If a man, therefore, purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” (II Timothy 2:21)

Prepared: (Gr. Hetoimazo; from Hetoimos; from Heteos): Internal Fitness, Ready

Being internally fit and ready for every good work requires a process of training, discipline, instruction, self-denial, sacrifice, and exercise of one’s mind, body and spirit. It is a complete transformation of one’s being. This requires a purging of the old carnal, earthly nature of man to become a completely new vessel of gold and silver, a vessel of honor molded into the nature of the Divine.

Preparations of the Heart: Proverbs 16:1 speaks to this matter of preparation distinctly: “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord”. It is the Lord who makes the heart ready, and internally fit for the work to which He calls. That good work that the Lord anticipated beforehand for us and into which He directed us all along the way.

Meet for the Master’s Use: Meet: (Gr. Euchrestos): Easily used, useful, profitable; from Eu: Good, well; and Chrestos: Graciously useful. The prepared heart is easily used without resistance, profitable for that which the Master purposed and planned, full of grace, kindness and of a good spirit. This prepared heart fits the circumstances. Do you need a calm, secure, and steady mind and heart in the hour of trouble? The prepared heart will suffice for the situation.

The Scriptures are full of examples of prepared hearts: Jacob, Joseph, David, Daniel come to mind. Of Joseph the Psalmist wrote: “He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant; whose feet they hurt with fetters; he was laid in iron. Until the time that his word came; the word of the Lord tried him” (Psalms 105:17-19). Tried and true, Joseph at the right time rose to the occasion being made ready by the preparations of the Lord into that to which he had been called. What a wonderful testimony to a vessel of honor, a prepared heart, meet for the Master’s use.

Sanctified: (Gr. Hagiazo; from Hagios): To make Holy, Purified, To Consecrate, Morally Blameless. There is a process to entire sanctification for the human soul. When we come to Jesus, He Redeems, cleanses from sin, Justifies, forgives us of all sin and we stand before Him in His righteousness; then the process of working out our salvation with fear and trembling begins (cf. Philippians 2:12). The process of purging the soul of the dross to bring forth the gold, the fully formed Son in manifest glory is a preparation in man that only the Holy Spirit can do and complete (cf. Galatians 4:19). It is a glorious working of God to both will and to do of His good pleasure (cf. Philippians 2:13). Entire sanctification requires a complete yielding and surrendering of our will to the will of God. Only then will the preparations of the heart be fully perfected.

How is it with your soul? Are you hungry for the things of God? Are you ready to yield, to surrender to the inward working of God? Are you ready to be internally fit? As the Apostle well said, “Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (I Timothy 4:8). Tell me, are you ready? Are you prepared for every good work? No better time to begin the process then right now.

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