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Isolation is not your purpose

John 17:17 (AMP) Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth.

This was the key verse in my Smith Wigglesworth devotional yesterday. The devotional was talking about making the Word the authority in your life. He wanted to convey that instead of praying whether you should obey the word (which is just disobedience), do the Word. He questioned the heart of the believer for having to pray whether God wanted them to do what was written in the Word.

This got me thinking about the “set them apart for Your purposes,” as it is written in the Amplified Version. Since the beginning of man, Satan has taken God’s Word and twisted it (taking it out of context). Taking this Word out of context we can justify us isolating ourselves from the community of believers. A person can attend a weekly service and still be isolated, because they choose not to get involved with each others lives. They have been “set apart for a purpose.” Really they have a deep rooted fear of not feeling important to the community of believers, but only important to God, therefore, they are “set apart.” I know, because I used to be one of those. Fear will tell you that you are not wanted, not needed and not loved.

Let us put that key verse into context. John 17:15-21 (AMP) I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but that You keep them and protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world. For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth. “I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message, that they all may be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe [without any doubt] that You sent Me.

I took the liberty of underlining some very important elements. First, Jesus is talking about a group, not an individual. He did not say “some believers,” He said a blanket “believers.” To me that means there is not room for me to not be included in these verses, if I am called a “believer.” So therefore, I should not be praying if this is God’s will for my life. If I am a “believer” then, that is an automatic yes I should be obeying this.

“I do not pray for these alone (it is not for their sake only that I make this request),” I believe these words are written in red in some Bibles. This means that Jesus did not single anyone out. This is meant for ALL who will ever believe. He has sent us out to be apart of this world, not of this world. That means I have to allow the messy part of the world to be a part of my life, so that He can shine bright in it.

“That they all may be one…so the world may believe (without any doubt) that You sent Me.” This right here should give us a heart check in why we are called to a Body (a church, a community of believers). What if I have a gifting that can be done alone? Does this verse say you should? Jesus sent the disciples out two by two (Luke 10:1). When we read about intercession in the New Testament we read about it happening in groups (Acts 12:5). Yes, you can do things on your own, but does that mean you should? I have to remind myself that time and again. It is not “I” that is set apart, it is “we” that is set apart.

Praying that you know that you are needed, that you are wanted and that you are loved. Do not let fear hold you back from really being a part of a community any longer. There is purpose in community!

Hebrews 10:24 (TPT) Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love.

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Evidence

1 John 5:10 (AMP) The one who believes in the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies confidently on Him as Savior] has the testimony within himself [because he can speak authoritatively about Christ from his own personal experience]. The one who does not believe God [in this way] has made Him [out to be] a liar, because he has not believed in the evidence that God has given regarding His Son.

Sometimes evidence will be staring you straight in the face and you do not want to believe it. I think this is like what this statement is saying. To put it in another perspective, go back to 1 Kings 18 and read the account of Elijah on Mt. Carmel to prove to King Ahab who the one true God is. Jezebel introduced polytheism to the Israelites, they started worship both Yahweh and Baal. Baal was the king of all gods, but not king over Yahweh, so Elijah’s challenge was for a great show down on Baal’s turf. Yahweh showed up and showed out! Elijah was so excited that he out ran chariots. When King Ahab told Jezebel about the one true God, she sent a messenger to tell Elijah she was going to end his life. Beyond all evidence being presented to her, she refused to believe. It pretty much sounds like she was made out to be a liar.

Elijah, heart broken because it did not change the hearts of as many as he had hoped, ran away and hid and became depressed. We are tempted to do the same thing when we focus on the response of people. God will tell us time and again to have peace, to be still in His presence, so that we may regain focus. What are we to be focusing on? He is the “I AM.” That means He is our all. Yes, we are called to be with His creation and we are not to isolate ourselves from them, but we do not focus on them.

Philippians 4:8 (AMP) Finally, believers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable and worthy of respect, whatever is right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, whatever is lovely and brings peace, whatever is admirable and of good repute; if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think continually on these things [center your mind on them, and implant them in your heart].

This is a verse I cling to when my thoughts and my doubts start to stir up inside of my mind. Today I am sending off a group of teenagers (my two sons included) to a youth camp in Florida. They will spend four nights in amazing worship and ministering services. I pray they come back filled with a fresh fire and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Evidence will be presented of what a life in Jesus can transform their lives like while they are still teens. Pray for them this week. Pray that broken hearts are mended, anxiety is broken off of them and they open their eyes to see who the Son of God is. Pray they come back with hearts on fire to see a revival in their schools!

Have a blessed week!