Go! and Be Transformed, Trust, and Surrender:
A Call to Live Fully for Christ
LENT is meant to be a period of reflection, repentance and preparation.
Christians around the world use Lent as a time to remember the journey of Jesus toward the cross, and as an opportunity to examine their own walk with Jesus.
So, this morning, I want to speak to you about three crucial aspects of our faith journey — transformation, trust, and surrender.
These are not just Lenten themes or theological concepts; they are the foundation of what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
The message today is simple but challenging: Go! and Be Transformed, Trust, and Surrender.
• We are called to be transformed—not conformed to the world, but renewed by the power of God.
• We are called to trust—not to rely on our own understanding, but to depend on the Lord in every area of life.
• We are called to surrender—not to cling to our own ways, but to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
Let’s turn to God’s Word and allow His truth to shape us today.
1. Go! and Be Transformed
Romans 12:1-2 (NLT): "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome, a city filled with idolatry, immorality, and persecution of Christians.
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul lays out the foundation of the Gospel — the sinfulness of humanity, the saving grace of Jesus, and the righteousness that comes through faith.
Then, in chapter 12, he shifts to application.
Paul pleads with believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices. The Greek word for "plead" here is "pa?a?a??" (parakaló), meaning to urge, to call alongside.
This is not just a suggestion—it is a deep, heartfelt appeal.
In the Old Testament, sacrifices were dead offerings laid on an altar. But here, Paul calls us to be living sacrifices—fully surrendered, fully devoted, fully committed to God.
We need to live the Transformed Life
Paul gives two commands:
1. Do not conform – The world is constantly pressuring us to adopt its values, priorities, and desires. But we are called to stand apart.
2. Be transformed – The Greek word for "transformed" is "µetaµ??f??" (metamorphoó), where we get the word metamorphosis.
Just as a caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly, we are called to radically change into the image of Christ.
Imagine a lump of clay in the hands of a potter. If the clay resists, it cannot be shaped. But if it is soft and yielded, the potter can form it into something beautiful.
Are you resisting God's transformation in your life?
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT): "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"
When we are in Christ, we are not just improved versions of ourselves—we are new creations!
Pastor & Author John Piper said, "The key to transformation is the renewal of your mind. If you want to be transformed, you must fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word and allow it to shape you."
The renewal of the mind is not a passive process; it is an intentional pursuit of truth.
Too often, we seek transformation through external change—by modifying behaviour, adopting religious habits, or trying harder in our own strength.
But true, lasting transformation begins internally—it starts in the mind and the heart.
Just like the caterpillar being transformed into a butterfly – we are meant to be radically changed - not just a surface-level adjustment but a deep, radical transformation that reshapes us into the image of Christ.
How does this transformation happen? How is the mind renewed?
By filling it with the truth of God’s Word.
When we read the Word of God, when we read the Bible, when we take the time to think and ponder on Scripture, our minds are aligned with God’s wisdom rather than the world’s deception.
When we dwell on the promises of God, fear and doubt are replaced with faith and confidence.
When we focus on the character of Christ, we begin to reflect His love, grace, and holiness.
Psalm 1:2-3 (NLT) affirms this truth: "But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do."
A transformed mind is one that meditates on, delights in, and applies the truth of Scripture. It is not conformed to the temporary, shifting patterns of the world but is rooted in the eternal wisdom of God.
Let me ask you today: What is shaping your mind?
Are you allowing God’s Word to renew your thoughts, or is your mind being influenced by the culture around you?
The battle for transformation is won or lost in what we choose to dwell on.
Imagine you have two plants. One is watered daily with pure, nourishing water. The other is neglected, left to dry out under the scorching sun. Which one will thrive?
Your mind is the same. What you feed it will determine its health. That’s why Piper’s statement is so powerful: "The key to transformation is the renewal of your mind. If you want to be transformed, you must fill your mind with the truth of God’s Word and allow it to shape you."
Church, let’s commit today to renewing our minds, allowing God’s Word to shape our thoughts, our decisions, and our lives. Because when we do, we will be transformed into the image of Christ!
2. Go! and Trust
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
This wisdom proverb was written by Solomon, the wisest king of Israel. The Hebrew word for "trust" here is "??????" (batach), which means to rely on with full confidence, to put one’s whole weight upon.
Trusting in the Lord means that we lean entirely on Him, rather than on our own reasoning or emotions.
Are you fully trusting God in every circumstance, situation or season?
Trusting God means believing that He is in control, even when life feels uncertain.
Trusting God means surrendering our plans and accepting His plans, knowing that they are far better.
Have you ever been blindfolded and asked to walk forward while someone guides you?
It requires complete trust. God calls us to walk by faith, not by sight.
Isaiah 26:3-4 (NLT): "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock."
God’s peace is found in trusting Him completely.
Pastor Charles Stanley says, "Obey God and leave the consequences to Him."
This a powerful and profound truth that every believer should take to heart. As followers of Christ, we are called to live in faithful obedience to God's Word, regardless of our circumstances or the uncertainties of life.
