Not Worth Anything

Lie: I’m Not Worth Anything

More than 42 percent of the women we surveyed indicated that this is a lie they have believed. It is a powerful lie.
The problem is that our view of ourselves and our sense of worth are often determined by the input and opinions of others. Sometimes the input of others is accurate and helpful. But not always. If, for some reason, the person we are listening to is looking through a defective “lens,” his or her vision will be distorted. Some of us have lived all our lives in an emotional prison because we have accepted what a false “broken” mirror said to us about ourselves.
Even when the input is, in and of itself, true, the Deceiver can use that data to put us in bondage. Sometimes a single sentence heard as a child can haunt and plague a person for years.
What we believe about ourselves determines how we live. If we believe and act on lies, we will end up in bondage.
Many women today are desperately seeking affirmation; they are driven to gain the approval of others. It’s as if they were trying to balance the scales of the negative input they have received from others. But, in most cases, no number of positive “strokes” can outweigh those negative, hurtful expressions that have led them to believe they are worthless. No amount of affirmation is enough. They can get one hundred compliments about how they look or what they have done, but let one family member offer a criticism, and they are devastated. Why? Because they are letting others determine their worth.
There is a wonderful verse in 1 Peter that shows us how Jesus’ sense of worth was determined, not by what others though of Him – good or bad – but by the Truth as expressed by His heavenly Father: He was “rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him” (2:4). Jesus was rejected by men – those He had created for Himself, those He loved and for whom He laid down His life. But that is not what determined His value. He was chosen by God; that is what made Him precious; that is what determined His worth.
It is conceivable that someone who did not recognize or appreciate fine art would toss a masterpiece into the trash. Would that make the painting any less valuable? Not at all. The true worth of the are would be seen when an art collector spotted the painting and said, “That is a priceless piece, and I am willing to pay any amount to acquire it.”
When God sent His only Son, Jesus, to this earth to bear your sin and mine on the cross, He put a price tag on us – He declared the value of our soul to be greater than the value of the whole world. Whose opinion are you going to accept? Believing a lie will put you in bondage. Believing in the Truth will set you free.


The Truth is that our value is not determined by what others think of us or what we think of ourselves. Our value is determined by how God views me.

Psalm 139:1-18: O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

Ephesians 1:3-8: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

1 Peter 2:4: As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him…


The Truth is that to God, my soul is worth more than the price of the whole world.

John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:6-8: You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Truth is that if we are children of God, we are God’s cherished possession and treasure.

Romans 8:1-2: Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:13: For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

Romans 8:15-17: For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

Victory Over Sin

Lie: I Cannot Walk In Consistent Victory Over Sin

More than half of the women we surveyed acknowledged that they had bought into the lie that they could not live in consistent victory over sin. It is easy to see how Satan uses this lie to place believers in bondage.
Romans 7:21-24 [says] any person who is a true child of God has been given a new nature – a nature that desires to obey God. Deep down, every true believer wants to live a life that is pleasing to God.
However, according to the Scripture, even after we are born again, our “flesh” (our natural inclinations) continues to wage war against the Spirit of God living within us.

The Spirit says: Forgive.
The flesh says: Hold a grudge.

The Spirit says: Be temperate.
The flesh says: Eat whatever you want, whenever you feel like it.

The Spirit says: Give that money to someone in need.
The flesh says: Spend that money on yourself.

The Spirit says: Spend some time in the Word and prayer.
The flesh says: You’ve had a long day; chill out in front of the TV for the evening.

The Spirit says: Hold your tongue. What you are about to say is not kind or necessary.
The flesh says: Tell it like it is!

