“My old identity has been co-crucified with Christ and no longer lives. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, dispensing his life into mine!”
Galatians 2:20 TPT
This is one of the messages I had to rely on the Holy Spirit whole heartedly to bring guidance and understanding while writing. I remember over the weekend while in prayer the Spirit of God kept reminding me about the plan of God for our lives. He continued showing me how when we think all things are still and not moving, there’s an institution busy at work. Making sure that all things work together. How does one not surrender their lives and believe with all their heart at such a big and good God? Total surrender in this instance is to God, His will, plan and desire for our lives. “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own, as you continually surrender to my ways.” Matthew 16:24 TPT. In this scripture Jesus was explaining to His disciples about His life’s journey in the near future. Peter listening to the man who had changed his life speaking about how He’s about to beaten, shamed infront of many people was concerned. I’m thinking he probably thought that if you know what’s next then let’s avoid you going there. But nothing could change the Master’s mind, He had thrown Himself so much into this God plan. Even thou He knew what was going to happen He still said; “I’m going to Jerusalem”. He was ready to bear the shame for us, to take away anything that would want to be an obstacle for us to be with God or serve Him. He took it all away. He said to Peter; the only way one will throw themselves into purpose, vision, will or plan of God is by surrendering to Him. Heaven has ways it operates in, a language, systems in place to guide us and help us be transformed in to the image of Christ. So when you’ve made a decision to surrender to God, He doesn’t need your assistance in making sure that His will prevails. There’s so much help in place to make sure that everything He has planned succeeds.
Your total surrender to Him might come at a point where many would have hid themselves or ran. But there comes a time in our lives where the call to a heavenly agenda can not be ignored. In Acts 9 Saul who was later converted to apostle Paul was in a journey to Damascus, planning on killing Jesus’s disciples. While on this journey, a light shone around him from heaven. Then he heard a voice; “ Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”. The disciples had been commissioned by the Master to preach to the world, anyone who was against this was actually against Jesus. Jesus took the fight against the disciples as a fight against Him. That’s the nature of where we are coming from, when you’ve been marked you belong to heaven. God will do anything to make sure that no harm or evil befalls you. Heaven will guard over you and everything that matters to you, day and night. For 3 days Saul was blind. I can imagine him waiting, thinking that he’s going to hear another voice from heaven but this time Jesus was bringing a man called Ananias. Jesus told Ananias everything about what he was going to do, because of Saul’s past , Ananias questioned the Lord abit. But a higher authority was about to take over Saul’s life and no past could stand against that. Ananias boldly stepped in where Saul was and laid hands on him as instructed by the Lord.
Surrendered people are God’s vessels, they always carry His message. God is able to transmit His message to them because their lives are His, He doesn’t have to wait for a moment of intense prayer to deliver a message to them. Anytime or anywhere He can speak and they will listen. Surrendered people have been crucified which Christ. No amount of offence, or anything to shame them can pierce though their souls. Now I understand why Paul said; “ it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”. The man had fully surrendered to Jesus, he saw his own life as a channel where Jesus can touch and change more lives. That is surrender. This is not surrender to circumstances, but to the will of God.
I’ve heard a man cry, asking the Lord to kill what’s left of him so that he may fully surrender and only do what God says He should. A surrendered person speaks the mind of God, in situations you’d expect him or her to speak out of emotions they still maintain their confession and only speak what God says. It’s Christ who lives in them so they know where to go when they need comfort, counsel, help and guidance. In John 2 when the wine had finished at a wedding, Mary told Jesus and with confidence she believed that the Master’s heart will be moved by compassion. She then told the wine servers to do everything Jesus tells them to do, she told them to surrender to His plan. Not even knowing what will happen next but Mary knew it will require them to surrender.
I encourage you to fully surrender to God, let this be your posture and position. Surrender to the almighty God and let His will for this world and season prevail through you. Let your next step be determined by heaven and not your emotions or thoughts.
As you surrender to God I pray that heaven expresses itself through you, may Christ’s life be evident in your life. I pray that more lives experience our Father’s heart through you. I pray that as you surrender you find counsel, help, comfort and guidance in the Holy Spirit. Let your life be immersed in Him, surrender all of you to the almighty God. Amen
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