What Is Biblical Consecration?
- Jul 30
- 12 min read
Updated: Aug 11
Understanding the call to return to God with all our hearts
To consecrate (a person, thing or place) is: "to set it apart, making it holy, and dedicate it fully to God’s purpose.”
Perhaps you sense a holy dissatisfaction within you—a cry for change, a longing for revival, and a desire to experience more of the reality and presence of Jesus. Perhaps your heart burns for Christ, for His Church, for your family, your city, or your nation. You recognize the urgency of this hour, and you do not want to stand idly by while darkness advances and portions of the Church drift farther from God.
That desire to respond is significant.
Biblical consecration begins when we hear God’s call and choose to answer Him. It is a willing response of repentance, surrender, obedience, prayer, and renewed devotion to Jesus Christ.
Ultimately, we consecrate ourselves because God has called us to do so in His Word. We do it because Jesus is worthy of our obedience—even if we receive nothing in return.
Yet our response is not without results. God honors His Word. When people sincerely return to Him, they are transformed. When families and churches seek Him together, we can see restoration, reconciliation, spiritual awakening, and even the beginnings of genuine biblical revival.
A concise definition of biblical consecration
Biblical consecration is the deliberate act of setting ourselves apart for God, turning away from sin and worldly compromise, and surrendering every area of our lives to the leadership of Jesus Christ.
Consecration is not merely participating in religious activities. It is not simply praying more, fasting for a few days, attending special meetings, or temporarily changing our habits.
These practices can be part of consecration, but they are not its ultimate purpose.
The purpose is Jesus Himself.
We consecrate ourselves so that:
He may have first place in our hearts;
anything grieving His Spirit may be removed;
our fellowship with Him may be restored and deepened;
His life and character may be reflected through us;
our lives, homes, and churches may become dwelling places for His presence;
and we may become effective in reaching the lost and serving His purposes on the earth.
Consecration is therefore both an act and a continuing way of life. It begins with a sincere response, but it must continue through daily obedience.
Why is consecration necessary?
Before discussing how to consecrate ourselves, we must honestly face our present condition.
Much of the Body of Christ no longer lives with a consistent and tangible awareness of God’s presence in daily life, in the home, or in the Church.
We may have programs, activities, services, conferences, music, preaching, and growth—and yet still lack the manifest presence, power, holiness, love, and spiritual fruit that should characterize the people of God.
Much of the Church has exchanged:
presence for programs;
glory for gold;
spiritual fruit for numerical success;
intimacy with God for religious activity;
and the leadership of Jesus for human methods.
Too often, success is measured primarily by attendance, size, influence, money, or visibility rather than by God’s presence, Christlike character, transformed lives, and true spiritual fruit. But a Church that genuinely honors the headship of Jesus should experience the reality of His presence.
Revival is not a strange or extraordinary form of Christianity. Revival is a return to what Christianity should normally be.
It is a restoration of the centrality and simplicity of the true Gospel: Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
Consecration begins with facing the truth
True consecration cannot begin while we are defending ourselves, comparing ourselves with others, excusing compromise, or pretending that everything is well. We must allow the Word of God to serve as a mirror.
As we read Scripture, we should not immediately think:
“Someone else really needs to read this.”
We must first allow the Holy Spirit to deal with us.
David prayed:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.” —Psalm 139:23–24
Consecration begins in the secret place, where we invite God to expose anything in us that grieves Him.
This includes visible actions, but it also includes hidden attitudes and inward sins such as:
pride;
unforgiveness;
jealousy;
selfish ambition;
judgment;
bitterness;
gossip;
lust;
greed;
love of recognition;
love of comfort;
friendship with the world;
and resistance to the leadership of Jesus.
When the Lord reveals sin or compromise, we should not delay. That revelation is an invitation to repent, receive forgiveness, and return to fellowship with Him.
Clean hands and a pure heart
In Psalm 24:3, the psalmist asks:
“Who may ascend onto the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place?”
The answer includes the one who has clean hands and a pure heart.
“Clean hands” speaks of the outward life—our actions, words, conduct, relationships, and visible behavior.
A “pure heart” reaches into the inward life—our motives, thoughts, desires, emotions, judgments, ambitions, and hidden attachments. God is not seeking external religious conformity while our hearts remain divided. He desires truth in the innermost being.
In the New Covenant, approaching God is not merely a religious duty. Through Jesus Christ, believers have been given access to the Father and every spiritual blessing found in Christ. Nothing in the Kingdom can be purchased through human effort. Everything was paid for by Jesus.
Yet although a believer may possess spiritual life in Christ, sin and compromise can hinder the person’s lived experience of intimacy, fellowship, freedom, and the love of the Father. For this reason, consecration is not an attempt to earn God’s love. It is a response to the love and grace already given to us through Christ. We repent and surrender so that nothing remains in us that resists fellowship with Him.
