Separate to keep for a special purpose
Romans 12:2
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
As a new believer it is important to consecrate ourselves before the Lord. What does consecrate mean? To devote to a particular purpose. We are to not allow ourselves to be entangled with the new age mindset of the world. We should be devoting our time and lives to God. This is how we will be able to know what is his perfect will. Spending time with him, worshiping and praying he reveals himself to us. Before we can get this knowledge of God, we have to change our perspectives and shift our old way of thinking or shift our paradigm, which is a way of thinking. Matthew 5: 13 we see the parable of salt in light.
“You are the salt of the earth but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under able. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.”
How Can one Lose their Saltiness?
First, we have to ask what is saltiness? Your saltiness is your zeal for God, your dedication to God, your hunger or thirst to know God on a deeper level, your consistency in prayer and fasting and reading his word, your fire for God this is your saltiness. All these things added together equates to your saltiness. You can't have one without the other, they all work in harmony. Losing your saltiness is like adding seasoning to your food but you can never add enough because the seasoning is just not potent enough to make the food taste better. That's like backsliding Christians trying to teach the word of God or disciple people, your fire is not potent enough to even plant a seed because you have lost the very thing that makes you stand out as a believer.
If whatever you are involved in or do, is not of God throw it away, Matthew 5:29-30. Whether that's through movies, TV shows, music, sex and parting; whatever it is, if it's not a God put it away. This is what it means to be set apart. It is not set apart because you are better, but because God has a greater purpose for you than these things of the world. Peace and love he gives to you not as the world gives.
You see when you become a believer and dedicate or consecrate yourself before the Lord; you develop a love for God. You will want to do the things that please him, you will want to move away from the old things you used to do. You will want to move away from hanging out or going places with people and things that you used to, because when it comes to God, he requires a change from you. We cannot come to God and remain the same, God requires that we become holy as he is holy. That our minds are set on the things above as his mind is set on greater things for us.
How Can we Know what to Separate Ourselves From?
James 4:4
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God therefore anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
How can you be an enemy of God if the things you’re doing are fun? Anything that takes you away from the presence of God makes it an enemy of God. Any pleasure or desire that is according to the law sin, is not of God, therefore you're becoming a friend of the world which then therefore means you're becoming a friend of the enemy. The things that do not please God, should also not pleases us, but if it pleases you to do the things that displease God therefore, you're a friend of the world. How can we know what displeases God? By reading his word consistently, drawing near to him. Getting understanding through fellowship and prayer with the father. Also getting accountability partners that will lift you in the things of God.
Jesus always made sure to have God feeding him at all times. He made sure to set his self apart so that when the time was ready, he could effectively go in the world and save it without being a part of the evil in it. John 17:13-19 Please read.
3 John 1: 11
Beloved do not imitate what is evil but what is good, he who does good is of Elohim, but he who does evil has not seen Elohim.
We as Christ followers should not imitate lying, cheating, fornication, hateful thoughts unforgiveness, lust, pride, self-righteousness, judgmental, harsh, or rude attributes as the world and so on and so forth. We are to exhibit the fruits of the spirit like In Galatians 5:22-26 and the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:1-12. These verses show us how we are to act as Christ followers and are very helpful to understanding the walk.
In Conclusion
All these things added to what I previously spoke about prayer, fasting the thirst and zeal for God, keeps one salty and potent. When we are set apart we become a light to the world an effective believer an effective warrior in Christ Jesus, therefore you remain victorious in all situations through God. This is why we are to remain set apart because, if we don't, it is easy to slip into the world and allow the enemy to plant seeds in your heart and in your mind. If these things don't get in checked with prayer, fasting reading God's word dedicating your time consistently to the father. You're going to become like a Christian who lost their saltiness therefore should be thrown out and trampled all over.
Amen!
