Yield

<<surrender>>

Although there is no specific verse in the Bible about 'yielding to the Spirit,' the idea is present is expressions such as "offer your bodies...gave themselves to the Lord..walk in the Spirit...be filled with the Spirit...submit yourselves to God" (Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 8:5; Gal 5:16; Eph 5:18; Jas 4:7). Co-operating with His leading and authority is not resisting, grieving or dampen His influence in our hearts (Act 7:51; Eph 4:30; 1 Thes 5:19). We are encouraged to do whatever He tells us to do, while Jesus said our love for Him would be evident in our obeying His commands (Jn 2:5, 14:15). By that standard can I say I am fully yielded? Daily we should yield ourselves to the Spirit, to be a channel through which His life can flow to bless people which will be evidence that we have been with Jesus and with the fruit of the Spirit being produced (Jn 7:38; Act 4:13; Gal 5:22,23).

To be blessed by God, we must choose to surrender to Him and live in harmony with His ways, not resisting by living in rebellion and sin. “Do not yield [offer] the parts of your body to sin…rather offer yourselves to God…” (Rom 6:13). Paul then states that by yielding to sin or righteousness we become the servant to either of those ‘masters’ that have

He is the potter; we are the clay – Isaiah 64:8

completely different conclusions (Rom 6:16-23). We are given free wills to choose who we will respond to – God or Satan. Satan brings temptations before us that appeal to our selfish, carnal nature to turn us away from the truth and righteousness; powerful peer pressure has the same goal (Gen 3:6; 1 Kgs 11:4). In contrast God offers us real and everlasting life (Jn 10:10). We need a solid grounding in what the Bible teaches, and a strong resolve not to defile ourselves by what displeases God, remembering we are accountable to God for the way we live (Dan 1:8: Rom 14:12).

Now we are His redeemed children He is to be Lord of our lives; our selfish nature is to be crucified (Lk 9:23).