________ WHY NOT ________
Living a Surrendered Life
Last time we discussed that walking by the Holy Spirit is the walk of faith. In order to walk by the Spirit, we must surrender control of our life to His leading. Jesus demonstrated the surrendered life while on earth. He lived in complete dependence on his Father’s guidance. Then, in the ultimate act of surrender, He willingly gave up His life on a cross.
Jesus told his disciples that if anyone would follow Him, he must deny himself and take up his cross. (Mat. 16:24) To “take up your cross” does not necessarily mean you must give up your physical life. However, it does mean that you choose to give up your rights. You, in essence, become a bondservant as Jesus did. (Phil. 2:7) A bondservant was one who existed for the sole purpose of serving his master and thus, had no rights of his own.
In order to surrender, you must be willing to give up your rights – the right to protect your reputation, the right to your dreams and ambitions, and the right to get “life” from any source other than Jesus.
Living a surrendered life begins with a surrendered attitude. It acknowledges that my life is not my own, I have been bought with a price. (I Cor. 6:19-20) Thus, our mindset/attitude becomes, “Lord, you can do with me whatever you choose.”
That may sound a little scary, but know this – God loves you and wants the very best for you!
My flesh says, “I have a right to and I must defend this right in order to protect myself.
How would you fill in the blank above? my reputation; get even; hold a grudge; withhold forgiveness; be happy, etc.
When walking by the Spirit I can say, “I give up my right to and am willing to risk so that Christ’s life may be manifest in me. I will trust Christ in every area of my life.
Living a surrendered life is living in complete dependence on Christ to meet all your needs. (Phil. 4:19)
Surrender Occurs in the Moment
At some point in your life, you will hopefully come to the place where you are tired of trying to make life work out on your own. You may declare that you surrender all to Christ and the leading of His Holy Spirit. But that is only the beginning. For it’s only in the present moment that you can actually surrender.
It is like declaring that you are going on a diet. Regardless of how sincere you are, it is only when you are hungry and tempted to eat all the wrong things that you actually decide to go on a diet.
At some point, the Holy Spirit will reveal to you what you need to let go of, i.e., that which is preventing you from experiencing Christ as your life. It is at that moment that you must choose to surrender. Surrender is not a one-time event. It is a moment-by-moment choice.
The Power of the Resurrection
Yes, Jesus did certainly rise up from the grave so that we might have life. But did you know that you have access to the very same power with which God raised Christ from the dead? (Eph.1:19-20)
In God’s Economy, Death
Always Precedes Life!
But in order for that resurrection power to be displayed, Jesus first had to die! And so it is with us. We must die to our own plans for our life. It is true that our old spirit man died with Christ the moment we received Christ by faith (Rom. 6). But now we are talking about our soul (mind, will and emotions). It is our will that must “die”, i.e., “not my will, but yours be done”. (Luke 22:42)
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12.24
When we surrender our will, we allow the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit to take over! (Phil. 3:8-11)
The power of the Holy Spirit is not reserved only for special times when a great task is required. It is for every moment of the day. The power of the Holy Spirit is for hugging your spouse when they have offended you; forgiving your neighbor when they have wronged you; not defending your reputation when you’re attacked; visiting a hurting friend when you really don’t know what to say.
Ask yourself (and God) – “What am I holding onto that prevents me from experiencing Christ as my life?”
My Struggle – There are times when the Lord is dealing with me about surrendering a particular area of my life. I find it easy to rationalize why I shouldn’t surrender.
Scripture References – Mat. 16:24-25; Acts 1:8; Romans 6; 2 Cor. 5:15; Eph. 1:18-20; Philippians 2-3; 2 Tim. 1:7.