I would like to share an excerpt from the book Sanctification, by B. Carridine D.D. written in 1890. He is writing to Christians, encouraging them to be filled with the Holy Spirit, thus being enabled to live victorious, power filled lives.
Consecrate yourself entirely to God. This is called the first step. Put everything on the altar. Make an Appomattox surrender of yourself. Become God's man by solemn covenant. Turn over everything to Christ that you are and have, and ever expect to be and have. Give Him your whole self. He will not accept a lesser gift. Christ intends giving Himself in His fullness to you, and He demands the same thing at your hands. Put every faculty on the altar; place your money there, and your reputation and ambition. Place your tongue there, and your time and your influence. If you have wronged anyone, promise God to right that wrong, and do it. If you are at enmity, first be reconciled with thy brother, then come with thy gift unto the altar.
This is what the apostle Paul is writing of in Romans 12, when he says to present ourselves to God as living sacrifices. It is the total, complete, irrevocable devoting of ourselves to God, to be filled with Him, led by Him, used by Him, submitting to all He brings us through, all for His glory! It is a call to the life hid with Christ in God. A call to intimate fellowship with Christ, dwelling in the secret place of the Most High.
Is your all on the altar?
The old saints use to ask each time they met, "Do you have the victory?" We don't hear much of that anymore but need to.
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