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Full Surrender into Sanctification · Deep Dive into Joy

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This is Deep Dive into Joy and I'm your host
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Gina Rickner. Hey Joy listeners, it's your host
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i also list the link under my show notes so it's
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easier to find So in the last episode, we talked
2:55
about what sanctification is, what it meant.
2:59
So being set apart, made holy and claimed by
3:03
God. But today we're going to dive a little deeper.
3:06
So this episode is for the person who loves God,
3:10
but feels like they're doing heart surgery, not
3:14
surface work. So this episode is going to be
3:17
about full surrender and not just about giving
3:23
God access, but giving him ownership. So many
3:27
believers ask, why does sanctification hurt sometimes?
3:31
Why does God allow refining? Why do old patterns
3:35
resurface when we thought they were in the past?
3:43
But we are going to dive in again on this episode
3:46
with a Bobby. So everybody welcome Bobby Johnson
3:50
back to the podcast. Hi, Bobby, I want to welcome
3:57
you back to the podcast. Thank you for coming
3:59
on. Thanks for having me again. I think sometimes
4:03
we think sanctification is something we decided
4:06
to pursue, but scripture tells us it was God's
4:09
plan all along. So in First Thessalonians four,
4:13
seven, Bobby, can you read over that one for
4:15
us? I will. And again, I like to read from the
4:19
New Living Translation. So it reads, God has
4:22
called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.
4:29
So holiness is not optional for believers, but
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it's also not oppressive. And God calls us to
4:35
holiness because unholiness always enslaves.
4:40
And sanctification is God rescuing us from what
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numbs us, what controls us, or what solely stills
4:47
our joy. So the difference between consecration
4:51
and sanctification is that consecration is what
4:54
you do, and sanctification is what God does.
4:59
Consecration says, Lord, here I am, and sanctification
5:04
says, now let me transform you. So in 2 Corinthians
5:09
7 -1, Cleanse yourselves perfecting holiness
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out of reverence for God, and you bring the willingness
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and God will bring the power. You surrender control
5:22
and God brings change. Bobby, can you go into
5:25
a little more depth of how sanctification often
5:29
comes through and refines us? Absolutely, and
5:34
I think it's a great picture of what sanctification
5:39
is, but Just backing up just a hair You know
5:44
that gradual or progressive nature of sanctification
5:47
is demonstrated as a believer walks with God
5:51
right and Daily grows in grace and in a more
5:55
perfect obedience to God as as a Wesleyan I believe
6:01
this process leads to what we call entire sanctification
6:05
or full sanctification, which I think we talked
6:09
about that here in a little bit, an act of grace
6:12
basically which perfects the believer in love
6:15
and empowers that person for effective service.
6:19
It's followed by lifelong growth and grace and
6:22
the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
6:26
This life of holiness continues through faith
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and what Jesus did for us and is demonstrated
6:31
by the believers loving obedience to God's will
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for his or her life. And I say all that to begin
6:37
with, to speak specifically about the process,
6:43
quote unquote, that a believer goes through.
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Living a sanctified life is not meant to be a
6:49
life of comfort, but instead it is actually a
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life journey of transformation. Transformation
6:56
more into the likeness of Jesus. And I know it's
7:00
obvious to say, but we ain't naturally him. But
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if we profess to be a follower of Jesus, we should
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desire to transform into His likeness. Our natural
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selves are sinful, but Jesus was without sin.
