All believers are, in a measure, consecrated to God, just as all believers are, in a measure, sanctified. The spirit of consecration is a part of the new life imparted to the soul in regeneration; but in order to receive the full baptism of the Spirit, the principle of consecration must be carried to completeness. Just as long as consecration is defective on any point, or in any degree, the experience of complete cleansing and filling cannot be received. The fullness of salvation is conditioned on perfect trust in Jesus as a present Saviour, and on the other hand this perfect truth is conditioned on the perfect yielding of self up to God. Hence, if there is any defect or shortage in consecration, it most surely blocks the way to the entrance into full salvation. Every believer is consecrated, but not all in equal degrees. Some converted people, who are not fully sanctified, are much more yielding to God than others are, and have only a few more steps to take in order to reach the state of entire abandonment, whereas others are so slightly yielded, as to be a long way from it. Again, all believers are not equally yielded on the same points. Some will more readily yield on certain points than others. There are always one or two points which are the last to be yielded, and upon which the self life has a death struggle; but these points of death struggle are very different with different souls.
The three great lines of consecration are, to be anything the Lord wants us to be; to do anything the Lord wants us to do; to suffer anything the Lord wants us to suffer. These embrace the subjective, the active and the passive forms of our existence, and to consent to all these three things, willingly, without a reservation, is the perfection of consecration. As each soul passes through these three things, there will come up, a panorama of possibilities and contingencies according to each one's condition, nature, or environment, upon which the principle of loyalty will be tested. Some will find their complete yielding the hardest on the willing to be, others, on the willing to do, and others, on the willing to suffer. Unless consecration reaches the point of entirety, the soul will slip back and be consecrating itself over and over again a thousand times, without gaining a distinct step of victory, or making ally positive progress. We hear a great deal about reconsecrating ourselves, and making fresh consecration, which is mere delusive talk, and does not get the soul where positive results are brought to pass. When the soul is perfectly yielded to God on every point, and for all time and eternity as well, it can drive a stake down, and hold its position. It has then got to the end of making good resolutions, it is then done with going over the same ground of giving up, it has reached the place of anchorage, it can then truly say,
"'Tis done, the great transaction's done, I am my Lord's, and He is mine."
A good illustration of entire consecration is that of tapping the car wheels. Many a time as I have been traveling on a sleeping car, I have been awakened in the night by the hammer of the wheel tester. At some principal station, where the engines are exchanged a man will pass along the train with a flaming torch in one hand, and a hammer in the other; with the light he first examines the wheels and axles under the cars, then with the hammer gives a sharp rap on the wheels. If there is a single crack, ever so small in a wheel, it will be indicated by the defective ring. That crack in a single wheel will stop the progress of that coach, it must be sent to the shop for repairs; and when every wheel gives a clear ring it can be sent on its journey at express speed. So in seasons of revival, at camp meetings or conventions, or with many a soul in retired life, God comes to examine the inner wheels of our mortal being. With the torch of His Spirit He searches underneath, and the recesses of our hearts, the axle tree of our will, the wheels of our motives and propensities, and with the hammer of His Word He taps on every wheel. If there be a defect in our consecration, it will be indicated by a crack in some wheel which will fail to ring out clearly "Thy will be done." This will stop the progress of the soul, the great master mechanic will order us into the repair shop of grace, and when every wheel in US responds affirmatively to the stroke of His Word we are then sent on our journey to the celestial city on schedule time.
Some may ask " How can I know when my consecration is entire? " The best answer is, " You will know it." There is a tremendous inner sense of giving up, of letting go, of getting through with your trying, of cutting the last shore line.
There is an inward feeling that you have rolled yourself over on the Lord, and instead of trying to give up, you find yourself looking for something more to yield, and wondering at the littleness of what you have given. At the point where consecration is entire, perfect trust is spontaneous, easy and natural.
