Total Capitulation

We’d like to think that we’ve entered into a partnership with G_d!  That we’re gonna let him come in and rebuild our messed up lives.  You know… a total renovation.  Come on in LORD!  Clean up my mess!  Can’t wait to start living my life over for you now….

Oops.  Sorry.  It doesn’t work that way.

• I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. — Galatians 2:20

Oh come on!  That’s just unreasonable.  That’s just one verse.  You can’t build a theology on that!

• Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. — Galatians 5:24

Just a minute.  I thought this was going to be….

• For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. — Romans 8:13

But..

• I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  –Romans 12:1-2

OK, OK.  What is this all about?  The more I look, the more it looks like the whole Bible is telling me that I need to give up everything to Him?  Is that right?  Are you kidding me?

No, this is no joke. 

G_d does not want you to live FOR Him.  Any righteousness we somehow cobble together is simply an affront to a holy G_d.  Rather, He wants us to surrender our entire being to Him for His purposes and His Glory.

Well, what’s in it for me? 

Nothing.  It’s all about Him. 

But…

Just trust Him.  He’ll give you all that you need.  But He gets to do it His way and in His time.

This is just too…

Too what?  Condescending?  Humbling?  Abasing?

Yeah.  I thought that…

Uh, there is no more “I” – it’s all about Him.   And anyway, it just doesn’t work any other way.  But wait a minute!  Before you walk away beloved, try on some different words for this surrender…

Try on VICTORY over sin.  How about FREEDOM from self.  This is a good one: JOY in the LORD.  Oh, this one is even better:  PEACE that passes all understanding.  Could go on for days… it just gets better.

Alright, but what do you mean by absolute surrender?  You don’t really mean that I’ve got to…

Yeah, it really means absolute.

What? You gotta be kidding me!………

ABSOLUTE SURRENDER (Author Unknown)

* My spirit
* My will
* My mind
* My emotions
* My body
* My circumstances
* My plans for the future
* My family
* My dreams and hopes
* My past successes and failures
* My habits
* My problems
* My relationships
* My finances

I give up the following rights:
* The right to pleasant circumstances.
* The right to be accepted.
* The right to be successful.
* The right to my possessions.
* The right to be rescued from my circumstances.
* The right to see results.
* The right to know the specific will of God.
* The right to understand my circumstances.
* The right to be proven right.
* The right to be loved.
* The right to have a mate or children.
* The right to be used by God the way I want to be.
* The right to live in the place I choose.
* The right to the job I want.

I give God permission to do anything He wishes to me, with me, in me or through me that would glorify Him. I once claimed these rights as mine, but now they belong to God and are under His control. He can do with them anything He pleases.

* Eternal Life