Every time we choose to give in to the flesh, rather than yielding to the Spirit of God, we allow sin to gain mastery over us. On the other hand, every time we say yes to the Spirit, we give Him greater control of our lives.
When we make repeated choices to obey sin rather than God, we establish habit patterns that are extremely difficult to break – we choose to live as sin’s slaves. For a while, we may find ourselves trying to do right, then failing, trying and failing, trying and failing. That is when the devil begins to convince us that it can never be any different, that we will always be enslaved to that sinful habit. We think, What’s the use? I’m just going to blow it again! I’m going to be defeated by this for the rest of my life. So we give up. What has happened? Satan has succeeded in making us believe we cannot walk in consistent victory over temptation and sin.

Remember that what we believe determines the way we live. If we believe we are going to sin, then we will. If we believe we have to live in bondage, then we will. If we believe that we can’t live victorious lives, we won’t.
The Truth is, you and I are powerless to change ourselves, for “Apart from me,” Jesus said, “you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
So what are we to do? How can we be set free from habitual sin? It is the Truth that sets us free.
The Truth is, through Christ’s finished work on the cross, we can live in victory over sin; Satan is no longer our master, and we no longer have to live as slaves to sin. If you are in Christ, the Truth is:
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness… Through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
– Romans 6:18; 8:2


The Truth is we are not slaves to sin. Through Christ we have been set free from sin.

John 8:31-32: To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Romans 6:6-7: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Galatians 5:1: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Hebrews 10:10: And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.


The Truth is that by God’s grace and through the finished work of Christ on the cross, I can experience victory over sin.

John 15:5: I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11: Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 5:22-25: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

I Can't Control My Emotions

Lie: I Can’t Control My Emotions

The Enemy uses this lie to make us believe we have no choice but to be controlled by our emotions. While it may be true to some degree that we can’t help the way we feel, the Truth is that we don’t have to let our feelings run our lives.
You may not be able to help feeling apprehensive about an upcoming medical exam, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stop worrying and fretting about the outcome. You may not be able to help feeling vulnerable in a lonely season of your life when a married man takes an interest in you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help “falling in love” with him.
The Truth is, regardless of what emotions are whirling around inside, by God’s grace, we can choose to fix our minds on Him and to “trust and obey.” When we do, we will experience His peace and the grace to be faithful, even though our circumstances may not change.

“We must choose, without any regard to the state of our emotions, what attitude our will will take toward God. We must recognize that our emotions are only the servants of our will…
Our will can control our feelings if only we are steadfastly minded to do so. Many times when my feelings have declared contrary to the facts, I have changed those feelings entirely by a steadfast assertion of their opposite…
Surging emotions – like a tossing vessel, which by degrees yields to the steady pull of the anchor – finding themselves attached to the mighty power of God by the choice of your will, must sooner or later give allegiance to Him.”
- Hannah Whitall Smith

The Scripture is filled with divine promises and commands that provide the means by which our emotions may be steadied in the midst of any storm – Matthew 28:20; Philippians 4:19; Isaiah 54:10; John 14:27; Philippians 4:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Matthew 5:44; Mark 11:25.
When we fix our minds on Christ and bring every thought into subjection to the Truth, the Holy Spirit sanctifies our emotions and grants supernatural grace, comfort, and peace.


The Truth is that we do not have to be controlled by our emotions.

Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

Ephesians 4:26: “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.

Philippians 4:4-7: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.


We can choose to fix our minds on the Truth, to take every thought captive to the Truth, and to let God control our emotions.

Psalm 42:11: Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

Isaiah 26:3: You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

Isaiah 50:10: Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

John 17:17: Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

2 Corinthians 10:5: We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Philippians 4:8-9: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Colossians 3:1-2: Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