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Fully man, fully God, but not sinful. And the
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process we talk about when we speak of sanctification
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is very much likened to the refining process
7:30
used by a blacksmith. So God as the refiner allows
7:36
trials sickness loss and difficult relationships
7:41
to Kind of you know heat up a believer's life
7:46
forcing those impurities within us to the surface
7:51
and in metal refining those impurities actually
7:54
have a name they're called dross and And when
7:57
that's removed the remaining metal becomes more
8:01
pliable Because it's more refined and it's able
8:05
to be used for the blacksmith's purpose or purposes
8:09
so the same as it's the same with us as Those
8:14
impurities or sin come to light in our lives
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We recognize them hopefully And and then can
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offer them back to God for removal and and that's
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where we grow more like Jesus It's important
8:29
to add that while believers are called to this
8:31
way of life, we do have a part to play. I mean,
8:35
to allow ourselves to be refined by seeking Him
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and seeking to live the Jesus way. To offer up
8:44
our whole selves to the hand of the refiner and
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trusting Him to be faithful, which He is, perfect
8:52
faithfulness, to watch over us and guide us.
8:56
Controlling the process so that we're not harmed
9:00
in the heat of it all and Through this our humility
9:03
and our faith grow Continuing to daily turn from
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who we are Naturally, I think into who God calls
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us to be so sanctification happens when we are
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fully surrendered or I've used this term before
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when we talk about sanctification of being all
9:23
in we are all in for God and what he wants to
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do in our life. So let's move into obedience
9:34
because it's a sanctifying act. We often want
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emotional experience to sanctify us, but scripture
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says obedience does real work in the soul. Jesus
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says, if you love me, keep my commands. John
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14 15. So obedience trains our desires. strengthens
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discernment, weakens sinful habit, and builds
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spiritual muscle. So every quiet yes shapes you.
10:04
Bobby, can you speak more to the sanctification
10:06
of suffering? Do you... Okay, sorry about that.
10:15
Sorry about that. I got sidetracked. I'm sorry.
10:17
No, that's okay. I was... I was wondering if
10:19
I... I don't know, I think that was the right
10:22
part I moved into. Yeah, yeah, that's okay. I
10:25
thought maybe I had the wrong paper. No, I just
10:28
wanted to I thought I'll touch base first on
10:31
that that point you make about obedience and
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and I I love what you say there when you when
10:37
you quote the scripture says Jesus says if you
10:39
love me you're gonna keep my commandments and
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Because it's not about okay, so eat obedience
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to me is more the outcome right it's it's the
10:52
outward expression of surrender to god it's the
10:55
fruit not the root right yeah i can't take credit
10:59
for that i came upon it in my reading i'm sorry
11:02
i can't tell you exactly who said it it wasn't
11:07
me i'd love to take credit for it but it is kind
11:09
of catchy right um but it's the fruit not the
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root right so i agree that when we're obedient
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you know we train ourselves um But it's because
11:20
we trust and obey him and find him faithful time
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and time and time again and really surrendering
11:28
to God in and of itself is obedience because
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as we've already touched on his word calls us
11:35
to be holy and If you don't, you know embark
11:39
on that journey without obedience. I also think
11:45
Also think it's important here to be aware of
11:49
how much emphasis we place on obedience And what
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I mean by that is because it's it's an area where
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I think as believers if we're not careful We
12:01
could become legalistic and I know because I've
12:04
been there That's you know, that's why we want
12:08
to recognize obedience as fruit Of a life fully
12:13
surrendered and devoted to God and not the root
12:15
of our righteousness That we don't become holy
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simply because we're checking off all the boxes,
12:22
right? But Do you would you want to get into
12:28
the what we were just and then the next point
12:30
of suffering and well Go over a little bit like
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I didn't have this plan, but checking the boxes.
