Scripture has promised you can have a happy, prosperous and an abundant life. As a new Christian, I would go to prayer meetings and hear people witness to being saved and sanctified. When I asked how to become sanctified, no one could really define sanctification to my satisfaction. I was told it meant to be separated from the world. It also meant to be set apart for serving God. I wanted to know if you were sanctified, would that give you a life that was happy, prosperous and abundant. I then asked: “How do you become sanctified?” I was told, you give your life to God and then pray that God will sanctify you. I did that when I was saved but I didn’t feel sanctified.

I had just been discharged from the US Navy and had started going to church with my uncle and aunt and was staying with them as I had a new job. Prior to then, I had only rarely attended church. Two months after accepting Christ, I enrolled in a Christian college.

The second semester I signed up for a class that taught how to obtain sanctification. I read the book, listened to every lecture and talked personally to the professor and could never understand what was required, to my satisfaction, how to receive sanctification and once I received it, how would it change my life. That was more than fifty years ago.

What I have learned over the years, if you have a problem or need a question answered, ask God for the answer. When I started reading the Bible daily and praying for an answer, I finally understood what it took to be sanctified and how it would change me. Once a person is saved by repenting and having a pure heart, the next step was to become sanctified and live a holy life. Sanctification will completely change your life.

I Thessalonians 4:3 “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;” Romans 15:16 “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” John 17:19 “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”

The word sanctified can also be interpreted as to become holy. It means we are to live a holy life to be sanctified. But it also means ‘to be set apart for a special task’. It means we are to be equipped, by the Holy Spirit, with the qualities of mind, heart and character which are necessary to live to please God. We must have some of God’s goodness and God’s wisdom in us. Scripture tells us that if we surrender our flesh to God and allow the Holy Spirit to direct us, God will equip us with the qualities necessary to live for Him. It requires that we are to love and obey Him and bring His message to others. A sanctified person does not lie, take advantage of others, miss treat their spouse, their children or parents and family members. You must be loyal, disciplined and reliable.

Galatians 5:19–21 “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

We must emphasize, sanctification is not something we can do on our own without the Holy Spirit’s help. We are told to be givers and Christ says there is no limit. We must make restitution and reconcile with anyone who has wronged us. We cannot have hate in our heart. We must not have a spirit of anger. We can become frustrated but we must control one’s temper. You cannot rob God by refusing to give tithes and offerings. We must live a life of total obedience to God. How do we treat others? Do we live by the Golden Rule?

I John 3:12–24 “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

I find that God continually blesses us and I look expectantly daily to see what He might do that will make my day special. If you don’t live expecting a blessing, you will probably ignore or say: “This is my lucky day.” The result was: God blessed us with a peaceful life with prosperity and met all of our needs abundantly. I hope I have defined and explained sanctification as I have experienced it.

I Thessalonians 4:1–7 “As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

What may you expect once you have received sanctification: a peaceful life, a positive attitude, humble in spirit, aware of God’s presence, Generous to God and others, thoughtful of others, unselfish, friendly, willing to witness Christ to others, eager to pray and read the Bible daily and we become merciful to others.

We realize that God protects us and keeps us healthy if He has more for us to do. In 1984, I had a major heart attack and bypass surgery. Once I recovered, I begin exercising every day and walking at least one-half mile each day, at least 360 days a year. In 2007 I had another heart attack and bypass surgery. My family was told I had about a 10% chance of living. My last physical checkup, the doctor said I could pass for a person 15 years younger. Had I not had those surgeries, I would not have exercised and walked every day. I believe God allowed my surgeries to make sure I took care of my physical health. This is a another reason that for five years I have written two Christians blogs a week hoping to be a part of God’s ministry. If you are not sanctified, I hope my experience will make you a believer in living a holy life. WE ARE IMMORTAL UNTIL GOD IS THROUGH WITH US.