Prayer of Dedication or Consecration

Luke 22:39-42 (New Living Translation)

Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Jesus shows us the prayer of consecration. Facing imminent death, His flesh reacted instinctively at what awaited him. Jesus strengthened Himself with prayer.

The prayer of consecration is a humble submission to the will of God. This is not always easy. Jesus asked the disciples to pray that they would not be overcome by temptation because He knew that He would soon be leaving them. He also knew that they would need extra strength to face the temptations ahead—temptations to run away or to deny their relationship with Him. They were about to see Jesus arrested and then crucified. The disciples’ strongest temptation would undoubtedly be to think that they had been deceived.

If God leads you into an area of ministry or work that is difficult, it will take the prayer of consecration for you to fulfill it. The same is true of living a holy life. The prayer of consecration is asking for the strength to accomplish His will with His power. The prayer of consecration is expedient for all maturing Christians.

Romans 12:1 (New King James Version)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Paul had already told the Roman believers to offer themselves to God so that their whole bodies would be for His glory (6:13). Our bodies are all we have to offer—we live in our bodies. The body enfolds our emotions, our mind, our thoughts, our desires, and our plans. Therefore, the body represents the total person; it is the instrument by which all our service is given to God. In order to live for God, we must give Him all that we are, represented by our body. If our body is at God’s disposal, He will have our free time, our pleasures, and all our behavior.

Philippians 2:17 (Contemporary English Version)

Your faith in the Lord and your service are like a sacrifice offered to him. And my own blood may have to be poured out with the sacrifice. If this happens, I will be glad and rejoice with you.

When you are totally committed to serving Christ, sacrificing to build the faith of others brings a joyous reward. Paul considered it a privilege to die for the faith, and he wanted the Philippians to take the same attitude in the case of his death.

Matthew 6:10 (New King James Version)

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Praying “may your will be done” does not imply resignation to fate. Rather, it is a prayer that God’s perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world (on earth) as it already is in heaven.