12:36
I do feel like I do that sometimes so Like is
12:42
that something we need to repent of or We just
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kind of ask God to redirect us. Um, how do we
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get away from? Wanting the checkboxes. Well,
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I mean I you know, I'm a person who loves checkboxes
12:56
Yeah, I love a to -do list. I love a plan right
13:02
and I think that a checklist plays right into
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that and And God is a God of order So I mean
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look at his creation account, so you can't say
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that he doesn't He doesn't want order because
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he does he has order to his creation and And
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he makes it so But I think where we can get tripped
13:25
up is just it's really is our does our heart
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attitude is that It becomes more. You know if
13:33
if if it's more religion than it is relationship
13:37
Right and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us
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and direct us. I mean the reality is if we're
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living for God And we're fully surrendered to
13:47
him we're gonna want to do Those things right
13:52
our our outward expression should be obedience
13:55
to his word because in and in that you're in
13:59
his word You're reading it you're asking for
14:02
him to guide you. You're asking him to show you
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Where am I falling short? Where am I in the way
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of myself? And so now I don't necessarily and
14:15
this is just my opinion I don't necessarily certainly
14:17
think that having a checkbox is Bad, you know
14:22
that you have a routine that every day I'd like
14:25
to get up and I could essentially say I Like
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to get up. I have my quiet time. I spend time
14:31
in prayer. I spend time in the word and That's
14:36
a checklist of sorts. Maybe that's why I feel
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like it's a checklist because I feel like I'm
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yeah, I kind of as a routine, but I kind of feel
14:44
like I'm also praying this I found myself praying
14:49
with the same things over and over mm -hmm and
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I Don't know like God kind of tells us not to
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babble our prayers. I see what you're saying
14:58
like you feel like you're getting a rut Maybe
15:00
yeah, so maybe that feels a little bit like a
15:02
checklist too. It's like Like even this week
15:05
just not feeling well. Yeah feeling exhausted.
15:08
It's like I Don't really feel like giving time
15:12
to the Lord. I have to say that but I'm just
15:14
oh so tired Yeah, yeah, I feel ya and and I think
15:19
you know, I know for myself there are times I
15:22
can tell you the difference between When I'm
15:26
just doing prayer to go through the motions because
15:29
I know that I should and when I'm really Truly
15:34
in fellowship with the Lord There is a difference
15:38
in my own life. I have experienced that and And
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it's a red flag immediately when I find myself
15:46
going through Just the motions and and I think
15:52
If we're being honest most people would or could
15:58
say the same thing with any spiritual discipline
16:04
going to church. I just read a thing today that
16:06
said, Jesus heard all of Jesus' messages. And
16:13
I was like, wow. I read that and I thought, hmm.
16:16
Yeah, so that speaks volumes in that one sentence
16:21
of we can go to worship Sunday after Sunday after
16:24
Sunday. We can be in the church every time the
16:26
doors are open and we could hear it all day long.
16:32
Are we asking God to allow it to change us? Are
16:37
we fully giving ourselves? And saying I want
16:42
nothing else in this life But to be fully surrendered
16:46
to you and to live truly according to your word
16:49
That I can be the most like Jesus because that's
16:53
what you call us you that's what they're saying
16:55
in first Thessalonians First Thessalonians. Yeah.
16:58
Yeah, that's that's what he's saying He calls
17:02
us to be holy and And you know and so what we're
17:08
doing is talking about what does that mean? Like
17:10
what kind and and you already talked about a
17:13
refining process. I mean it can be painful And
17:18
yet it is Transforming it is making us more like
17:24
Jesus. We're not going to be him Our job is to
17:29
reflect him into Live as his apprentices. Yeah,
17:34
so, you know, I just find myself not like Going
17:41
through my journey. I felt like that was like
17:44
the top of my faith game like I Felt like I couldn't
17:49
get any higher and or any closer Like I just
17:52
felt I just felt so close to him. And then lately
17:56
I feel like Not so much of them drifting away,
17:59
