Are We Really Surrendered? 3

Being fully surrendered to God is not a one and done decision, though it begins with a conscious determination and willful choice to be dedicated and lovingly abandoned to Him and His will.

Like any other commitment in life, it requires daily and continual focus and intentional determination and yielding.

Here is what Jesus said about full surrender.

23) And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 

25)  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26) For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23-26

Here Jesus talks about daily following Him and taking up our cross of self-denial. He follows this statement with a sobering message to not be ashamed of Him or His words. This is a good place to examine ourselves. Are we ashamed of Jesus and His words? Are we afraid to share the Good News with our family, friends, or coworkers and others? If so, how can we say we are truly surrendered to God and His will?

No, it does not mean we have to go across the globe to another continent or nation to share the gospel, but our hearts must become surrendered to doing His will, wherever and in whatever manner He chooses. This is easier said then done because He may ask us to do things we will not want to do on our own.

15)  Then when they broke fast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. 

16) He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My sheep. 

17) He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him a third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. 

18) Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you grow old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you and carry you where you do not wish. 

19) He spoke this signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow Me. John 21:15-19

We do not like suffering persecution, misunderstanding, or pain but if we are truly following Christ, we will suffer these things (2 Timothy 3:12). It is more evident each day, the hostility of the world towards the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The anti-christ spirit is alive and working in the earth today.

Little children, it is the last time. And just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, from which we know that it is the last hour. 1 John 2:18 

Only those who are truly surrendered to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be able to stand in these last days. If we believe it will be one great party until Christ comes, we are self-delusional.

One does not have to be a prophet to discern the season in which we are now living. A season of biblical eschatological significance. A season and time that marks the end of the age as never before in the history of mankind. A time to be sober and watchful (1 Thessalonians 5:8; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 4:7).

One well-known preacher often says, “You can’t defeat a full-time devil as a part-time Christian.” Full surrender to God is something to strive for daily. Surrender and obedience to Him brings joy to the Kingdom of light and grief to the kingdom of darkness.

We do not always know how surrendered to the Father we are until He asks us to do something that rubs us the wrong way. When He tested Abraham by asking him to offer his son as a sacrifice, we see Abraham fully surrendered to doing the will of God (Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:17; James 2:21).

The apostle Paul was notably one of the most yielded disciples of Christ in his generation, enduring untold suffering for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 9:15-16; 2 Corinthians 11:22-33). Yet, he did not claim to have arrived at his full potential in Christ.

Straining Toward the Goal

12)  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I am pressing on, if I may lay hold of that for which I also was taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 

13) My brothers, I do not count myself to have taken possession, but one thing I do, forgetting the things behind and reaching forward to the things before, 14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

15) Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be of this mind. And if in anything you are otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you.  Philippians 3:12-15

Let us follow Paul’s admonition and press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling. Being fully surrendered to God is not a one and done decision, though it begins with a conscious determination and willful choice to be dedicated and lovingly abandoned to Him and His will. Like any other commitment in life, it requires daily and continual focus and intentional determination and yielding.

Here is what Jesus said about full surrender.

23) And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 

25)  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? 26) For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23-26

Here Jesus talks about daily following Him and taking up our cross of self-denial. He follows this statement with a sobering message to not be ashamed of Him or His words. This is a good place to examine ourselves. Are we ashamed of Jesus and His words? Are we afraid to share the Good News with our family, friends, or coworkers and others? If so, how can we say we are truly surrendered to God and His will?

No, it does not mean we have to go across the globe to another continent or nation to share the gospel, but our hearts must become surrendered to doing His will, wherever and in whatever manner He chooses. This is easier said then done because He may ask us to do things we will not want to do on our own.

15)  Then when they broke fast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. 

16) He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My sheep. 

17) He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said to him a third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things, You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. 

18) Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you grow old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you and carry you where you do not wish. 

19) He spoke this signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow Me. John 21:15-19

We do not like suffering persecution, misunderstanding, or pain but if we are truly following Christ, we will suffer these things (2 Timothy 3:12). It is more evident each day, the hostility of the world towards the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The anti-christ spirit is alive and working in the earth today.

Little children, it is the last time. And just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, from which we know that it is the last hour. 1 John 2:18 

Only those who are truly surrendered to the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ will be able to stand in these last days. If we believe it will be one great party until Christ comes, we are self-delusional.

One does not have to be a prophet to discern the season in which we are now living. A season of biblical eschatological significance. A season and time that marks the end of the age as never before in the history of mankind. A time to be sober and watchful (1 Thessalonians 5:8; 1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 4:7).

One well-known preacher often says, “You can’t defeat a full-time devil as a part-time Christian.” Full surrender to God is something to strive for daily. Surrender and obedience to Him brings joy to the Kingdom of light and grief to the kingdom of darkness.

We do not always know how surrendered to the Father we are until He asks us to do something that rubs us the wrong way. When He tested Abraham by asking him to offer his son as a sacrifice, we see Abraham fully surrendered to doing the will of God (Genesis 22:1-19; Hebrews 11:17; James 2:21).

The apostle Paul was notably one of the most yielded disciples of Christ in his generation, enduring untold suffering for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Acts 9:15-16; 2 Corinthians 11:22-33). Yet, he did not claim to have arrived at his full potential in Christ.

Straining Toward the Goal

12)  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I am pressing on, if I may lay hold of that for which I also was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.  13) My brothers, I do not count myself to have taken possession, but one thing I do, forgetting the things behind and reaching forward to the things before, 14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

15) Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be of this mind. And if in anything you are otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you.  Philippians 3:12-15

Let us follow Paul’s admonition and press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Talk to the Father and ask Him what that looks like for you. There is nothing more meaningful and fulfilling than doing the will of God.

Until next time, may God our Heavenly Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless and keep you.

James Brown

CST 04/18/2026