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Consecration is not earning what Jesus already purchased
We must be clear: consecration does not purchase salvation, forgiveness, spiritual blessings, or access to God.
Jesus purchased these things through His death and resurrection.
As children of God, believers are co-heirs with Christ and have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Him.
Consecration does not mean that we are trying to convince God to love us. It means that we are responding to His love by opening every area of our lives to Him.
In Revelation 3:20, Jesus speaks of standing at the door and knocking, calling His people to hear His voice and open the door to renewed fellowship with Him. This reveals an important truth: it is possible to belong to Christ while still resisting His leadership in particular areas.
Consecration is our response:
“Jesus, every door is open. Every area belongs to You. Search me, cleanse me, lead me, and restore me to wholehearted fellowship with You.”
One of the Church’s greatest hidden problems: love for the world
One of the most serious sins that Christians often fail to recognize is love for the world.
Scripture says:
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” —1 John 2:15
We can often identify what we truly love by honestly examining:
how we use our free time;
how we spend our extra money;
what we talk about most;
what occupies our imagination;
what we continually desire;
what we pursue when no one is watching;
and what receives the greatest attention in our thoughts.
If the world consistently receives more of our time, money, affection, conversation, and thought life than God, His Kingdom, and His purposes, we must face the truth: our hearts have become attached to the world. This does not mean that every ordinary activity or possession is sinful. The deeper question is one of love, allegiance, desire, and lordship.
What has first place? What do we treasure? What do we protect from God? What are we unwilling to surrender? The tragedy of loving the world is not merely that it produces bad behavior. It hinders our ability to experience the love and fellowship of the Father.
We were created to know God, receive His love, and share in the life of Christ. Nothing the world offers can take His place.
Consecration is personal—but it is also collective
Consecration begins personally, but it should not remain merely individual.
God desires to prepare His Church to become a dwelling place for His presence.
Ephesians 2:22 describes believers as being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
This means that consecration involves both our personal relationship with God, and our relationships with one another as the Body of Christ.
A season of biblical consecration may therefore include:
prayer;
worship;
fasting;
repentance;
forgiveness;
reconciliation;
unity;
humility;
pursuit of holiness;
care for physical and emotional health;
healing of relationships;
and practical obedience to the Word of God.
Consecration calls us to come before the Lord together—across families, congregations, cities, nations, and Christian traditions—under the leadership of Jesus Christ.
We may not agree on every doctrinal question. Yet in an urgent hour, we should not allow every difference to prevent us from humbling ourselves, seeking God, repenting of sin, and obeying the clear commands of Scripture (2 Chronicles 7:13-14).
Unity does not require pretending that differences do not exist. It requires humility, love, teachability, and submission to Christ as the Head of His Church.
The consequences of sin reach beyond the individual
Our sin does not affect only us. Scripture repeatedly shows that sin can affect families, churches, communities, and even the spiritual condition of the land.
Isaiah 24:5 says:
“The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they violated laws, altered statutes, and broke the everlasting covenant.”
In 2 Chronicles 7:13–14, God is releasing a call to His covenant people:
“If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
God called His people to humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. This is a sobering truth.
When we see violence, immorality, division, spiritual confusion, injustice, family destruction, and darkness in our societies, the Church should not only point outward at the sins of others.
We must first ask:
“Lord, what have we tolerated in our own hearts, homes, churches, and ministries?”
Before asking God to judge the world, the Church must allow Him to search His own household. Before praying only for the sins of the nation, we must repent of our own sins.
Before demanding that others change, we must return to God ourselves.
Hidden sin creates visible consequences on the land
James 3:16 gives one clear example:
“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.”
Envy, selfish ambition, division, strife, factions, and jealousy may appear to be private attitudes, but this Scripture, in the original, connects all of them with disorder and evil.
What we tolerate inwardly eventually produces fruit outwardly.
Hidden sins such as unforgiveness, jealousy, pride, selfishness, gossip, and division can create an environment in which confusion, relational destruction, and spiritual darkness increase.
This is why consecration must reach beyond visible behavior.
God is seeking:
clean hands;
pure hearts;
reconciled relationships;
humble leaders;
holy families;
united churches;
and a people who genuinely desire Jesus more than the world.
The wonderful news: there is hope
The message of consecration is not primarily a message of condemnation. It is a message of hope. God has not exposed our condition in order to destroy us. He reveals our condition so that we can repent, return, be forgiven, and be restored.
If we humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, God has promised to respond. He will forgive. He will hear. He will restore. And according to His purposes and promises, He can bring healing and transformation to our lives, families, churches, communities, and nations.
This is the hope at the heart of Global Consecration.
We believe that the only One who can truly transform a person, a family, a church, a city, or a nation—and preserve it from destruction—is the same Person who ignites genuine revival:
Jesus Christ
Many are waiting for God to bring revival and change.
