Recently as I was praying, I kept hearing the words, “Prepare the Way of the Lord.” Why do we need to prepare the way of the Lord? We must prepare for a visitation from the Lord. Joshua spoke to the children of Israel in Joshua 3:5 and instructed them to "sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."
To sanctify means to be set apart. In sanctification we are set apart from sin, and set apart unto God. He sanctifies us for a holy purpose. Joshua instructed the children of Israel to prepare for a visitation from the Lord. This is a day of preparation. God is visiting His people and we must prepare ourselves for His holy visitation.
John the Baptist's assignment was to prepare the way of the Lord. He was a voice crying out in the wilderness. His message is found in Matthew 3:1– 2 - “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
The Word Wealth of the "Spirit Filled Life Study Bible" defines repentance as “a decision that results in a change of mind, which in turn leads to a change of purpose.” Some people will interpret repent as only to turn. But it is much more than that. It is a change of mind that results in a change of purpose.
The Lord is calling us to repent of the mindsets that have held us in bondage. Religious mindsets that have held us in the powerless traditions of man. Lustful mindsets that hold us in bondage to lust. Romans 12:1-2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
If we are going to know the will of God and understand what we are supposed to do in these last days we must have our minds renewed. Our minds must be renewed so that we will not be conformed to the world’s thinking. The Bible teaches in I John 1:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
Repentance prepares the way of the Lord. The first call of the kingdom is a call to repentance. We must come clean with God both personally and corporately so that we can prepare ourselves for a visitation of His glory.
To sanctify means to be set apart. In sanctification we are set apart from sin, and set apart unto God. He sanctifies us for a holy purpose. Joshua instructed the children of Israel to prepare for a visitation from the Lord. This is a day of preparation. God is visiting His people and we must prepare ourselves for His holy visitation.
John the Baptist's assignment was to prepare the way of the Lord. He was a voice crying out in the wilderness. His message is found in Matthew 3:1– 2 - “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”
The Word Wealth of the "Spirit Filled Life Study Bible" defines repentance as “a decision that results in a change of mind, which in turn leads to a change of purpose.” Some people will interpret repent as only to turn. But it is much more than that. It is a change of mind that results in a change of purpose.
The Lord is calling us to repent of the mindsets that have held us in bondage. Religious mindsets that have held us in the powerless traditions of man. Lustful mindsets that hold us in bondage to lust. Romans 12:1-2 – “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
If we are going to know the will of God and understand what we are supposed to do in these last days we must have our minds renewed. Our minds must be renewed so that we will not be conformed to the world’s thinking. The Bible teaches in I John 1:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
Repentance prepares the way of the Lord. The first call of the kingdom is a call to repentance. We must come clean with God both personally and corporately so that we can prepare ourselves for a visitation of His glory.
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