Day 34: Consecrate Ourselves to See God Do Wondrous Things
Focus
This year’s theme, ‘Consecration’, is based on Joshua 3:5. To find a local church or prayer group near you, or to register to join the nationwide online Zoom meeting, click here.
Intention
To encourage followers of Jesus to listen to his commands, step out in obedience, and see what God will do.
Scripture
“After three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it. But keep a distance of about a kilometre between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t travelled this way before.’
Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.’”
– Joshua 3:2–5
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
– Romans 12:1
Reflection
I recently baked a cake — not something I do regularly, but I felt like something nice to eat. To have any hope of success, I needed to follow the instructions on the packet.
Instructions. We face them every day. But do we follow them? Not always. After all, they are only instructions — and plenty of examples come to mind. Traffic signs say slow down. Medicine says take as prescribed. Directions suggest a route, but we wonder if there might be a shortcut.
Just as I needed to follow instructions to have success in my baking, in Joshua 3:3–4, the people of Israel received specific, detailed directions for a journey into unknown, enemy territory. They were direct commands that required obedience — the people had never been this way before, and there was no room for shortcuts.
Yet verse 5 shifts in character — it is a call not just to move physically, but to prepare inwardly and spiritually. “Consecrate yourselves” is not logistical instruction. It is a sacred directive to set yourself apart for the Lord.
In Romans 12:1, the apostle Paul uses yet another register: “I plead with you.” When someone pleads, they are making an intense, urgent, heartfelt appeal — you might even say they are begging you to respond.
Joshua 3:5 is the theme verse for this year’s National Day of Prayer. The call is to consecrate ourselves — to purify ourselves, to offer our bodies as living sacrifices for the purposes of God. And contained within the verse is a remarkable promise: “for tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you.”
I have been reflecting on this verse over recent months, and I keep returning to one question: When is tomorrow?
Could it be Sunday — the day after Saturday’s National Day of Prayer? Well, it could be. Or could it be Monday, when the majority of God’s people return to work, to universities, to schools?
Yes, when is tomorrow?
But there is a second question that is just as pressing: What are the great things God is waiting to do?
We would each answer that differently. But for me, the greatest thing God is waiting to do is bring men, women, and children to salvation. More than ever, our world needs to know that there is hope — that there is a future.
The greatest thing God ever did was give his only Son for us. He waits to bestow grace, transform hearts, give eternal life, and pour out his unconditional love upon a world that is hurting, broken, and lost.
Will you join me — in consecrating and purifying ourselves — to see God do great and wondrous things?
Video
Prayer
God, you gave your only Son — and for that extraordinary love, which has transformed our lives, we are forever grateful.
We are compelled to give our lives for others. We long to see a move of God that will bring a flood of salvation across this great Southland of the Holy Spirit.
To this end, we consecrate ourselves. We purify ourselves. We give all — in obedience to the one who gave his all for us.
In the name of Jesus, the name above every name, we pray. Amen.
Author Bio
James Condon is the Chairman of Australia Prays and the Chairman of Caloundra Queensland City Pastor’s network. He was also the Chairman of 2023’s WPA in Perth. James is working with other intercessors to establish a prayer mountain on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. He is the former Commissioner of the Salvation Army.
Prayer Points for Five4Five 2026
1. Five people to trust in Christ and to share the gospel with those five in May. Matthew 28:19–20
2. Repentance, revival and reformation in Australia and for millions to believe in Jesus Christ. Luke 24:47
3. A Church that grows in extravagant love for God and people. 2 Corinthians 5:14–15
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Following James’ excellent contribution last evening to National Day of Prayer training and today’s National Day of Prayer, I can say the unity, the prayer, the Bible readings and reflections with all contributions to the fellowship/sharing/worship time left me and the small group I was with feeling really blessed. Consecrating ourselves was key to this. We look to our Lord for a real impact in the church and district we live in.
I was the host. there was a lot of work involved but there was team effort and the notes from the NDOP team really help set us up for blessed time. Thank you James and all the NDOP team, but most of all thank you to our Saviour. To Him be the glory for ever and ever, amen.
Thank you for the devotional and call to consecration James. The call to pray for Australia, the churches, outreach and to ask for forgiveness for past sin was anointed across the land with over 120 locations and on Zoom. I can testify that Fri night 7-8pm and Saturday 1am-4pm was awesome with believers knit together in unity,. A time of again laying everything before the Cross and before God’s Throne of grace. The words that you shared from Joshua’s time were just as significnat for us today: ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it. But keep a distance of about a kilometre between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t travelled this way before.’ …
Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.’”– Joshua 3:2–5
May God have mercy and move mightily in our nation as we continue to pray and reach out. Amen