The Will of Sacrifice

Luke 22:42 “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

“I am ready to be offered.” This is a transaction of will, not of sentiment. Tell God that you are ready to be offered and then let things fall where they may. There is no strain of complaint in your heart, irregardless of what God chooses. God puts you through a crisis in private where no one else may be able to help. On the outside, life may seem to be unchanged, while the difference comes within the will. Go through the crisis of your will and when it comes to the top, the amount of sacrifice will seem irrelevant. If you do not transact with God in the matter of the will, you will end up living in a self-induced pity party.
The altar carries with it fire—burning and purification for one purpose only: the destruction of every affinity that has not been started by God and every attachment that is not of God. You do not destroy it, God does. You place the sacrifice upon the altar and then do not have self pity when the fire starts. When you have this fire burning in you, there is no oppression or depression. When crisis then enters your life, you realize that things cannot touch you like they once did.
To walk in elevated heights with God, one must decide what to put on the altar. God may lead you to a certain item or attitude in you life that you are asked to sacrifice, but it is ultimately up to you to lay it down. God will not operate in your will until you have turned it completely over to Him because He is a gentleman and will not force you to do what you do not desire.
The fire must consume your will. Fire does not operate in the level of emotion because emotions change, but in the will there must not be any gray areas.
The challenge is to allow Him to consume you, and then form you into His image.

"Self-denial is the quality of which Jesus Christ set us the example."
Ary Scheffer