But Scripture and history reveal a pattern: God looks for a people who will respond to His Word. He seeks a remnant who will:
humble themselves;
repent;
pray;
seek His face;
reconcile with one another;
and obey Him.
Then He releases the transforming reality of His presence among them.
Ready to respond to God’s call?
Join believers around the world for 21 Days of repentance, prayer, unity, and consecration. Registration is free and gives you access to the complete 21-Day Guide and our full library of ebooks.
What is the goal of consecration?
The goal is to return to our first love.
It is to obey the Word of God, repent, be revived, and prepare the Church to become a dwelling place for His presence.
As our hunger for God is restored and we return to Him in humility and righteousness, we can experience a deeper awareness of His nearness.
The presence and reality of Jesus among us bring life.
His presence transforms individuals.
His presence restores families.
His presence heals relationships.
His presence renews churches.
His presence makes us effective in reaching the lost.
His presence enables the Church to reflect His love, holiness, power, and glory to the world.
What can happen when we respond?
Consecration is not a formula, and we should never attempt to manipulate God. But when we sincerely respond to His Word, we can expect Him to work within us.
As you begin to apply these biblical principles, you may experience:
spiritual barriers being exposed and removed;
deeper fellowship with God;
renewed awareness of His love and presence;
greater freedom in prayer;
answers to prayer;
healing and restoration within your family;
reconciliation in damaged relationships;
renewed hunger for Scripture;
conviction of sin;
freedom from worldly attachments;
restored love for Jesus;
and a growing desire to live for His purposes.
Global Consecration has seen people transformed through the 21 Days of Consecration and has witnessed churches and communities enter into significant seasons of God’s presence when they sought Him together.
How do I begin consecrating myself to God?
You do not need to wait for an organized event to begin. You can start today.
1. Set aside time with the Lord
Find a quiet place where you can be honest before the Lord.
Remove distractions. Put away your phone when possible. Open the Bible. Slow down.
Consecration requires more than hurried words. It requires attention.
2. Ask God to search your heart
Pray Psalm 139:23–24 sincerely.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal:
sins you have excused;
people you have not forgiven;
habits that control you;
worldly attachments;
wrong motives;
damaged relationships;
areas you have withheld from God;
and anything that grieves His Spirit.
3. Repent immediately
Do not postpone obedience.
When the Lord reveals sin, confess it honestly. Agree with God about it. Turn away from it. Receive the forgiveness made available through Jesus Christ.
Repentance is more than feeling sorrow. It includes a change of heart, direction, and conduct.
4. Remove what needs to be removed
Some forms of repentance require practical action.
You may need to:
end a sinful relationship;
stop consuming harmful content;
return something taken dishonestly;
ask someone’s forgiveness;
forgive someone who hurt you;
reconcile with another believer;
confess deception;
change how you use your time or money;
or remove an activity that has taken God’s place in your heart.
5. Surrender every area to Jesus
Speak honestly with Him about:
your relationships;
family;
work;
ministry;
finances;
possessions;
body;
habits;
ambitions;
plans;
reputation;
future;
and private thought life.
Consecration says:
“Jesus, everything I am and everything I have belongs to You.”
6. Establish a daily rhythm of seeking God
Set aside consistent time for:
Scripture;
prayer;
worship;
silence before God;
repentance;
thanksgiving;
and obedience.
The purpose is not merely to complete a routine. It is to cultivate fellowship with Jesus.
7. Invite others to join you
Consecration is strengthened when families and churches seek God together.
Invite:
your spouse;
children;
family;
friends;
small group;
prayer group;
ministry;
or congregation.
Encourage one another without controlling or condemning one another.
Consecration is only the beginning
A focused period of consecration can become a decisive turning point, but the goal is not to return to our former condition after the period ends.
The 21 Days of Consecration are intended to help establish a new direction:
ongoing repentance;
daily communion with Jesus;
obedience to Scripture;
restored relationships;
continual prayer;
love for the Church;
freedom from the world;
and a life fully available to God.
True consecration is not merely twenty-one intense days. It is the beginning of a consecrated life.
The power of a global consecration
There is a greater grace to fast and seek the Lord in community, specially when thousands around the world go through together. We are One body (1 Corinthians 12:12).
Join followers of Jesus around the world for 21 Days of Repentance, Prayer, Unity, and Consecration from September 11 through October 1, 2026. Set aside these dates in your calendar.
During these twenty-one days, individuals, families, churches, ministries, and Christian communities will seek God together and prepare their hearts to become dwelling places for His presence.
You will receive practical biblical materials to help you:
examine your heart;
repent;
pray;
forgive;
reconcile;
fast wisely;
return to your first love;
and seek God together with others.
Continue the Journey
Prayer and Fasting: A Biblical Guide
Learn how to seek God through prayer and fasting without reducing consecration to religious performance.
