Unsurrendered

<<resistant, holding out>>

Spirit worked in our hearts and we accepted the offer of salvation with God giving us a new heart (Ezek 36:26). Even though we verbally repented of sin, and ‘gave our life’ to Christ, this must be outworked in reality through our ongoing decision to keep it clean and pure from the invasive sin of the world system. Jesus said, “Why call me Lord and don’t do what I say?” (Lk 6:46). We all have areas of our lives that are unsurrendered to the Lordship of Christ with few (if any) believers 100% fully surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, but He knows the genuineness of our efforts. There is an abundance of cheap Christianity today, that omits the need for repentance and surrender of the will and reflected by the little if any prayer and Bible study. The focus is on the emotional benefits without informing the mind and confronting the will with the cost of discipleship that includes surrendering the power to control and determine their own actions. Unbelievers and lukewarm Christians – those who are not spiritual because they are still living a sinful lifestyle, pursuing their own interests without self-discipline – are missing out on the relationship God desires with us (1 Cor 3:1-4; 2 Cor 6:14-18; Gal 5:16,17; 1 Jn 2:15-17).

However, Jesus calls for unconditional surrender, “Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me” (Lk 9:23). We are to purge ourselves of everything that doesn’t reflect the character of God through the process of sanctification by giving up ‘idols’ or things He has highlighted as “needing to go’. This is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit as we give our consent for He will not override our freewill. We either serve God or self as we can’t have two masters at once (Mt 6:24). Repentance is a complete reorientation from the inside out. Our un-crucified self is a roadblock to the unfathomable spiritual riches in Christ. Self likes to be in control but while discipleship is costly, the long-term benefits of submitting to Christ dwarf any temporary discomfort.

Refusing to give Him His rightful position as Lord of all and acknowledging His direction results in self-centredness which is the core of sin. The areas we have not relinquished control of provide a legitimate right for Satan to bring distress and hold us in bondage. Jesus said, “The devil has nothing in me, no area he has a hold over me (Jn 14:30). We must submit our thinking processes, our emotional desires and the choices we willfully make to the Lord in an ongoing act of surrender so we can live for Him “who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal 2:20). As we comprehend more deeply the salvation He offers us the more we will be prepared to give ourselves to His service.

In the natural as well as in the spiritual realm when there are unsurrendered issues there will be conflict. By our reaction to situations where we are not being ministered to we can discern our level of surrender. It’s the areas and issues that we are reluctant to release to God that Satan holds us by, these will likely result in our downfall if not addressed. The solution is full voluntary surrender to God, He deserves all. The Bible’s call to us is offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God, being renewed in our minds, with our hearts set apart for Christ acknowledging His Lordship (Rom 12:1,2; 1 Pet 3:15).

See also: cheap gospel, choice, commitment, consecrate, disciple/discipleship, freewill, Lord/Lordship, not being ministered to, reaction, sanctify/sanctification, selfishness, submission, surrender, unwilling.