It Must Be True

Lie: If I Feel Something, It Must Be True

The Enemy wants us to believe that if we feel unloved, we are unloved. If we feel we can’t cope with the pressure, it must be true that we can’t make it. If we feel God has deserted us or that He has acted unjustly in a matter that concerns us, the perhaps He has let us down. If we feel our situation is hopeless, then there must be no hope. If we don’t feel saved, then maybe we aren’t. If we don’t feel forgiven, then we must not be.
The Truth is that, due to our fallen condition, our feelings often have very little to do with reality. In many instances, feelings are simply not a reliable gauge of what is actually true. When we allow them to be tied to our circumstances – which are constantly changing – rather than to the unchangeable realities of God and His Truth, our emotions are prone to fluctuate wildly.
It doesn’t take much to put our emotions on an upswing – a clear, sunny day, a raise at work, a compliment from a friend, the successful completion of a big project, or losing five pounds. Meanwhile, emotional lows can be the result of a variety of factors including (but not limited to) a series of cloudy days, a tough day at the office, a disappointing phone call, a sleepless night, or a pizza we ate too late the night before.
When you add in “big” things like the birth of a fourth child in five years, a major move, the loss of a job, the death of a mate or child, caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s, or being diagnosed with cancer, those emotions can really go haywire.
In the midst of the roller-coaster ride our emotions sometimes take us on, we have to constantly bring our minds and thoughts back to the Truth. The Truth is, God is good, whether I feel like He is good or not. The Truth is, God loves me, whether I feel loved or not. The Truth is, through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ on my behalf, I am forgiven, whether I feel forgiven or not. The Truth is, God will never leave me or forsake me; He is with me all the time, even when I feel alone and forsaken.
If we want to walk in freedom, we must realize that our emotions are not necessarily trustworthy and be willing to reject any feelings that are not consistent with the Truth.

The Truth is that our feelings cannot always be trusted. They often have little to do with reality and can easily deceive us into believing things that are not true.

Psalm 119:29-30: Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws.

Jeremiah 17:9-10: The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."


We must choose to reject any feelings that are not consistent with the Truth.

Psalm 33:4: For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.

Psalm 51:6: Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Psalm 56:3-4: When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

Ephesians 4:14-15: Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Philippians 4:8-9: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

God Is Not Really Enough

I was recently reading Nancy Leigh DeMoss’ book called Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free and there were a few chapters that I particularly wanted to share here. Each of these sections I am going to share (over the next few days) talk about the lie itself (what we tell ourselves) and then state the Truths and Scripture verses that prove those Truths.
I hope you enjoy reading these, and if you find you relate to them, that you will be able to apply the truths to your life when these lies surface.
The first is the lie that “God Is Not Really Enough,” which is a lie I think many Christians struggle with…


Lie: God Is Not Really Enough

“Christ is all I need, all that I need.” It’s one thing to sing that little chorus when we’re sitting in a church service. But when we walk out the church doors and into the rough-and-tumble world, do we really believe He is all we need? As with [other] lies, we would hardly dare to breathe these words; few of us consciously believe this lie. But the way we live reveals that this is what we really do believe.
When it comes down to it, we don’t believe God’s Word is truly sufficient to deal with our problems. Oh, it can deal with everyone else’s problems; but it doesn’t speak to my issues, my needs, my relationships, my situation. I need God’s Word plus these eight books from the Christian bookstore; I need God’s Word plus tapes and conferences and counsellors.
Sure, I need God. But I need Him plus close friends; I need Him plus good health; I need Him plus a husband; I need Him plus children; I need Him plus a job that pays enough; I need Him plus a house with a microwave, a washer/dryer, a garage, and a fresh paint job…
Do you really believe that if you have God you have enough? Do we truly believe God is enough, or are we looking to other things and people to fill the empty places of our hearts – food, shopping, friends, hobbies, vacations, our job, or our family?

The Truth is that God is enough. If you have Him, you have all you need.

