Precious surrender brings marvelous victory!
Surrender
Luke 14:25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26 "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28 "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it; 29 "lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 "saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 "Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 "Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33 "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
Jesus set the standard high! Without full surrender one can not be His disciple. We the church have dumb down the gospel to such a degree we no longer preach full surrender is the only way into the kingdom of God . Jesus defined those who could not become His disciple. Every attribute Jesus mentioned speaks of full surrender. Jesus disciples love Him most, Jesus disciples bear their cross, Jesus disciples count the cost, and Jesus disciples forsake all to follow Him. It is total and complete surrender. Not a popular message; however we need to get the gospel message back on the solid foundation so we have genuine salvation. Have you ever fully surrender to Jesus the Messiah? If not, you have never had a genuine salvation.
1 Peter 5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
There is a divine order in the kingdom of God . Many saints do not walk in victory because they are not walking in divine order. Humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God is not just a suggestion. It is a requirement in the kingdom of God . After you have humbled yourself under the mighty hand of God you are invited to cast all your cares upon Him. Many want to cast their cares with no surrender; that is not how the kingdom of God works. Many try resisting the devil before humbling themselves; this too is out of divine order. Many have tried resisting the devil with all kinds of methods. There is a divine order for resisting the devil, being steadfast in the faith. That is the object of your faith in Jesus Christ alone. As a believer we can face hard times; however if we will humble ourselves and be steadfast in our faith in Christ we have the certainty of God’s promise. After you have suffered for a while God Himself will come perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. Oh here is some foundational truth that rarely get preached in the church. Yet in the middle of the hard time it is the Father who will perfect, establish and strengthen, and settle you. God wants you to know how to walk in victory; it comes from full surrender.
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. 21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
If you name the name of Christ you have been called to depart from iniquity. Believers who have not departed from iniquity have chosen to be vessels of dishonor. God word is clear here; you decide if you are a vessel of honor or dishonor. How does one become ready to be used by God? The instruction is clear! If anyone cleanses himself from iniquity he will be a vessel of honor. It is time for practical application of the Word of God. You ask how to depart from iniquity? Flee youthful lust; pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. There is a key here for walking in victory. Yes, a forsaking of all but then there is a pursuit! The pursuit of righteousness, faith, love, and peace is not to be done alone! Put your self in fellowship with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart! Find someone who loves to pray, find someone who loves the Word of God, find someone who has fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ and hang out with them. Imitate them as they follow Christ.
Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light." 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
Submitting to one another in the fear of God is not a popular message; however it is key to walking in victory. The company you keep will determine what you will partake in. If you have fellowship with the darkness you will be influenced by the darkness. You need to find fellowship with those who are filled with the Spirit. You need fellowship with those who speak psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Your fellowship should include singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. If you find one who is busy giving thanks to God as a lifestyle, hang with them! The church has become so lethargic we have imitated the world instead of imitators of God as dear children. Awake, awake you who sleep and Christ will give you light.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
The church has become so anemic we have excused ourselves from surrender to the leadership of the church. Oh we have a million excuse why, but the Word of God stands high over our excuses. God bring the church back into divine order.
1 Corinthians 16:15 I urge you, brethren; you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints; 16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us.
Paul commanded the church to submit to the saints that have devoted themselves to the work of the ministry. Oh that the church will arise to submit to God and the Godly leadership that God raises up. We seek advise from our friends and neighbors before we submit to Godly leadership. The way of victory is surrender!
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
So many want to know how to do spiritual warfare. Before we can do battle in the heavens we must first submit to the word of God. If you have a mindset that declares we don’t need to submit, it is time to bring that thought and feeling under submission to the word of God. The believer must bring thoughts that exalts itself against the knowledge of God into captivity to the obedience of Christ. If we want to walk in victory we must come to divine order and surrender.
Our thought life could very well be building a stronghold in our life! The word of God is the measure. True warfare begins with bringing our thought life into subjection and captivity to the obedience of Christ.
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
Because of the strength of the sacrifice of Jesus and His precious blood we can submit our life walking holy before God. God calls us to gird up the loins of our mind…
Jeremiah 15:19 Therefore thus says the LORD: "If you return, Then I will bring you back; You shall stand before Me; If you take out the precious from the vile, You shall be as My mouth. Let them return to you, But you must not return to them.
Total surrender causes one to separate the precious from the vile. Precious are the things that God loves; vile are the things that God hates.
Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.
God calls us to love what He loves and to Abhor what is evil. True grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and to pursue righteousness. This can only be walked in at full surrender!
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
Surrender fully to the grace of God; walking in divine order will produce righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Indeed surrender cause us to walk in victory.
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