Surrendering to God – Larus Press

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” (2 Cor 13:5)

It’s difficult to obey

At least it is for me. Oh, I want to… but it’s difficult to live the surrendered life, every moment of every day. But it’s what I’m called to do.

Even Paul struggled. ‘I don’t do what I want to do…’

“For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” (Romans 7:15)

I think I used to use that scripture as an excuse. If Paul struggled then who am I to overcome? This helped me so that I wouldn’t get too down on myself. But to continue to use it would be an excuse, because I now know that he who is in me gives me the power to overcome, if I really want to.

Disobedience holds no charm for me anymore. And as I become better able to hear the spirit within me, I know the way to take. But sometimes I still cling on to my way… my way to organise my time, my way to organise my paperwork, my way to organise. And this is the root of the problem: my way is inefficient, my way is limited, my way is not the best way.

Do you struggle too?

I’m improving. It sometimes takes days now to rebel. And there is no joy or satisfaction in the result when I do. Instead, I want to sit at Jesus’ feet as Mary did… choosing the better way (Luke 10).

“Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus feet and heard His word…. “and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.””

But time is short; I realise I have limited lifespan and limited time before the world implodes.

I also realise I’m not as smart as I need to be, in order to accomplish what I need to accomplish. I’ve asked for 10 points more to be added to my IQ. But if I don’t surrender, it isn’t going to happen.

So common sense tells me to let the Master lead. At least he’s a just and good master. Perhaps I don’t need any more brain cells to recognise the only sensible way forward is to surrender and obey.

My prayer

I pray first for greater self-discipline, to wait on Him and do as he leads… ‘no more, no less’… is my prayer.

“Heaven help me!” I cry, as the expression goes.

“Father, Master of the Universe, give me the self-discipline to see this through: to wait on you, to follow your lead, and to love. Amen.”

What is “Being in the Spirit”?

Many discussions will have been and will continue to be about this subject. Evangelicals who are also charismatic have one concept, Evangelicals who do not believe the Gifts of the Spirit are for today will have a different perception.

I am learning that it means more than either.

Being in the Spirit means shunning everything that is our own abilities. our own skills, our own perceptions and interpretations and understanding and surrendering absolutely all to move only according to God’s Will: God’s Spirit leading us.

It is the walk Jesus took. Why would we do anything differently.

“I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” (John 5:30)

In Matthew, he says, “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50)

And even more profoundly strong is this, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

I’m not writing to discuss salvation by works versus salvation by faith. I think most will know I believe wholeheartedly in faith in the Father and in Jesus as His son as the way to salvation and the way to Father God as found in Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”.

What I am saying is that I’m discovering at a deeper and more profound level as I walk this faith journey, that nothing I can be outside of Jesus is worthy.

And nothing I can do is worthy.

I’m realising nothing outside of the working of the Holy Spirit is worthy to the LORD. And so, I pray and wait – at last I wait patiently – for His call, His move, His anointing, His leading, His summoning to me to give out, surrendering my all for His will and ministry.

I’m an educated person, with several skills and professional experiences as a teacher, a performing artist, a published author, an administrator. BUT this is filthy rags! (Isaiah 64:6)

Now, I must wait for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippines 3:14)

I feel equipped, but that’s just human feeling. I think I’m prepared, but that’s just my own understanding. I hope I can be useful… Now I’m beginning to show signs of humility and true surrender.

There is a cost to following God. If we really, really want to walk in the Spirit, surrendered to the LORD, we need to lie down our lives, our skills, our agendas, our ambitions and hopes, and give all to His glory.

Maybe I’ll be useful, maybe I won’t. But I’m free from the need to be useful, because I have learned the futility of self-effort and the humility of Jesus’ surrendering his God-head so that he could model the uselessness of human effort as compared the the surrender of the human will to the perfect will of God.

Let us wait upon the LORD (Isaiah 40:31) and let us fulfil the call of God on our lives, fully surrendered, fully humbled, fully obedient to the life He calls us to lead.

Blessings.