Psalm 23:1: The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Psalm 73:23-26: Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Colossians 2:9-10: For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Surrender, pt. 3

Today we are going to look at what surrender means practically – applicably in every day life. Luke 14:25-27 is one of the clearest passages of Christ’s call to surrender. “He was calling [all] to come and die to everything that competed with His reign and rule in their lives.” Verse 33 of this chapter includes the same call.
DeMoss explains that “it’s one thing to have an emotional experience at a Christian gathering where you are inspired and challenged to surrender control of everything to God. It’s another matter to live out that surrender once the emotion of the moment has passed.” Surrender isn’t an emotion, and it’s not spurred on by an emotion every day of our lives. It’s a decision and a daily, ongoing thing. So, what does a surrendered life look like?
Frances Ridely Havergal’s hymn “Take My Life and Let It Be” is a perfect example which DeMoss used in her book. She explains that in this hymn, “each line focuses on one dimension of what it means to be fully surrendered to Christ.”
The following is a list of questions stemming from specific areas of surrender for personal examination and application. Think about them and pray about them as you think of your life surrendered to God.

My Life: “Take my life, and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee.”

• Have I ever consciously acknowledged Christ’s ownership of my life?
• Have I made a volitional, unconditional, lifetime surrender of my life to Christ?
• Am I seeking to live out that surrender on a daily basis?
• Are there any “compartments” of my life over which I am reserving the right to exercise control?

My Time: “Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceaseless praise.”

• Do I live with the conscious realization that all my time belongs to God, or have I merely reserved a portion of my time for the “spiritual” category of my life?
• Am I living each day in the light of eternity?
• Am I purposeful and intentional in my use of time, seeking to invest moments of my days in ways that will bring glory to God?
• Do I seek His direction as to how I should use my “free time”?
• Am I squandering time with meaningless, useless conversation or entertainment?
• Do I set apart time each day for worship, prayer, and personal devotion?
• Do I readily respond to opportunities to serve others, even if it requires sacrificing “my” time?
• Do I become resentful or impatient when others interrupt my schedule or when I am faced with unplanned demands on my time?

My Body: “Take my hands, and let them move at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet, and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee.”

• Am I yielding the members (parts) of my body to God as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13)?
• Do I use the members of my body to express the kindness and love of Christ to others (e.g., using my hands for serving, etc)?
• Are any of the members of my body – eyes, ears, hands, feet, mouth, etc. – being used to sin against God (e.g., stealing, lying, listening to or repeating gossip, inflicting physical harm on mate or children, listening to profanity, viewing pornography, sexual sin)?
• Do I treat my body as if it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)?
• Am I abusing my body in any way (e.g., with food, alcohol, illegal or prescription drugs)?
• Am I morally pure – what I see, what I think, what I do, where I go, what I listen to, what I say?

My Tongue: “Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee.”

• Do the words that come out of my mouth reveal that my lips and tongue are fully surrendered to God?
• Do I habitually verbalize the goodness and greatness of God?
• Do I regularly ask the Lord to guard my tongue?
• Am I filling my mind and heart with the Word of God, so that what comes out of my mouth will be “messages from Him”?
• Do I speak words that are critical, unkind, untrue, self-centered, rude, profane, or unnecessary?
• Do I look for and take advantage of opportunities to give a verbal witness for Christ?
• Do I intentionally use my tongue to edify and encourage others in their walk with God?

My Possessions: “Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.”

• Do I treat any of my possessions as if they were mine rather than God’s?
• Do I give generously, sacrificially, and gladly to the Lord’s work and to others in need?
• Do I own anything that I would not be willing to part with if God were to take it from me or ask me to give it to another?
• Am I a wise steward of the material resources God has entrusted to me?
• Do I view God as my provider and the source of all my material possessions?
• Do I give my tithes and offerings to the Lord before I pay my bills or spend my income?

My Mind: “Take my intellect, and use every power as Thou shalt choose.”

• Am I “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5)?
• Am I disciplining my mind to get to know God and His Word better?
• Am I wasting my mind on worldly knowledge or pursuits that do not have eternal, spiritual value?
• Am I guarding the entrance of my mind from impure influences (e.g., books, magazines, movies, music, conversations)?

My Will: “Take my will and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine.”

