The unyielding passion of my life is to instruct and encourage others to live lives wholly devoted to Christ. Nothing is more frustrating to me than to see people confess Jesus with their mouths but deny Him with their lives. Worse still is when I see this in my own life. Surrendering your life to Jesus is exactly that – a surrender. People who surrender one moment do not go on living as if it had never happened the next. Surrender is life altering. Everything changes the moment we surrender.
If your life looks pretty much the same as everyone else around you, I would be willing to bet you’ve never actually surrendered your life to Christ. Surrender is more than words you say. It’s a turning away from everything you’ve known, a letting go of everything you own. Best of all, surrender is the mark of a true disciple.
There’s an old saying in Christian circles: “Jesus is either Lord of all or He isn’t Lord at all.” You cannot claim Christ is the Lord of your life if you haven’t surrendered all of it to Him. He can’t be Lord of some parts and not of others. Jesus demonstrated the commitment required to follow Him when He held nothing back for your sake. He put aside His power and glory to dwell among us. He allowed Himself to be beaten, mocked, and gruesomely murdered, just for you. Jesus held nothing back. He gave it all for you. How then can we in good conscience offer Him a few bits and pieces of ourselves? Do you want to live for Jesus? Surrender everything to Him.
I know a lot of Christians but very few disciples of Jesus. To be a disciple means to follow in His footsteps every moment of your life, in every area of your life. Are you honoring Him with your choices at home and work? Are you demonstrating His love to those closest to you as well as those who are your actual enemies? Is Jesus at the forefront of every thought? Does the way you spend your money reflect your commitment to Him or to yourself?
Surrender is not easy but it is very simple. Think of Jesus first… always! It really is that simple. Of course Satan will do his best to make certain that doesn’t happen. He is the master of distraction and we are too often easy prey. Our mission is to stay focused on, and live for, Jesus. Satan’s mission is to make sure we don’t do either, to make certain we aren’t surrendered to Jesus but hold something back for ourselves.
In what ways would your life look different if you were to truly surrender your life to Jesus? What things have you purchased in the last six months you wouldn’t purchase again? What are you watching you know does nothing to honor Christ or build His Kingdom on earth? Would the way you spend your time change? Surrendered people think of Jesus first and others second (Luke 10:27). A slave thinks only of his master and the ones they serve. When we surrender to Jesus, we become His slaves. This should be the goal of every Christian – to become a slave of Jesus. Surrender your freedom. Surrender your life. Surrender to Jesus. And then live like you mean it.