Set Apart to Live Fully for God
Inspired by insights from David Kuykendall's Living in the Garden of Grace
"Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."
— John 17:17–19
Just moments before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus prayed for His disciples—not for their safety or success, but for their sanctification. His heart longed for them to be fully set apart for God, shaped by the truth of His Word.
Sanctification means being set apart, not in isolation but in purpose. It is God calling us out of the world to belong entirely to Him. In one sense, this was accomplished the moment we placed our faith in Christ. Yet in another, it’s something that unfolds in our daily living as we grow in our awareness and surrender to God’s purposes.
Imagine a beautiful, handcrafted vessel sitting on a shelf—designed for a specific use but gathering dust because it remains untouched. Sanctification is like that vessel being taken off the shelf, filled, and used exactly as the artisan intended. God has already set us apart, and now, through His Spirit, He is filling and guiding us to live out that purpose.
The Holy Spirit is not working to improve our old ways but to make us fully available for God’s use. Our role isn’t to strive for holiness but to simply trust that the Spirit is actively working within us, making us more available and responsive to God. This is not about effort but about surrender—acknowledging that Christ has already provided everything needed for us to walk in holiness.
A Prayer of Confidence in God’s Work of Sanctification
Father,
Thank You for setting me apart through Christ and for filling me with Your Spirit. I trust that You are faithfully working in me, shaping me to live fully for You. I rejoice that I am already sanctified in Christ and that You continue to lead me into deeper availability for Your purposes. May my life reflect Your glory as I rest in the truth that You have made me holy and useful for every good work. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Final Thought
Sanctification is not about striving but about surrendering. God has already set us apart; now we simply trust Him to work through us. Let’s step off the shelf, knowing we are ready and equipped for His purpose.