• Do I consistently seek to know and to do the will of God in the practical, daily matters of life?
• When I read the Word of God (or hear it proclaimed), am I quick to say “Yes, Lord” and to do what it says?
• Is there anything God has shown me to be His will that I have been neglecting or refusing to obey?
• Do I become resentful when things don’t go my way? Do I have to have the last word in disagreements?
• Am I stubborn? Demanding? Controlling?
• Am I quick to respond in confession and repentance when the Holy Spirit convicts me of sin?

My Affection: “Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne.”

• Do I love Christ and His Kingdom more than this earth and its pleasures? Is there anything or anyone that I am more devoted to than Christ?
• Am I allowing Christ to reign and rule over my affections, my emotions, and my responses?
• Am I allowing anyone or anything other than Christ to control my emotions and responses?
• Do I trust God’s right to rule over the circumstances of my life?

My Relationships: “Take my love; my Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.”

• Is it my desire and intent to love God with all my heart, above all earthly relationships? Do I enjoy and seek out the friendship of God as much as I do human friendships?
• Do I love God more than I love myself? Do I seek His interests, His reputation, and His pleasure above my own?
• Have I surrendered to God all my desires, rights, and expectations regarding my family?
• Am I willing to let God decide whether I am to be married and to whom?
• Am I willing to love my mate in a Christlike way, regardless of whether or not that love is reciprocated?
• Have I released my children to the Lord? Am I trying to control their lives? Am I willing for Him to call them and use them in His service – anywhere, in any way, regardless of the cost?
• Is there anyone that I “love” in a way that is not pure? Am I holding on to any friendships or relationships that God wants me to relinquish?
• Am I willing to sacrifice friendships, if necessary, in order to obey God and His call in my life?
• Am I willing to speak the truth in love to others about their spiritual condition, even if it means risking the loss of the relationship or my reputation?

Myself: “Take myself, and I will be ever, only, all for Thee.”

• Have I surrendered all that I am and all that I have to God?
• Is there any part of myself – my plans, relationships, possessions, emotions, career, future – that I am knowingly holding back from God?
• Have I settled the issue that the ultimate purpose of my life is to please God and bring Him glory?
• Is it the intent of my heart, by His grace, to live the rest of my life wholly for Him and for His pleasure, rather than for myself and my pleasure?

(Tomorrow – pt. 4: Examples and testimonies of a surrendered life)

Surrender, pt. 2

Today I want to look at why some people hesitate to surrender or choose to never surrender all to Christ… why people hang on to things in their own way and try to control their own lives. One reason can be seen as we look at the depth of surrender. Here is a detailed look at what this decision of surrender entails:

“To be a living sacrifice will involve all my time. God wants me to live every minute for Him in accordance with His will and purpose… No time can be considered as my own, or as ‘off-duty’ or ‘free.’…
To be a living sacrifice will involve all my possessions… All should be available to God for the furtherance of His Kingdom. My money is His… He has the right to direct the spending of each penny. … I must consider that I own nothing. All is God’s, and what I have, I have on trust from Him, to be used as He wishes.
To be a living sacrifice will involve all of myself. My will and my emotions, my health and vitality, my thinking and activities all are to be available to God, to be employed as He chooses, to reveal Himself to others. …All rights are His – to direct my living so that He can most clearly reveal Himself through me. God has the right, then, to choose my job, to choose my companions and my friends…
To be a living sacrifice will involve all my love. …I relinquish the right to choose whom I love and how, giving the Lord the right to choose for me… Whether I have a life partner or not is wholly His to decide, and I accept gladly His best will for my life. I must bring all these areas of my affections to the Lord for His control, for here, above all else, I need to sacrifice my right to choose for myself…” – Dr. Helen Roseveare

