Surrender In The Bible
The discipline of spiritual surrender is evident and encouraged throughout scripture.
Spiritual surrender is an act of faith, keeping hope alive by choosing defeat over death. It is the first act for those coming to salvation, and a continual habit of those walking with Christ. To spiritually surrender means to let go of control and trust God.To surrender to Christ is a decisive blow to our flesh. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live . But thats not the end of the verse.
When you surrender to Christ you receive new hope and new life: but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.Yes, you must give up or surrender your old self, but when you do, sins power over you is broken. knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin .
When you surrender to Christ, you arent surrendering your God-given identity and uniqueness. You arent giving up as a defeated hero, but as a refugee from this world, escaping a life of slavery, starvation, and abuse.
We surrender not for fear or threat, but in hope that the One to whom we surrender has a better life for us. And that hope doesnt disappoint.
Jesus: The Ultimate Example Of Surrendering To God
Jesus is the ultimate example of someone who surrendered to God. He was fully human and divine and gave up his life for our sake.
Philippians 2:5-8 says, Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
This passage shows us that Jesus didnt cling to his divinity or try to hold on to his power. Instead, he surrendered everything to God. And because of that, we can now have a relationship with God.
Bible Verse About Surrendering Problems To God
I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
This bible verse about surrendering problems to God teaches us what our relationship with God is like.
Our lives are not ours, God created us for himself the bible says. Because of this, our lives are not our own.
It is God who breathes life into our lungs and it is him who takes that breath away.
So having this knowledge from the prophet Jeremiahs prayer, we learn that we must not control what is not ours.
We must submit and surrender our lives and problems to God so that he takes control and leads our lives.
The same is true when we have problems. When our lives are fully surrendered to God, the problems that we face are also his.
You must let him take care of them. Because when God takes over, he takes and requires 100%.
He will take care of the good and the bad.
So this bible verse about surrendering problems to God must always remind us to give it all back to him who first loved us.
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Lesson 4: Ultimate Surrender
One of the features on Garrison Keillors Prairie Home Companion radio show is spoof advertisements. One that always makes me chuckle, although I havent heard it recently, is The Fearmongers Shop, whose motto is, Serving all your phobia needs since 1954.
Keillor is poking fun at the fact that we all have fears about life. Some fears are relatively trivial, although for the one doing the fearing, any fear seems substantial. One of the most common fears, believe it or not, even greater than the fear of death, is the fear of public speaking. More formidable are the fears we have from time to time about the loss of a job, the loss of our health, the loss of a loved one, or our own death.
My greatest fear is the fear of losing one of my children. We expect to lose our parents at some point in life. About half of us who are married will lose a mate in death. But we assume that our children will be around when we die. Our hopes are bound up with our children. And so the loss of a child hits us with greater force than perhaps any other loss.
Abrahams obedient surrender is the high point of faith in all history. It stands like Mt. Everest above where most of us have been. I can only stand below and point up to its heights, aware of how my own faith falls far short. Next week I want to focus on how this story reveals Gods provision for us in the Lord Jesus Christ. But this week I want to look at what it teaches about surrender to God:
How To Surrender To God
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Colossians 3:2
Surrendering all to God can look different for everyone. But for me these are some key things that we need to do and understand for us to experience the freedom that comes with surrender.
Be Real With Yourself and God
A lot of people sugar coat or hide things from themselves and God. They dont share their true feelings.
God is not scared of you being truthful with Him. He already knows what you are feeling and thinking.
I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:10
This is a pattern we see within psalms. The psalmist will pour out his heart before the Lord. They get real! They complain, share their hurts and their anger. But have you noticed once they are getting all of that stuff out their focus changes from Self to the Lord and the psalm ends in praise and worship before God.
Take Up Your Cross
Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25
Denying ourselves is part of the process of surrendering. As Christians we cant always have our cake and eat it too. It just doesnt work that way.
I love what E.M Bounds says
Prayer
God will help you! We just need to ask.
Accountability
Persistence
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What It Means To Surrender To God
Doug Andre
The act of surrendering is very difficult for those who realize that the battle is lost. In his book No Surrender: My Thirty-Year War, Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda tells a fascinating tale of being one of the last Japanese-born soldiers to surrender in World War II.
Onoda had been stationed on Lubang Island in the Philippines when it was taken over by U.S. forces in February 1945. Almost all of his comrades were killed or captured, but Onoda and several other men hid deep in the jungle. While his fellow evaders were eventually killed, Onoda held out for 29 years, dismissing every attempt to coax him out of the jungle as a trick.
His primary motivation for not surrendering was his devout belief in the Japanese military code of discipline and honor. Because of this, he had been ordered by his superiors to never leave his post until he received a specific order enabling him to do so.
In 1974, the Japanese government sent its commanding officer to Lubang to order Onoda to surrender. When Lieutenant Onoda stepped out of the jungle to accept the order, he did so in his dress uniform and sword, with his rifle still in operating condition. Even in surrender he maintained his discipline and retained his honor.
Sometimes we evade being captured by God because doing so would mean surrendering areas of our lives that we like to control. To live the life that God has planned for us, which he promises is best , we need to wave the white flag of surrender.
But how do we do this?
Trusting God In Times Of Uncertainty
Right now the world is a bit topsy turvy and things may feel out of control. Maybe you dont what to trust or who to trust. If it feels overwhelming, please know you are not alone and your feelings are normal.