but I don't I haven't been feeling the full closeness
18:04
lately like I feel a little bit like it's drifted
18:08
but I also I'm trying not to live like by the
18:16
law like religiously like you know what I mean
18:20
yeah like I want I want it to be coming from
18:26
You know for me like I don't want it like the
18:29
checkbox I don't want to do it just because somebody
18:31
says to do it or you know, I don't know. Yeah
18:35
a little bit like I'm and I don't know if it's
18:38
just the things going on in the world and it
18:40
just seems like everything's so loud around me
18:45
But yeah, I just I feel like a little bit like
18:49
it's Not so much that I'm drifting away from
18:51
him. I just don't feel as faithful as I did going
18:54
to that journey Mm -hmm, so I'm trying to figure
18:57
that out Yeah, I mean that's the thing about
19:01
The trials and the tribulations I think Because
19:07
again different trials that I've faced but still
19:13
trials nonetheless and When you're in the midst
19:17
of those it's those things that bring us to the
19:20
end of ourselves and and I think For me in those
19:25
moments, I understand that feeling that you're
19:27
having 100 % because there is nothing else in
19:34
those moments. And when those dissipate and life
19:41
in this world tends to get back to normal, then
19:45
there's a lot of interference. That's how I see
19:49
it, just a lot of interference. Things that can
19:53
distract things that eat up our time things that
19:57
become other they allow us to become preoccupied
20:01
with something else and And that doesn't mean
20:06
that That's not to insinuate that we become cloistered
20:14
and and we you know Don't leave our homes and
20:20
we just are going to sit in meditation and prayer
20:25
Every second every it's just that's I don't To
20:31
me that's that's even legalist I you know what
20:34
I'm saying unless unless unless you are in a
20:37
season of that and God has called you to that
20:39
Right a season of prayer and fasting and and
20:43
those are intense times Yeah, and like I feel
20:47
like I'm just being called to a season of like,
20:52
and that's another thing, like I don't know if
20:54
it's coming from him, but just like pulling back
20:57
a little bit and resting and like about to be
21:01
selfish but to take a step back and like to actually
21:04
take care of myself and my family because I felt
21:09
like after my journey I like rushed back into
21:14
serving and you know wanting to do all the things
21:17
for him and then I found myself like I keep getting
21:22
sick because I'm not taking care of myself or
21:24
I'm so stressed out and I realized like my home
21:28
and my family was kind of being put on the back
21:31
burner and I want to steward those things while
21:32
he gave to me and but I also want to be serving
21:37
him at the same time yeah yeah like I think being
21:40
called into that season of rest and being pulled
21:43
back like Don't know if that's a good thing because
21:47
he tells us to be in community too. So he does
21:50
but he also Rest is very important. Yeah, I love
21:55
in the creation story when God made the seventh
22:01
day and he declared it the Sabbath. He declared
22:04
it a day of rest that He He didn't rest because
22:13
he made the day holy When you read that scripture
22:17
He made the day holy because he rested There's
22:22
a difference and Rest is super important and
22:27
to your point of you know doing all the things
22:32
Just today Our pastoral team and myself were
22:37
having a conversation And just about life and
22:41
about schedules and that kind of thing And Pastor
22:46
Stevan said, he himself even has to remember,
22:51
and we put it as having a post -it note in our
22:53
brain that's constantly there that reminds us
22:57
that it's okay to say no to good things. Because
23:03
God doesn't call us to do every single good thing
23:07
there is to do. We may want to do that and there's
23:12
reasons why I want to do that. Maybe we're people
23:14
pleaser. Maybe we're just somebody ain't you
23:16
know, maybe we In that and I I can say this for
23:21
myself There's been times like I felt like I
23:23
had to do something because well, I mean, let's
23:25
be honest If I'm being if I'm being honest and
23:29
I'm being totally transparent right now. I felt
23:31
I could do it the best Yeah, or who else is gonna
23:35
stop exactly and that's I mean, that's honestly
23:38
that's pretty prideful. I mean, so, you know,
23:44
there's all those things and I can remember as
23:47
a young mom, like that was on overdrive for me.
23:52
And I have learned so much more since then. And
23:58
it still is very hard for me to say no. But I'm
24:05
learning. Yeah. and over this last year and a
24:08
half I mean it really has been that what you're
24:11
describing is that been that kind of season for
24:14
me that I had to learn that if if if there was
24:20
an opportunity that I had priorities God was
24:23
making those very clear to me and if if it didn't
24:28
have to do something didn't have to do directly
24:31
with my calling He's placed on my life My family
24:39
and The workplace that he's put me in Then then
24:47
I need to say no Because you will get yourself
24:50
so I would get myself so over scheduled it would
24:55
be it would be crazy and And who is that honoring?
