THE LORD'S PRAYER (PART 3): SANCTIFICATION
✝️ The Lord’s Prayer: Sanctification
Text: John 17:17–23
Theme: The Role of Sanctification in the Life of the Believer
Introduction
Sanctification means to be washed, cleansed, purified, or set apart. It is consecration — to be wholly given to someone or something.
Sanctification is the third portion of the Lord’s Prayer, and there can be no sanctification without submission and separation. Sanctification requires both, and both are steps in the process of holiness.
(v. 19) — Jesus sanctified Himself by His submission as a Son, Servant, and Sacrifice, and by His separation from the world through His sinlessness.
The word saint comes from the doctrine of sanctification. A saint is one who has been saved and sanctified inwardly by the Spirit of God through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:2).
The sinner whose soul has been washed in the blood of Christ through the Spirit of God (Titus 3:5; Revelation 1:5) and is cut away from his flesh (Colossians 2:11–14) is now set apart in Christ.
However, the flesh and spirit are not yet sanctified. Therefore, the child of God must learn how to possess his vessel unto sanctification and honor (1 Thess. 4:4).
We must sanctify heart, mind, spirit, and body by walking in the Spirit, keeping the flesh under subjection, and staying surrendered to God’s will — so that we are ready to be used by God (2 Tim. 2:21).
“Sanctification is not a condition at which we arrive; it is a state into which we are continually being drawn by the Holy Spirit.”
— A. W. Tozer
I. Sanctified by the Truth (vv. 17–19)
A. Jesus Is the Living Word of Truth
(John 14:6) — “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
He sanctified Himself for our sake, that we might be sanctified.
vv. 18–19 — We must be sanctified because God has sent us into the world with the Word of Truth to sanctify others.
vv. 20–22 — We must be sanctified to be one with God and made perfect.
vv. 22–24 — We are sanctified and made one with God when we believe His Word.
B. God’s Word Is Truth, and His Word Sanctifies Us
It washes, cleanses, and purifies us through the Spirit of the Word.
Psalm 119:9 — “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”
Ephesians 5:26 — “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”
Like a sword (Hebrews 4:12), the Word divides us from the world.
Matthew 10:34 — “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
Spending time in the Word is like standing beneath the fountain of living water, where our flesh and spirit are bathed, baptized, and buried in the water of life.
“The longer you read the Bible, the more you will like it; it will grow sweeter and sweeter; and the more you get into the spirit of it, the more you will get into the spirit of Christ.”
— William Romaine (1714–1795)
II. Sanctified by Trusting (vv. 20–21)
A. Believing and Trusting Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Ephesians 1:13 — “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.”
B. If You Don’t Trust Jesus and His Word, You Don’t Truly Believe He Can Keep It
When we trust the Lord with all our heart (Proverbs 3:5–6), we are sanctifying our minds and hearts to depend on Him no matter the situation.
C. Quotes on Trust
“The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible; there is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.”
— George Müller (19th century)
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”
— Corrie ten Boom (20th century)
III. Sanctified by Trials (vv. 22–23)
A. Trials Are the Purifying Process of Sanctification
1 Peter 4:12–13 — Fiery trials test and refine our faith.
Proverbs 20:30 — “The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.”
B. Trials Set Us Apart from a Life of Ease
Trials draw us closer to Christ.
They prompt self-examination and confession.
They remind us of mortality and dependence upon God.
“The man that is sanctified is one who would rather be holy than happy, if he might have his choice; yea, he chooseth rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”
— John Bunyan (17th century)
C. God’s Glory Is Often Best Seen Through Trials
1 Peter 1:7 — Faith tried by fire brings praise and honor at Christ’s appearing.
John 11:4 — Lazarus’s sickness was “for the glory of God.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 — “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Closing Thought
The completion of sanctification will take place at the Judgment Seat of Christ, when our body, soul, and spirit will be sanctified completely and every wrinkle ironed out.
1 Thessalonians 5:23; Revelation 19:3.
Call to Action
We can wait until heaven for God to iron out our wrinkles—or we can start now:
🕊️ Through the Word of God
🕊️ By trusting God
🕊️ Through trials that draw us closer to Him
There will still be wrinkles in heaven for Jesus to straighten,
but there could be far fewer if we begin to submit, separate, and sanctify ourselves now.