Total Surrender

TEXT: MARK 14:36 (NKJV)

"And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

GOD'S POWER IS AVAILABLE

The power of the Holy Spirit deposited in the life of a believer cannot be fully exercised until the believer fully surrenders all to Jesus Christ. God has already giving the church all the power needed to overcome the devil and his demons; we don't therefore need more power, we only need to surrender more to God. Luke 10:19 says: "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Note that God has given believers power over 'all the power of the enemy" without exception. The more we surrender to God, the more we can exercise the power of the Holy Spirit made available to us according to Acts 1:8.

Jesus gave the disciples power to cast out devil's and heal all types of sicknesses and diseases (Matt 10:1). The power is still available to those who surrender totally to the Holy Spirit. Let us therefore cry for grace to surrender all to him, let us cry for mercy and a broken spirit rather than constantly crying for divine power and authority. We have power but lack the brokenness required to exercise it. The Lord will grant us grace to fully surrender to him in Jesus name.

SURRENDERING ALL TO GOD

Surrendering to God is allowing God's will to prevail over ours. It is being totally broken and saying 'Yes Lord' every time God speaks to us and doing what he ask us to do. The power of God is most evident in a broken spirit. Until we leave our all on the altar of sacrifice, we cannot minister to the full extent of the power Christ sacrifice has wrought for us on the cross. Jesus Christ was able to fulfil his assignment on earth by totally surrendering to God's will. He allowed God's will to prevail over the desires of his flesh (Mark 14:36). You will fulfil the purpose of God for your life in Jesus name.

Mortifying the deeds of the flesh is one of the keys to surrendering to God because as the Bible says, 'the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak' (Matt 26:41). Our carnal desires always stand against our desires to please God and do his will. The desires of our hearts and flesh contrary to God's plans and purpose for us, according to his word and the leading of the Holy Spirit, must be nailed to the cross.

Surrendering to God also means working and agreeing together with other brethren in unity of purpose to actualize the mandate of God for his church. The power God has given to the church is awesome but it can only by fully exercised if we (church) work together as one. Matt 18:19 says: “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you." This is further confirmed in Matt 16:19, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” The decision to agree to work with other brethren is hinged on surrendering all to God. When the church surrenders to God, spiritual revival will ensue. The early church showed clearly that God is ready to use the church (you and I) if we surrender all to him.

POWER IS EXERCISED IN BROKENNESS

Our dear father in the Lord, Pastor E.A. Adeboye surrendered totally to God's will many years ago by resigning from his job as a lecturer and moved from the city to a dense jungle when instructed to do so by God. Today, that jungle has become a city and he is one of the most reverred men of God in the world. His broken spirit and surrendered heart unleased the power of the Holy Spirit in his life and ministry. Surrending to God and doing his will whenever he tells us is important in exercising the power of God.

After the death of Jesus, the apostles led by Peter went back to fishing for fish instead of fishing for men. They failed abysmally until Christ appeared to them and strengthened Peter. They eventually turned the world upside down for Christ when they surrendered fully to the Holy Spirit. They power of God was fully activated in their lives because they allowed the will of God to prevail over theirs.

We can only exercise the power of God fully when we fully surrender to him.