Does that seem too much to ask? Does it seem ridiculous to have to give up everything? Does it seem weak-minded? Does it seem extreme?
To many, yes, it does; to many, this whole notion of complete surrender seems utterly extreme. Some would look at the above explanation of surrender and call anyone who actually lives like that a “radical.” But in actuality, it’s not at all extreme or radical. When you look to the cross – look to Christ and His sacrifice – surrendering our lives to Him is not extreme or too much to ask. “In light of the incredible mercy of God poured out on us (past, present, and future mercies), a full and complete sacrifice of our lives is the only logical response we can make… in light of who God is and who we are, such surrender is completely reasonable.” As Isaac Watts penned in his well-known hymn “When I Survey The Wondrous Cross” (written in 1707) –
“Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.”
We can ask, “shall we devote to [our] Saviour only our spare evening? Is He not worthy of the whole of our lives?” Can we give our all? Unfortunately, many people answer ‘no’ to that… allowing themselves to be tied too tightly to earthly things – hence why many never fully surrender.

Another reason for lack of surrender is plain old fear. “What might it mean for you today to offer yourself as a ‘living sacrifice’ to God?” Some fear surrender because of the uncertainty that comes with it; many “wrestle with real fears of what that might mean for us… Full surrender to Christ forces us to face the possibility – or the reality – of giving up some of the things we consider most important in life.” The fact is that “we don’t know what God knows – which is why we so often find it difficult to embrace His will and why we must learn to ‘trust and obey.’” It’s also a truth that “the pathway of surrender is not always an easy one.”
“Our natural tendency is to hold on tightly, to try to protect and preserve whatever we think we can’t live without. We are afraid that if we surrender everything to God – our health, our material possessions, our family, our reputation, our career plans, all our rights, our future – He might take us up on it!”
DeMoss points out that “many of our fears about relinquishing total control of our lives to God fall into four categories…"

1. Provision – Will I have what I need?
2. Pleasure – Will I be happy?
3. Protection – Will I (and those I love) be safe?
4. Personal relationships – Will my relational needs be met?

So how do we overcome this fear and resistance to surrender? For one, we can look to the promises of God because “the promises of God provide a powerful antidote to all our fears and free us to step out in faith and surrender.”
“[God says,] ‘I am your protection and your provision; if you have Me, you have all you need. So trust Me!’” We also have to remember to think properly about the temporal and the eternal. “Everything this world offers is temporary at best.” Remembering this helps tremendously!
As we continue in our walk with God, and as we continue to live in surrender, we are comforted, as “each ‘small’ step of surrender that we take confirms that God is worthy of our trust and prepares us to trust Him with bigger surrenders that may be required down the road.”
We can choose to either be bogged down by our fear and distrust, or we can let go, in faith that He knows best. We can either “trust the promises of God – which will free you to live joyfully under His loving Lordship – or live under the tyranny of that which you will not surrender.”
As an example for this – trusting His promises – here are a few quick Scripture verses related to the “four fears” mentioned:

1. Provision – Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 6:25-34; Philippians 4:19; Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6
2. Pleasure – (first off, remember that “our hearts can never be truly satisfied with less than Him”) Psalm 16:11; 36:7-8
3. Protection – Psalm 21:2, 4-6
4. Personal Relationships – 1 John 1:3,7; Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 73:25

Another way to ‘trust and obey’ is to look at the example of our loving Christ, which is the perfect example of surrender. “From eternity past, through all of time, and through all of eternity future, Jesus’ life was, is, and always will be, one of absolute surrender.” When we look at Christ’s life we see that “Jesus came to earth expressly to do the will of God.” “In eternity past, He had surrendered Himself to the will of God – to become the sinbearer for all mankind… He surrendered – willingly, freely gave up His life – so you and I could inherit eternal life.” It is because of Christ’s surrender that we are saved. What a Saviour! What a comfort! And what an example! “What makes the attitude of the Lord Jesus so astounding is that He is God. For Him to surrender His will to that of the Father can only be explained in terms of utter selflessness, trust, humility, and deep devotion to His Father.”
Philippians 2:5 tells us that our “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” One of the best ways to act on this is in surrender, because “every time you and I bow our heads in acceptance of and surrender to the will of God, we embrace the cross and we manifest to the world the heart of Christ who bowed His head to the will of His Father.”

