Surrender Strengthens You

We are not our own bosses to live or die as we ourselves might choose. Living or dying we follow the Lord. Either way we are his.

Romans 14:7-8 (LB)

The paradox of surrender is that it produces power and victory. Stubborn temptations and overwhelming problems can be defeated by Christ when handed over to him.

As Joshua approached the biggest battle of his life, he encountered God, fell in worship before him, and surrendered his plans. That surrender led to a stunning victory at Jericho.

Surrender doesn’t weaken you, it strengthens you. When you are surrendered to God, you don’t have to fear or surrender to anything or anyone else. The founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth, once said, “The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender.”

Why surrender?

Because you belong to your Creator. God has a right to direct your life: “We are not our own bosses to live or die as we ourselves might choose” (Romans 14:7 LB). “Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people …” (Psalm 100:3 NLT).

Because Christ bought you with his sacrifice. The Bible says, “And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:15 HCSB).

When you surrender to Christ, you fulfill the very purpose he died for – not just to save you from hell, but also to save you from self-centeredness!We Christians do not live for ourselves, but for our Savior.

“At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes” (Romans 6:19 TEV).

Because God modeled it first. He took the initiative, surrendering Jesus for our benefit. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son …” (John 3:16 NAB).

Our surrender is the only reasonable response to that kind of love. You cannot love Christ without surrendering to him.

Rick Warren