25:00
I mean if what we're doing is to honor him Would
25:04
that be ordering to him? I Don't know not if
25:09
I'm being ineffective not if I'm stressed not
25:12
if I'm like about to pull my hair out like how
25:15
can I do this not if I'm Unwell, yeah, like I
25:18
feel like I'm being selfish one But at the same
25:22
time if I'm not if I'm always constantly sick
25:24
and stressed out. I can't get my best self to
25:27
My family let alone to serving him. Yeah, I don't
25:32
Don't believe for one second that That God calls
25:35
us to that kind of lifestyle In fact, there's
25:39
a great book. I know I'm always learning these
25:41
books out here. No, but John Comer wrote the
25:47
ruthless elimination of hurry Highly highly recommend
25:50
it. He was a young pastor in the northwest and
25:56
He was you know type a just you know effective,
26:03
you know involved person pastor and he became
26:07
so burned out that he just ended up hating what
26:10
he was doing and he wrote this book and it is
26:14
great. I mean just the What God did in his life
26:21
and the wisdom that he can share through that
26:23
work is Is great. I mean talk about checklists
26:27
like the whole back of the book is a checklist
26:28
of things that he did down to you know things
26:33
like that we take for granted like we don't even
26:36
think about a Couple of these things I actually
26:39
did since reading that book little things like
26:41
shutting off your Facebook notifications Your
26:45
email notifications so that every time on your
26:48
phone you get one of those things It doesn't
26:50
ding you that you're you're wanting to be distracted
26:53
and go check it He only does his emails once
26:57
a week In the sense of he checks them and he
27:01
responds to them once a week No, I haven't gone
27:06
to that extreme but You know, these are the things
27:10
like just these little things simplifying his
27:12
wardrobe Simplifying his lifestyle how they run
27:17
their home. I mean, it's just a very Interesting
27:21
work that God did through him. So it kind of
27:23
speaks to that and we live in that kind of life
27:27
Life of distractions. Yeah. Mm -hmm. I just felt
27:31
like I Don't know what word to put with it but
27:39
Guilty I guess because I just have this heart
27:43
like I want to like you said do everything be
27:46
everywhere Serve him where I can You know just
27:50
do it all and I feel guilty when I take a step
27:55
back or like Know he calls us to community, but
28:00
that can be a different way as it doesn't necessarily
28:02
have to be your church community, right? Sure,
28:05
he calls us to be in relationship with others.
28:07
Yeah, he does. I mean he does We are to be a
28:14
part of a You know a worship community like I
28:18
felt I guess I felt guilty because if I take
28:20
a step back from serving my own church You know
28:23
to focus more on stewarding my home and my family
28:27
and taking care of myself. I guess that just
28:30
makes me feel guilty because I feel like I'm
28:32
not serving the Lord, I guess. But I feel like
28:37
also in this season of being called to do that,
28:42
like my kids are getting, I'm gonna start crying,
28:44
but growing up so fast. Yeah. Yep. I feel ya.