A simple fact of this all is that “to call Him Lord means to say Yes – to His will, His Word, and His ways. We cannot call Him Lord and then proceed to run our own lives.”
No matter the issue, however daunting it may seem, whatever the price or fears, no matter where that surrender might lead you –
“To be totally surrendered to God means to bow the knee before a Sovereign Lord. It means to say Yes to God…

• Yes to His choices for your life – even when they don’t seem comfortable or convenient
• Yes to difficult or painful circumstances that you cannot understand or change
• Yes to everything that is revealed in His Word
• Yes to His plans, His purposes, and His priorities
• Yes to the human authorities He has placed in your life
• Yes to His disciplines
• Yes to His control over your appetites, your body, your time, your relationships, your future – everything

To some, that type of surrender might seem to be bondage; but those who have bowed the knee – those who have laid down their arms and waved the white flag of surrender – know that it is the only pathway to true freedom.”


(Tomorrow – pt. 3: A practical/applicable look at surrender)

Surrender, pt. 1

I recently re-read a book called Surrender, written by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. It’s part of a series of 3 books – the other two being Brokenness and Holiness.
This book made quite a deep impact on my life years ago when I first read it, and the truths in it are still always a huge blessing. The topic of surrender is one that I think is important to talk about. So, I’d like to give a basic summary of this book… talking about what surrender is and what it means for a Christian to surrender all to God. Although I’ll be using lots of quotes from the book, I still urge you to get this book and read it through yourself as it’s absolutely full of important truths and thoughts for application. :)


I want to start by simply looking at what surrender means. In our society today “surrender” is seen as a negative thing… it usually has implications of weakness or ‘giving up’ in a pessimistic way. Our society is always trying to tell us that we have to make our own way, prosper ourselves, be independent and free, etc. Basically, surrender is the opposite of what the world says we ought to live. And yet Christ calls us to surrender to Him:
“The terms of our surrender to the Lord Jesus are non-negotiable and unconditional. What does He ask us to surrender? In a word, everything. Christian surrender means that we come to Him on His terms and say simply, ‘I surrender all.’ We lay down our arms, we hand over everything we have, everything we are, everything we hope to be.”
Yet we fight this with all our might sometimes. There are lots of reasons why we don’t want to surrender, because it’s not easy to surrender! “One of the challenges of complete surrender to Christ is that we don’t know what lies ahead.” But “God says, ‘Here’s a blank piece of paper. I want you to sign your name on the bottom line, hand it back to Me, and let Me fill in the details. Why? Because I am God; because I have bought you; because I am trustworthy; because you know how much I love you; because you live for My glory and not your own independent, self-promoting pleasure.’”
“Surrender to Christ is life-changing… that surrender involves a transfer of allegiance and a transformation of perspective that ought to affect every aspect of our lives.”
As frightening as that may seem to some, the truth is that “surrender is the source and means of true freedom and fullness… to surrender to the Creator’s control is not onerous or burdensome; it is, in fact, the place of blessing, fullness, and peace. …If we will let Him, God will fill in the details of our lives with His incomparable wisdom and sovereign plan, written in the indelible ink of His covenant faithfulness and love.”

But why do we have to surrender? The Scripture says that “from the moment we were conceived, we were at war with God (Psalm 51:5).” We want to be in control… “beneath the surface, every human being has an inborn determination to run his own life and an unwillingness to be mastered by Christ, the King of kings.” We think we know best and we think we can handle everything just fine. And usually we do think we’re doing a great job! “We so easily become desensitized to God’s standards or feel that compared to the world’s standards we are doing fine.” And yet, as DeMoss reminds us, “If you claim to be a follower of Christ while living in denial about certain areas of your life that are not pleasing to Him, you are not living a fully surrendered life, no matter how many people may think of you as a ‘good Christian.’”
The fact is that we’re not in control, we can’t rule our own lives, and we’re not as invincible as we think we are. This is why surrender to God is vital. He’s the One in control: “God exercises His sovereign control over the universe because He is the only one capable of running the universe. Inherent in His being is absolute sovereignty – the right to rule. He is the Creator – we are His creatures. He is eternal – we are finite. He is all-powerful – we have no power of our own. He is autonomous, independent, and self-existent, needing no one and nothing – we are dependent on Him for our next breath (Acts 17:24-25).”

