Being a Disciple (6): The Surrendered Heart

We can’t follow Jesus in our own strength. We must depend on His Spirit to live the life of a true disciple. The key to surrender is embracing the truth we are slaves ('doulos') of Christ, translated servant (Rom 1:1, Phil 1:1, Titus 1:1, Jas 1:1 2Pet 1:1, Jude 1:1, Rev 1:1). A slave is owned by his master, owning nothing himself, but a servant still owns himself and things. We are owned by Christ, purchased with His Blood (1Cor 7:22-23), so every blessing and gift we receive does not belong to us, but God. We thank God for His blessing (acknowledge Him as our Source) and trust Him for His continual supply (for He is faithful), and surrender (release control of) it back to Him as Owner, in worship. This qualifies us to receive and possess more blessing. We belong to God, so our whole life needs to be surrendered to Him. Then we can abide in Him and continually access His grace, as we cling to Him. When we embrace the fact we belong to Christ, surrendering to His Spirit is natural, but if we hold on to our own life (self-ownership), it’s hard to surrender, so we only do it when necessary. The degree we embrace His right of ownership is the degree we can submit to His leadership, which then determines the degree we can possess His blessing. Only when we embrace His ownership can we surrender our beings fully to Him, for Him to possess us, and only then can we fully possess Him and all He wants to give us. Embracing His ownership and surrendering to His control frees us from covetousness (trying to own, control and hold on to things), which disconnects us from grace, and disqualifies us from possessing His blessing. He made us in His image with capacity to receive and express power, wisdom, dominion and glory, so we desire them, but if we covet them, it blocks His power in us. Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself (self-ownership), and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save (hold onto) his life (soul) will lose it, but whoever loses his life (independent soul-life) for My sake will find (discover) it (real life)” (Matt 16:24-25). The key to a higher life in God is to accept we are His slaves, owned by Him. Then surrender is easier. Our ownership by God relates to the Holy Spirit and sanctification, for when we accept Christ and His Blood, we belong to God, and He puts His Spirit inside us, as the seal and sign of God's ownership (Rom 8:9). The more of our soul, body and life we surrender to God, the more we allow His Spirit to possess, fill and control us, the greater His Presence in us (our holiness), setting us free from sin. “In Christ, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, the guarantee (down payment) of our inheritance (the fullness of God - full payment), until the redemption of the purchased possession (when He gives Himself fully to us and takes full possession of us), so that we will be to the praise of His glory” (Eph 1:13-14, 2Cor 1:21-22). When He returns, His Spirit will take full possession of our soul and body, resurrecting, perfecting and glorifying us. The more we allow His Spirit to fill and take possession of us, the more we experience His grace. Only when we’re poor (owning nothing, owned by God), are we rich, possessing all things He has for us (Matt 5:3, Luke 6:20). Embracing belonging to God, yielding final control to Him, trusting His love to guide and provide for us, sets us free from carrying the burden and stress of managing our life, as if all depends on us. It lets the Spirit flow in us and lead us. He takes the burden and carries us, once we let go of trying to control it all. If we don’t trust in God, we become insecure and anxious, and so cling to things, which we value, to try and secure ourselves, but they are idols, as we value them more than God. He says: “Let go of them. They’re too important to you. Cling to Me and surrender all things, worries and burdens to Me, and My Spirit will carry you and give you all you need.” He controls and guides our life, if we surrender to Him. This is the key to walk in the Spirit, experiencing His fullness. He wants us to have all things to enjoy (1Tim 6:17), but we cut ourselves off from His life, when we act as our own owner, trying to own and control the blessing. Embrace the truth you belong to God, own nothing and will always depend on Him for His continual supply of grace. Then you’re qualified to possess the fullness of His blessing. This is in Psalm 23. In Psalm 22, He lays down His life for His sheep, purchasing them with His Blood (John 10:11). Then in Psalm 23, risen again, He leads His OWN sheep into fullness of life (10:2-4,10). Experiencing fullness (“I shall not want”) is predicated on “The Lord is my Shepherd.” So, to be blessed, we must submit to His leadership. Once a sheep knows he’s owned by (belongs to) the Shepherd, then following (obeying) Him is natural. He stays close and follows Him, so He can lead him into fullness.