Submission Series

“SUBMISSION” Matthew 6:10

FBCF – 2/28/21

Jon Daniels

INTRO – MMA & UFC – mixed martial arts & Ultimate Fighting Championship – very popular sport these days. People shell out millions of dollars every year to watch pay-per-view matches to see these fighters duke it out in some seriously violent fights. Not necessarily endorsing this sport. There are strong opinions on both sides as to whether or not this is a sport that Christians ought to participate in or watch.

But here’s the point I want to make w/ this illustration: There are different ways a fighter can win a match:

- Judges’ decision where both fighters make it to the end of the match

- Referee stoppage

- Knockout

- Submission

Submission is when one fighter is able to get his/her opponent in a position where they have to give up b/c the dominant fighter has overwhelmed them & put them in a hold & a position where they have to give up or tap out.

Submission in an MMA fight signals defeat for someone & victory for someone else. It’s a negative moment for one of the fighters who unwillingly has to give up. But submission in our lives as Christ-followers is always positive. It’s always a sign of victory. It’s when we as children of God willingly submit ourselves to Him.

- It’s a sign that we’ve recognized God’s rule over our lives.

- It’s a sign that we’ve realized that we are not able to successfully lives our lives without Him.

- It’s a sign that we’re ready to allow Him to call the shots in our lives as our Lord.

- James 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil & he will flee from you.”

- “submit” – obey; put yourself under His reign & rule over your life. When you do that, you are able then to resist the attacks of the enemy & cause him to flee from you.

EXPLANATION – Matthew 6:10

Our study of prayer – specifically The Lord’s Prayer – is so important!

- “The Lord’s Prayer should be prayed by all people, at all times, in all circumstances, in all places, in all weather, in all houses, in all the outdoors, in all work, in all play, in all relationships, in all trouble, in all places of happiness…b/c the Lord’s Prayer is an all-everything prayer.” (Elmer Towns, Praying the Lord’s Prayer for Spiritual Breakthrough, p. 73)

We can never study prayer enough. We can never think we know everything we need to know about prayer. We can never pray enough. That’s why Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “Pray without ceasing.” Prayer never gets old. It never goes out of style. It isn’t replaced by something better. It isn’t something just for the preachers & ministers to do. It isn’t something just for the really spiritual people to do. It ought to be the first thing you do in the morning, the last thing you do at night, & the thing you do all throughout the day. Prayer works b/c God works. It is His ordained way to accomplish His will & see His Kingdom come – His rule over our lives.

When you look at this prayer, you notice that it is divided into 2 sections with a “hinge section” in the middle:

- First section – The “Thy” petitions that focus on God & His attributes

- Second section – The “Our” petitions that focus on us & our needs

- “Hinge” – “on earth as it is in heaven”

- It’s as if Jesus swings a door open as we move from acknowledging who God is & accepting His authority over our lives to requesting that He move & work in different areas of our lives.

This statement in v. 10 is a statement of submission

- Whose K’dom? HIS K’dom – His reign, royal power, dominion, sovereignty

- Whose will? HIS will – desire, purpose

We are saying that we want what is true THERE to be true HERE. But we aren’t THERE yet, we are HERE. So the only way what’s true THERE can be true HERE is for us, as His children, to submit our lives to His will – His desire, His purpose, His reign, His dominion.

APPLICATION – Every Christ-follower should strive to know & submit to God’s will.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

WE RECOGNIZE HIS AUTHORITY

The captain of a ship looked into the dark night & saw some faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message" "Alter your course 10 degrees south." Promptly a return message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north."

The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am the captain!" Soon another message was received: "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am seaman third class Jones." Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: "Alter your course 10 degrees south--I am a battleship." Then the reply came "Alter your course 10 degrees north--I am a lighthouse."