So, what if we don’t surrender? What if we just want to keep living as we were and doing what we’re doing? Actually, many people do just that. But in the end, everyone will surrender, whether they want to or not, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Without complete surrender to Him in our lives here on earth we won’t be prepared or willing to bow the knee in the end. And meanwhile, in our lives now, “there can be no peace with God, nor can there be peace in our hearts, apart from unconditional surrender. Refusing to surrender merely compounds our losses; delayed surrender only prolongs the conflict.” “As long as we refuse to surrender our will to the will of God, we are never truly free. Rather, we find ourselves dominated by ungodly appetites and forces.”

You see, surrender isn’t a negative thing and it certainly doesn’t mean we’re weak minded. In fact, living without this surrender is the negative. When we do surrender, a huge transformation takes place, and instead of having the negative implications the world may assume, it accomplishes the opposite:
“Once a lifetime surrender has been made, many of our battles will be much less difficult to fight, because the outcome – Jesus is Lord – has already been established. That fundamental acknowledgement of His sovereign right to reign and rule over us will serve us well as our allegiance to the King is tested on a daily basis.” And, “in surrendering to Him, we finally see the ‘surpassing value’ of Christ over all that the world ever could have given us (Philippians 3:8).”

But surrender to Christ doesn’t just end at that one commitment… it’s an ongoing thing. “Having surrendered our lives to Christ as Saviour and Lord, we must now learn what it means to live out a surrendered life – to continually say no to self, and yes to God.” As both initial and ongoing, it is “a surrender that is made once and for all, as well as daily, recurring sacrifice of our lives to God. Our initial surrender to Christ is the launching pad for a lifetime of continual surrender and sacrifice. Now, on a daily, perpetual basis, we are called to live out that consecration, by responding to the various circumstances and choices of life in obedience and surrender to His will.”
Along with thinking of ‘surrender’ is the thought and picture of a slave. Now, if ‘surrender’ is a negative word, ‘slave’ is one unthinkable to apply to ourselves in today’s society. In fact, even in many Bible translations they have changed the word ‘slave’ to ‘servant’ because it doesn’t give quite as much negative connotations. “A servant is defined as ‘a person employed to perform services for another.’ A slave, on the other hand, is a ‘human being who is owned as property by, and is absolutely subject to the will of another.” And yet we see again that when applying this word to our lives in Christ, it’s not negative in any way… “It is absolutely appropriate that human beings should choose to be the slaves of the Lord Jesus, whom they love and long to serve for all their lives.”
DeMoss shares personally, that she has “come to believe that there is no greater calling to be marked as His slave – to choose to give my life in the service of the Master I have grown to know and love and trust.”
This isn’t just a “here and there” surrender… we can’t pick and choose what to surrender, when to surrender specific things, etc. By surrendering all to God we’re not just making a “commitment” or acting as “servants.” No, we are “to offer ourselves as living sacrifices – that is, we are to go on living in these bodies, recognizing that they are not our own, that they belong to God, whose temple we are.” What does it mean to “offer our bodies”? “Offering our bodies speaks of a complete presentation of ourselves to God. It means devoting to the Lord Jesus, not just our ‘spare evenings,’ but ‘the whole of [our] lives.’” … “God’s call to lay down our lives on the altar of sacrifice means that we give Him all that we are – our rights, our reputation, our desires, our future plans; everything that concerns us – first, for a lifetime, and then, day by day, moment by moment, decision by decision.”



(Tomorrow – pt. 2: Why we hesitate to surrender)