28:54
It's like you blink and I can't believe that
28:58
my oldest is gonna be 32 this year Yeah, like
29:00
that what that just doesn't even sound it sounds
29:03
weird even saying that it's coming out of my
29:05
mouth And So, you know it sounds like You know
29:14
for me in these times This is what I'll say Because
29:19
I do understand that tension and I understand
29:23
that It's almost kind of a confusion, like you're
29:26
just not sure. I have found the best thing to
29:30
do is to retreat a bit, to regroup and regroup
29:38
in Him. And prayer and fasting has been my go
29:43
-to in those seasons. And He has never let me
29:49
down. Never let me down. um he is faithful uh
29:56
he is clear in those moments and those times
30:00
um so that would be that's just my my encouragement
30:04
i would be my encouragement to you and to anyone
30:07
who's listening um that you know the world tells
30:13
us that we need to go go go go go we need to
30:18
constantly be doing something you know my grandkids
30:20
will say i'm bored They hate it now. It's not
30:24
uncommon for a kid to say they're bored the kids
30:27
today Literally when they say they hate it They
30:31
don't know what to do with it Because they have
30:35
so much at their fingertips to keep them engaged
30:41
with something But it's in those times of rest
30:49
and solitude When we talk about the surrender
30:53
of sanctification, we have to have moments of
30:59
that. There's a quietness and a solitude in surrender
31:05
that I think is kind of built in. You don't ever
31:10
envision somebody surrendering in a chaotic demeanor.
31:18
I mean when you think of surrender you think
31:21
of a peaceful submissive quiet reflective moment
31:29
You know Not when you're trying to do multi,
31:35
you know multitask like we're always trying to
31:38
do right It is a dedicated moment where we just
31:44
say I that if we never allow ourselves to have
31:50
that time of just rest and purposeful rest, you
31:58
know, we're robbing ourselves of that. And it
32:03
does impact our relationship with the Lord because
32:06
we're too busy taking care of stuff. And even
32:11
if it's good stuff, you know. So yeah, it's just
32:15
that for me. That's been something that's always
32:17
helped and I mean, there's a reason why Jesus
32:22
would take off You know Even he had enough he
32:28
knew that he needed that time a way with his
32:33
Heavenly Father to regroup You know and and there's
32:38
no shame in that it was his example to us. Yeah
32:42
I just feel like even missing like a Sunday of
32:46
church or something, it just makes me feel guilty.
32:50
But I don't know. Okay, I didn't mean to sidetrack.
32:54
Let's get back on topic. So sanctification and
32:57
suffering. This is tender but important. So suffering
33:01
does not automatically sanctify. Surrender and
33:04
suffering does. And I know that I definitely
33:08
learned this one walking through my cancer journey
33:11
because I had no other choice but to surrender,
33:14
giving my husband, my kids, and my health to
33:17
God fully. It's just what I had to do. And Paul
33:22
writes in Romans 5, 3 through 4, we rejoice in
33:26
our sufferings because we know that suffering
33:29
produces perseverance. God doesn't waste pain.
33:33
He redeems it. And yes, that is so true. God
33:37
did not waste a minute of my pain. Sanctification
33:41
often happens when we say God I don't understand
33:45
However, I'm going to trust you. Is there anything
33:48
that you want to add here? Bobby and then you
33:52
can take us into what fully sanctified heart
33:54
looks like. Okay Yeah, I mean I totally agree
33:57
with you And this goes back for me back to trusting
34:01
and obeying God for who he is You know amazing
34:04
things happen when we come to the end of ourselves
34:06
We were just talking about that, you know We
34:10
have no distractions when we're at that point.
34:18
And those times can also be very dark moments.
34:23
So it kind of sounds like an oxymoron when you
34:26
think about it. Like, how can amazing and dark
34:29
be used together? I mean, in light of the way
34:34
the world thinks, it is an oxymoron. It doesn't
34:37
make sense. But when someone is suffering, you
34:42
know, it made me think about this Yeah, I often
34:46
like to think about those those Christian ease
34:49
things that we like to say, you know And yeah
34:52
and the way that we kind of throw scripture around
34:55
And it made me think about you know, like when
34:59
somebody is suffering You know, we want to help
35:03
them so so one of the things we might say you
35:06
know, Romans 828, and we would use the part of
35:11
the verse that says that we know that God causes
35:14
everything to work together for the good of those
35:17
who love him. Right? That sounds so holy, right?
