There are some great examples of people being set apart for the purposes of God in the old testament. In Judges 13 Samson was set apart for a purpose.
“Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, so the Lord delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years.
A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah was from the clan of the Danites. Manoah had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. The angel of the Lord appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
Samson was dedicated and set apart to God to lead the deliverance of Israel from the Philistines. Samson was to be a Nazirite, which is one set apart and consecrated to God. Consecrated means to be declared sacred. Sanctified means to be made holy and set apart for the purposes of God.
Jeremiah was called by God to be a prophet to the nations. Moses was set apart to lead Israel out of Egypt. Joseph was set apart to bring Israel to Egypt.
Jesus came to restore mankind back to our original position and purposes. To be sanctified is to enter back into God’s original intent to be in right standing with God and to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth. In Acts 1:8 Jesus said,
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In Matthew 28:18-20
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
In John 20:21-23 Jesus said,
“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
We have all been called out for the purposes of God. Which is why in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Paul says,
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”
May the reality of being sanctified penetrate your whole being, that you may know you have been made holy, been accepted, are loved and have been given purpose and meaning.