But as people of faith, we are blessed with some certainties.
- One day Jesus will return and bring healing and justice.
- God will never leave you or change His mind about loving you.
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How Do I Give Up Control
Here are some ways to let go of control and embrace the present moment.
What makes letting go and letting God difficult?
Well, the real reason why letting go and letting God take control can be difficult is because we dont fully know the character of God We can trust God when times are tough but only up to a point. We run towards God when things are hard but only up to a point.
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The Reward In The World To Come
and in the age to come, eternal life.- Mark 10:30b
As superior as the Christian life is to the life without Christ, it is still filled with pain, and temptation, and ultimately physical suffering and death. Most people like the status quo. And when asked to leave what they have, even if they truly have it for a little while, for something better that will only last for a little while, they usually, you know, they usually like to stand pat.
Change is scary. Change is uncomfortable. This is why Jesus also mentions that the second and most precious reward of unconditional surrender is eternal or unconditional life, a life without conditions or limits of time, pain, ignorance, without limits for our capacity for joy.
Jesus only mentions the word eternal in referring to the future reward. But in other places in the Bible we get a picture of the essence and the quality of this life:
For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.- Matthew 22:30
Jesus says we will possess the nature, if you wish, of angels. We know that angels are powerful beings and their powers and abilities, Jesus said, will be ours.
in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.- I Corinthians 15:52
Paul says that we will be fitted with bodies that will never sin, never suffer, never die. Imagine!
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Examples Of Surrendering To God In The Bible
God always asks us to surrenderto give Him our burdens, fears, and doubts. And throughout the Bible, we see examples of people who have done just that.
Think about Moses. He led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, but that was only the beginning of his journey. God called Moses to lead His people, and Moses had to learn to trust God and surrender to His will.
Or take David. He was a shepherd boy who became king of Israel. But even with all his power and wealth, David knew he was nothing without God. So he surrendered his kingdom, wealth, and even his own life to the Lord.
These are just two examples from the Bible. Countless others surrendered to God and found strength in Him. If youre feeling lost or overwhelmed, take heart: God is always with you and will help you find your way.
Bible Verses About The Surrendered Life
I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
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How To Surrender To God And Let Go
If you feel yourself fighting for control or feel overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, its a sign you need to let go. Repent and turn away from doing things your way and lean on God.
Romans 2:4 says Gods kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. So trust that you will receive relief and rest when you surrender. His goodness will motivate you to let go. Read and meditate on verses that remind you of these truths. Here are a few.
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you Psalm 9:10.
For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him Hebrews 11:6Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you I Peter 5:7
We Place Conditions On Our Surrender To God
As Christians, I think we pride ourselves on saying we are living a surrendered life. However, it seems like a no brainer when things are going well and life is easy. But, what happens when life misbehaves and things are NOT going according to our plan or when things hurt and we dont understand what God is doing or why?
We find ourselves bargaining with God in exchange for a glimpse into the future a peek around the bend. If Im honest, Ive had conversations with God that sounded something like, God, IF YOU will do x THEN I WILL do y. We place condition after condition on God and our willingness to surrender. Even though I know this is not how God works, I still fall back into the trap.
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David: Calling Out To God In Despair
David is a great example of someone who surrendered to God in the Bible. In 1 Samuel 30, David and his men had been away from home fighting the Amalekites. When they returned, they found their wives and children had been taken captive.
In despair, David called out to God: O Lord, what have I done? What is my iniquity? What is my sin against you, O Lord my God, that you have brought all this disaster upon me?
David was willing to humble himself and admit his sin before God. As a result, God rescued Davids family and gave him victory over his enemies.
Jesus: Our Example Of Surrender
This week, we are coming to the end of our study of I Give Up: The Secret Joy of a Surrendered Life, by Laura Story.
Christian author Katherine J Walden said concerning surrender:
The enemy knows that without surrender, we will never experience the freedom that God offers us. Without surrender, we will remain spiritually malnourished, ill and confused. Without surrender, our foxholes become prisons of the enemys making. Our lack of full surrender limits Gods ability to both work in our lives and through our lives.
Gods call to surrender is not an intimidating, angry bark heard from the other side of a battlefield. Gods invitation to surrender is expressed through the example of his Son, Jesus, as described in Philippians 2:5-11.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 NIV
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The Consequences Of Not Fully Following God
One of the most dramatic examples of one group of people who followed God fully and another group who did not were the Israelites who were tested by God the Father in the desert after being rescued from the Egyptians in the story of Moses.
Near the beginning of the 40 year wilderness experience, they were all getting ready to go into the Promised Land to reap their big reward in God.
However, before they went in, they sent in twelve spies to see what their enemies looked like and what they would encounter once they crossed over to possess the land from some of these evil people. When the spies came back, ten of them came back with a bad report. They said the enemies were too big and that their kingdoms were too well fortified.
Mind you, the Israelites had just seen one of the greatest displays of Gods power that the world has ever seen when He threw 10 whopper plagues at the Pharaoh to set them free.
Yet, just as they were getting ready to cross over into their Promised Land, they started questioning and doubting that God could take these enemies out for them, even though God had just got done delivering them from an entire Egyptian nation several years earlier!
When God sees their lack of faith and belief in Him that He could conquer these lands for them, He threw up His hands and said that was going to be it.
Those are the consequences of not having enough faith and belief in God the Father and not being willing to fully follow Him in this life.