Last week we looked at how God expects our surrender, but He doesn't just throw out this expectation and then leave us to our destruction. Our God promises to accomplish our surrender.
I hate to admit it, but all to often I find myself worried that if I give this part of my life to Jesus, if I give Him absolute surrender, just what will that mean in my life? “Lord, I have passed through so many struggles, and so much suffering, and there is still so much self-life left, how can I give you this too, knowing it means more struggles and suffering?”
These kind of thoughts really disturb me when I realize what I am saying about my Savior and Lord with this kind of fear and anxiety. If you ever struggle with mis-trust as I do, then I have great news today! God does not ask us to give this perfect surrender in our strength, or by our will power. Our amazing God is willing to make it happen in us! Philippians 2:13 tells us, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” That should be our greatest joy, to fall on our faces before a God who didn't just tell us what He demands, but promises to come in personally and conquer our wrong thoughts and desires, and turn us into something that brings Him great pleasure. God Himself will work in you!
Friends, I challenge you, and myself to put away the fear, and fall before God with a willing heart. If your struggling to have a willing heart, as I am, then pray this prayer, “Lord make me willing to be made willing” and He hears that prayer, and is eager to make it happen! We spend that precious time each day becoming friends with Jesus for this very reason. We must
learn to trust our dear friend, so we can say, “Lord Jesus, I am willing for You to make me willing.” If there is anything holding us back, if there is any sacrifice we are afraid to make, I encourage you here and now to prove what a gracious and wonderful God we serve, and not think for a moment that He would ask us to do anything that He will not accomplish Himself.
God offers through the Holy Spirit to fill us with Jesus, and work this absolute surrender in our lives. That is what we're told in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old is gone, the new is here!” That very desire, the hungering and thirsting you feel in your heart right now is the drawing of Jesus, desiring to do His good pleasure in your life.
Friends, we have hindered the Holy Spirit again and again, but He longs to fill our lives with Jesus, to accomplish in us that absolute surrender to Himself. And He can do it! And will do it! You see, God not only accomplishes surrender in our lives, but He accepts it when we bring it to Him.
I look forward to next week, when we discuss how God Accepts Our Surrender!
I love you!
Brad
I hate to admit it, but all to often I find myself worried that if I give this part of my life to Jesus, if I give Him absolute surrender, just what will that mean in my life? “Lord, I have passed through so many struggles, and so much suffering, and there is still so much self-life left, how can I give you this too, knowing it means more struggles and suffering?”
These kind of thoughts really disturb me when I realize what I am saying about my Savior and Lord with this kind of fear and anxiety. If you ever struggle with mis-trust as I do, then I have great news today! God does not ask us to give this perfect surrender in our strength, or by our will power. Our amazing God is willing to make it happen in us! Philippians 2:13 tells us, “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” That should be our greatest joy, to fall on our faces before a God who didn't just tell us what He demands, but promises to come in personally and conquer our wrong thoughts and desires, and turn us into something that brings Him great pleasure. God Himself will work in you!
Friends, I challenge you, and myself to put away the fear, and fall before God with a willing heart. If your struggling to have a willing heart, as I am, then pray this prayer, “Lord make me willing to be made willing” and He hears that prayer, and is eager to make it happen! We spend that precious time each day becoming friends with Jesus for this very reason. We must
learn to trust our dear friend, so we can say, “Lord Jesus, I am willing for You to make me willing.” If there is anything holding us back, if there is any sacrifice we are afraid to make, I encourage you here and now to prove what a gracious and wonderful God we serve, and not think for a moment that He would ask us to do anything that He will not accomplish Himself.
God offers through the Holy Spirit to fill us with Jesus, and work this absolute surrender in our lives. That is what we're told in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come; the old is gone, the new is here!” That very desire, the hungering and thirsting you feel in your heart right now is the drawing of Jesus, desiring to do His good pleasure in your life.
Friends, we have hindered the Holy Spirit again and again, but He longs to fill our lives with Jesus, to accomplish in us that absolute surrender to Himself. And He can do it! And will do it! You see, God not only accomplishes surrender in our lives, but He accepts it when we bring it to Him.
I look forward to next week, when we discuss how God Accepts Our Surrender!
I love you!
Brad
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