SURRENDER: RELEASING, NOT RESISTING!

Pressed by extreme circumstances (the specifics of these not recorded), Paul writes that he and others with him felt the situation was a death sentence. The “hardships we passed through crushed us beyond our ability to endure,” Paul stated (2 Corinthians 1:8 TPT). This experience taught them “to lose all faith in ourselves and to place all of our trust in the God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9 TPT). In other words, they surrendered their lives and circumstances to God, recognizing that they had no ability within themselves during the struggle. God rescued them “from terrifying encounters with death” (2 Corinthians 1:9 TPT). Paul confirmed this would cause people to glorify God as He showed Himself strong and mighty. Notice, the near-death experience did not cause them to conclude that God had abandoned them, or skew their judgement of Him.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary confirms the meaning of surrender: “to yield to the power, control, or possession of another …”.

Paul had a good teacher, Jesus. Paul yielded trust just like Jesus did throughout His life. We especially witness Jesus’ yielding to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane when He was faced with the reality of suffering and death that was before Him. Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup of agony away from me. But no matter what, your will must be mine” (Luke 22:42 TPT). The result of Jesus’ surrender was a miraculous victory of resurrection, forgiveness of sins, and restoration of our relationship to God. By submitting to God, Paul and his companions were lifted from a horrible situation, which God used to bear witness to Himself and expand the Gospel.

Trials are an opportunity to give the cares that are trying to overtake us to God and place them in His hands. Difficulties press us to either partner with the Father and cooperate with Him, or carry the burden ourselves. In our human strength, we can do nothing, as we do not have the capacity to carry burdens. Carrying the weight of troubling situations, thinking we can manage it on our own, opens the door for the enemy to enter as we strive in pride to manage things. We are instructed to humble ourselves, casting the entire care on God; all of our worries, concerns, and anxieties were not meant to be held by us (1 Peter 5:6,7 Amp). Apart from God we can do nothing (John 15:5). God is at work in us “[energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure…” (Philippians 2:13 Amp). It is God’s strength that equips us for the trouble; He empowers us. We are “ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into us”; we are “self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency” (Philippians 4:13 Amp). But we must yield to Him. Although we possess the divine nature of God and all that He is (2 Peter 1:4), our experience of His fullness is not automatic. We must decide to believe His Word and follow His instructions.

God is asking us to trust and surrender to what we cannot see: Him! This is impossible if we don’t know Him or believe Him, and have an understanding of His love for us. God instructs us to be strong, established, rooted, and immovable (1 Peter 5:9 Amp). But what are we rooted and established in?

Isaiah 51 confirms God’s reminders to us about His greatness so we may have confidence to surrender to Him:

• Look what a faithful God did for Abraham and Sarah. Abraham was one person, and Sarah was past childbearing age, but God fulfilled His promise that they would have descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore (Isaiah 51:2 TPT; Genesis 15:5; Genesis 22:17).

• Recall what God did in parting the Red Sea, and be in expectation of His same power at work in your life (Isaiah 51:10 TPT). He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

• He reminds us not to fear man, his tactics, lies, insults, and bad treatment; God instructs us not to be troubled (Isaiah 51:7 TPT). “For in comparison with the Lord they are so weak that things as insignificant as a moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But My rightness and justice [and faithfully fulfilled promise] shall be forever, and my salvation to all generations” (Isaiah 51:8 Amp).

• God asks us why we would be afraid of a mere human being, who cannot be compared to Him (Isaiah 51:12 TPT).

• God desires to comfort the broken places of our lives and transform us to lush beauty in His abundance (Isaiah 51:3 TPT).

• God asks us if we have forgotten our Maker, the One who “stretched out the skies and laid earth’s foundation? He confirms the fury of the natural realm can’t touch us (Isaiah 51:13 TPT).

• He confirms, “For I am Yahweh, your faithful God who split the sea with its roaring waves. My name is Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies” (Isaiah 51:15 TPT).

• God’s mighty arms surround and help us; He holds us (Isaiah 51:5). He desires that we place our hope in Him, in the unveiling of His might (Isaiah 51:5 TPT).

When we have knowledge of God, His power, His love, and extravagant abundance to us, when we remember according to His Word how mighty He truly is, we surrender to Him. He is so much greater than we are! Difficult circumstances will not overcome us! We remember and rejoice in the victorious God of our salvation. His salvation for us, according to the Greek word Sozo, is all things regarding our well-being, such as healing, strength, forgiveness, and provision. “The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army” (Habakkuk 3:17 Amp). God causes us to make progress in life, even during trouble; in Him we do not stand still in terror (Habakkuk 3:19). Knowing this, we praise God at all times, even during horrible storms.

When we surrender to God, we are inviting His power into every situation. We are inviting His love, purposes, ability, and all His creativity and solutions. Surrender is confirmation of our trust and confidence in Him. We know by God’s Word that the finished work of the cross by Jesus has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness according to our knowledge of God and His Son Jesus (2 Peter 1:3). In fact, the Word confirms that God’s abundance for us overflows (John 10:10; John 1:16 Amp). And we must be confident that God wants us to know Him and what He has done for us, as He has given us His Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth (2 Corinthians 2:12).

Surrendering to our amazing Source, to God who is good, may look like this:

• If God says something, we believe it.

• There is no leaning to our own understanding.

• If God says something, we do it.

• It is not our plan, but His plan; His will and not ours.

• God is our vital necessity, so we do not allow distractions to divert our attention from Him or cause us to judge Him wrongly.

• We are immovable in our stand on the Word of God.

• We are certain that there is no unfinished business that the cross did not accomplish.

• We recognize that the finished work of the cross by Jesus is our blessings today according to the promises of God.

• We confirm that the Lord is our Shepherd; we lack nothing!

God wants to care for you, but will you surrender to Him and allow His love to cascade over your life?