the focused passage for the day.

Study: Meditate on and engage in learning the scriptural passage.

Results: See the biblical blessings of operating in the focus.

Questions:

• For God: Engage in conversation with God.
• For Others: Invite trusted people to speak into your life.

Application: Put the concept to action in your life.

Prayer: Ask the Lord to lead you to grow in the focus.

Suggested Additional Bible Reading: Book of Joshua

5 Focuses:

1. humility: go low.
2. focus: stay focused.
3. faithful: stand firm.
4. discipline: have structure.
5. courage: be bold

Humility

Go low.

Definition: Humility is to think of yourself rightly (not too highly).

Joshua was an assistant to Moses, the leader of the Israelites. Eventually, he became the successor to Moses, leading the Israelites into the promised land. He accomplished the assignments he was given by others and by God. Joshua displayed the two greatest ways to develop humility: (1) to serve God well and (2) to serve others well.

Step 1: Serve God well.

Moses, leader of the Israelites, lived a life serving God. He fulfilled what God desired for him by entering into God's presence and finding out what He wanted. Moses acknowledged his need for the presence of God because that is the place where he discovered how to serve God well. This is the kind of leader that Joshua served, where he discovered his need for God.

One time, Joshua was with Moses while Moses was encountering God in the Tent of Meeting, Joshua was with him. When Moses left the Tent of Meeting to communicate to the people, Joshua remained in the tent (Exodus. 33:11). He could have left to do other things as an assistant to the leader of the Israelites, but he instead remained in the presence of the Lord. It takes humility to prioritize the presence of God, and it is in that place that Joshua grew in humility.

Step 2: Serve others well.

The leader of the Israelites, Moses, had a direct assistant, Joshua (Ex. 24:13). Joshua, as a direct assistant of Moses, was tasked with assignments such as fighting the Amalekites (Ex. 17:9-10) and spying out the land of Canaan (Num. 14). Later on at the end of his life, Joshua only took his land allotment after he handed out all the rest of the land to the other tribes (Joshua 19).

Humility comes down to putting God first and putting others before yourself. Joshua had the humility to serve God well. In serving God, he was able to serve Moses and others well before himself. Humility comes down to putting God first and putting others before yourself.

What’s At Stake?

God not trusting us to do His will and lead others.

If Joshua had not acknowledged his need for God, he would not have prioritized His presence. Joshua would not have been able to serve God well through living outside of the presence of God. The effect of not serving God well is not serving others well. Joshua would not have been able to lead the Israelites into the promised land and most likely would not have been selected by God to be Moses’ successor. God chose Joshua because of his humility, but he would have chosen someone else because of his pride.

Results of Humility

Wisdom (Proverbs 11:2)

Direction (Psalm 25:9)

Revelation (Psalm 25:9)

The Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3)

Salvation (Psalm 149:4)

Riches (Proverbs 22:4)

Honor (Proverbs 22:4)

Life (Proverbs 22:4)

More grace. (James 4:6-7)

Lifted by God. (James 4:10)

Exalted by God. (Luke 14:11)

Questions

Questions for God:

• Is there any area that I am operating in pride?
• How can I grow in humility?

Questions for others:

• On a scale of 1-10, rate my level of humility.
• How often do you sense pride in me?

Application

1. Schedule your daily encounters in your calendar and share the time with someone to keep you accountable.
2. Identify what act you can do today to put someone before yourself and do it.

Prayer

Lord, I ask for You to humble me. Expose any pride within me. Let there be less of me and more of You. Whatever You want, I want it. I chose to go low today. Amen.