35:23
It sounds so Christian to say that and say, you
35:27
know, just hang in there because I know it really
35:30
sucks right now, but God's got this, you know,
35:32
and everything is going to work out good. Because
35:35
we just want to be encouraging and that's a good
35:39
thing to want to be encouraging But I mean it
35:41
sounds encouraging right, but what it's like
35:45
one of the most misused verses ever Because we
35:49
leave the tell end of it off right the tell end
35:52
of it the whole verse says this and we know that
35:56
God causes everything to work together for the
35:58
good of those who love God and are called according
36:03
to his purpose for them. That's the whole verse.
36:09
We are called according to his purpose for them.
36:14
And as we're called, what's our purpose? To live
36:18
holy lives or our purpose we are created to be
36:22
in communion with him. We can't do that without
36:25
Jesus. So we accept Jesus and we see the word
36:29
and it says, As we've talked about a couple times
36:31
already, we're called to live holy lives, right?
36:36
And then we've already recognized that the process
36:39
of sanctification can be painful and really hard.
36:43
So, yeah, I mean, it's gonna be hard. And the
36:49
outcome, we may not see. We may not ever see,
36:56
right? Because if we're living that, We're truly
37:01
living that and if we're truly claiming the promise
37:04
that's in this verse We're saying we're giving
37:08
up our whole life. No matter what is going on
37:12
I'm I'm testifying that I I love him. I've fully
37:17
surrendered to him I'm willing to do whatever
37:21
he wants Just like Jesus did in the Garden of
37:25
Gethsemane. That is exactly what Jesus did Jesus
37:30
hit the dirt face down and said God if you can
37:35
take this from me That would be great but I Want
37:41
your will to be done And and he knew that that
37:47
was God's will for him and even in that was willing
37:51
to suggest If you can do this another way That
37:57
would be super But that isn't what it was and
38:00
he knew that and yet he was so fully surrendered
38:04
to what God's purpose was for him and and that's
38:08
where That needs to be us. That's to be us But
38:12
we we don't like uncomfortable. We don't like
38:15
difficult and again, especially in today's day
38:19
and age I Mean everywhere you turn there is a
38:24
worldly antidote for just about anything And
38:30
yet, if we take that, the glory to God is in
38:37
the midst of that. That's the thing. It's His
38:42
glory. And again, that's our purpose. That's
38:45
our focus. If we remove it, we remove all that
38:50
stuff too. And so, anyhow, that's... I don't
38:55
think we ever... We'll see anything come full
38:58
circle. I think that's the whole purpose too.
39:00
It's like We'll see that when we get to heaven
39:03
and he shows us what it all was for Yeah, and
39:07
I mean you could see that you could see it the
39:09
next day. You can see it in the next five minutes
39:11
You could see it ten years down the road You
39:14
may never see it. You may not fully understand
39:17
it Until you're face to face with him We become
39:25
pretty preoccupied with that So I want to take
39:38
a minute to invite the listeners to pause and
39:41
just kind of say this where you're sitting, wherever
39:44
you're at. But God, I give you what I understand,
39:49
what I don't understand. I give you what I cling
39:52
to, what I fear of losing. Sanctify me. not just
39:57
my actions, but my motives. Make me yours fully,
40:01
freely, and forever. Amen. Alright, so some closing
40:07
encouragement. A sanctification feels slow, painful,
40:11
or unfinished. That's good, not to be harsh,
40:17
but the means of God isn't done, and you're not
40:21
being punished, you're just being prepared. And
40:25
when I received my diagnosis, I immediately went
40:27
to God, like, why are you doing this to me? Why
40:30
are you allowing this? But coming out on the
40:34
other side, I know that he was refining me and
40:37
he brought my relationship closer to him. And
40:41
he's using me and my story for more and to declare
40:44
his works. So holiness is not about being better
40:48
than others. It's about belonging fully to God.