Too often, we hesitate in our obedience because we fear the consequences—we worry about how things will turn out, how people will respond, or what sacrifices we might have to make.
But the reality is this: our responsibility is obedience; God's responsibility is the outcome.
God does not desire religious performance; He desires surrendered obedience.
1 Samuel 15:22 (NLT) – "But Samuel replied, ‘What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.’"
And consider Genesis 12:1-4 (NLT) – "The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.’"
Abraham obeyed without knowing where he was going. The blessing followed his obedience.
Maybe you need another example, Daniel 3:16-18 (NLT) – "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us... But even if he doesn’t, we will never serve your gods.’"
The obedience of these three men was not conditional on God's deliverance — it was based on faithfulness.
Friends there is Application here for Us Today!
Obeying God often requires stepping into the unknown. We may not see how things will work out, but God does.
Delayed obedience is disobedience. We must respond when God calls, not when it’s convenient.
God’s plans are greater than our understanding. When we trust and obey, we position ourselves to receive His best.
True faith means surrendering the results to God.
Like Charles Stanley said, we obey, and we trust Him with the outcome.
The enemy wants us to believe that obedience will cost us too much. But the truth is, obedience positions us for God’s blessing, protection, and favour.
So today, let’s make the commitment to obey God fully—without hesitation, without fear, and without conditions.
Church, obey God and leave the consequences to Him!
3. Go! and Surrender
Consider the words of Jesus in Luke 9:23-25 (NLT): "Then He said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.’"
Jesus speaks to a crowd, making it clear that following Him requires total surrender.
The phrase "take up your cross daily" refers to the Roman practice of crucifixion—a death sentence.
Jesus is calling us to die to self-will, self-reliance, and self-centred living.
Are you Living a Life of Surrender?
Surrender is a daily decision.
Surrender means laying down our will for God’s will.
Surrender leads to true life in Christ.
Think of it this way: A clenched fist cannot receive anything new. But an open hand can receive blessings from God.
Philippians 3:8 (NLT): "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ."
A.W. Tozer said, "God cannot fully bless a man until He has first conquered him."
This is another profound and deeply biblical truth. It speaks to the reality that true blessing comes through surrender—a surrender that is not partial, not reluctant, but total and complete before the Lord.
God’s Blessing Requires Surrender
Throughout Scripture, we see a consistent pattern: God's greatest blessings follow complete surrender.
Consider the example of Jacob Wrestling with God:
In Genesis 32:24-30 (NLT), Jacob wrestled with God all night. He had spent his life striving, manipulating, and controlling situations for his own benefit. But when God touched his hip and left him permanently weakened, Jacob finally surrendered. Only then did God bless him.
Genesis 32:28 (NLT): “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.”
Jacob was conquered by God—his self-reliance was broken, his pride was humbled, and his identity was changed. And then came the blessing.
And, consider the example of the Apostle Paul – He was Broken Before God’s Blessing
The Apostle Paul was once Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of Christians, a man full of pride in his own knowledge and achievements.
But in Acts 9, on the road to Damascus, he was confronted by Jesus. He was blinded, humbled, and brought to his knees.
And only after his surrender did God restore him and use him mightily.
Paul later wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT): “So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
God conquered Paul’s pride and self-sufficiency before fully blessing him with a life of purpose and power in Christ.
The Principle of Divine Conquest
When Tozer speaks of God conquering a person, he is referring to God bringing us to the end of ourselves—to the place where we realise that:
• We are not in control.
• Our own strength is not enough.
• Our own plans are not better than God’s.
Think of a wild stallion, full of strength and power, but useless to its master until it is broken and trained. Only once it has surrendered its will to the rider can it be guided, directed, and used for great purpose.
We are like that stallion. In our natural state, we resist, we strive, we seek our own way.
But God, in His grace, brings us to a place of brokenness so that He can shape us, bless us, and use us.
Jesus is The Ultimate Example of Surrender
Jesus, in His humanity, demonstrated total surrender to the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the cross, He prayed:
Luke 22:42 (NLT): “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
Jesus surrendered completely—and through His surrender, the greatest blessing of all—salvation—came to us.
Are YOU Truly Surrendered to God?
Have you fully surrendered your heart, plans, and desires to God?
Are you resisting God's will, by clinging to our own control?
Are you willing to let go so that He can bless and use you fully?
Surrender leads to true blessing. If you want the fullness of God’s blessing, you must first allow Him to conquer you—your pride, your fear, your plans, your self-sufficiency.
The greatest blessing is not what God gives us—it is God Himself.
We will never fully experience the richness of His presence, power, and purpose until we are truly surrendered to Him.
May we all be surrendered toy God — so that we may be blessed beyond measure!
In Conclusion and A Call to Action:
1. Go! and Be Transformed – Allow God to shape you.
2. Go! and Trust – Rely on Him in every season.
3. Go! and Surrender – Give your whole life to Christ.
Invitation to Faith:
If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus, today is the day.
Jesus gave His life for you on the cross.
Will you give your life to Him?
Final Prayer:
(Lead congregation in a prayer of commitment to Christ.)