40:52
Bobby, do you have any closing thoughts for the
40:54
audience? I do. And actually, I'm going to backtrack
40:58
just a hair, because I realized that I didn't
41:02
fully answer your question last time. Well, we
41:05
went off the rails so many times. It's such good
41:09
stuff, right? But I mean, in the same vein, I
41:11
mean, just I think two things. One would be this
41:17
whole idea of being fully or entirely sanctified.
41:21
is really, and I've used this terminology before,
41:26
is being all in. It's the way my pastor explained
41:30
it to me. I think it's a beautiful, simple explanation
41:37
that can make something like sanctification,
41:41
which can be, I would think to many, and was
41:44
to me, very complicated. Just very simple and
41:49
beautiful is that it's to be all in for him totally
41:53
surrendered For his will and for his way, you
41:57
know It is a heart filled with perfect love and
42:00
God's Word tells us in Mark 12. I'll use We hear
42:03
this another counts, but Mark 12 Verses 30 through
42:07
31 where Jesus declared the greatest commandment
42:09
when he was asked He said and you must love the
42:12
Lord your God with all your heart all your soul
42:15
all your mind and all your strength and he said
42:19
the second is equally important love your neighbor
42:22
as yourself no other commandment is greater than
42:24
these and that love is agape love it's different
42:30
than emotional love it is selfless it is unconditional
42:33
it is the very divine nature of god himself and
42:38
that's what he calls us to it's because of that
42:42
love he has for us That he's created us in a
42:46
way that we need Jesus to be whole he said his
42:50
son because of that love why Does the word say
42:53
God so loved the world? He sent his only begotten
42:57
son and whosoever believes in him will not perish
43:01
but have everlasting life and then Leaves us
43:07
the gift of the Holy Spirit to work in and through
43:09
our hearts to do the work sanctification in our
43:15
lives so that as we believe on Christ we can
43:18
then live for him and Because we can't do any
43:21
of it on our own None of that none of that can
43:23
we do on our own? God made a way because of his
43:26
love and then he he instills that love through
43:29
his spirit in us to return that love back to
43:33
him and Share it with other people It's why we
43:38
exist and and what do we do when we do that?
43:41
We build his kingdom it's it's all about it's
43:45
all about him, you know and I Ran across a quote.
43:51
It was from a man Major W Ian Thomas who was
43:56
actually I found out a British Army officer and
43:59
an evangelist and he said this I loved it said
44:02
to be in Christ That is redemption. But for Christ
44:07
to be in you that is sanctification It truly
44:12
is about us being less of ourselves and more
44:14
of Jesus and we cannot do that on our own It
44:18
is only through God's grace and the power of
44:20
the Holy Spirit that we are sanctified so for
44:24
anyone listening that keeps coming back to Like
44:28
I that's so far beyond me. I'm never gonna level
44:32
up I can't get it together or I just keep failing
44:37
let me encourage you that God sees you and he's
44:42
waiting for you to just let go and give it to
44:48
him he wants all of you and he takes it from
44:52
there it's it really is just that moment of surrender
45:00
and it's one thing To accept Christ into our
45:05
hearts, like he said, that's why I love that
45:07
quote. To be in Christ, that's our redemption.
45:12
When we accept him and we are in Christ, we're
45:14
covered by his blood and we know. But it's something
45:21
else to live for him and to let Christ be in
45:25
you. That's the sanctification part of it. So
45:34
I want to thank Bobby again for joining us this
45:40
season. I hope you all found this helpful and
45:43
educational for your walk with Christ and how
45:45
to grow deeper with him. If you can please share
45:48
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45:50
family, I greatly appreciate it. You can also
45:52
leave a review on Spotify and Apple podcast.
45:55
You can hit the follow button. It's right at
45:57
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45:59
that is going to update you when new episodes
46:01
are released. If you'd like to be a guest on
46:04
the podcast, I'd love to have you. You can reach
46:06
out to me on socials at Gina .Rickner or email
46:09
me at GMRickner at iCloud .com. As always, go
46:15
out and find the joy today. Bye, friends.