Total Surrender Will Bring Pain and Loss?

Just the word “surrender” seems to mean “losing” to many…but there are different uses of that word, and Michael shows us the “best” meaning of “surrender” in this unmasking of another of the devil’s lies.  Get the victory with surrendering self as Michael points out!

Will total surrender bring pain and loss? Actually, the opposite is true: The lack of total surrender will bring pain and loss!  The enemy invests great energy in this lie.  It is whispered continually to the growing believer who has given up all but one thing to serve the Lord, that one thing which is coveted, which has brought pleasure, which allows independence, and that allows the enemy to maintain a foothold in the believer’s life.  What is this one thing?  It differs among Christians but will generally have to do with some right which we believe we should have: a right to be in control, not to forgive, to keep that one idol, or to have some kind of worldly possession or pleasure.

…So it is with this one small thing; it never quite allows us to enjoy all that God has given because of its nagging presence…

…When it comes to taking up the cross and denying self-life residue, the lies will take this form: “You must wait for others to die to self-life and abide before you do.”  “If you deny yourself you will not be happy.”…Since you have heard the message of abiding, you are to be the first to deny self and, therefore, the first to experience the blessing.

…The kind of forgiveness, love, submission, and respect toward others which the Lord requires of us will never come if based on their actions.  The Lord makes such demands on the basis of how He has treated us, not how others have acted.  We are commanded to love because of the intensity with which He has loved us…Giving up all brought Him great joy…

As we give up all, we, too, will find great joy, not pain and loss.  Do not allow the enemy to have this foothold; right now with your mouth give up that one thing which is allowing him to steal joy that is rightfully yours…

Isn’t it just like the devil to take and twist a meaning of a word to make it a negative instead of a positive!  And of course he uses words like “rights” to further confuse and confound life.  All the while to keep us from participating in and being free in Christ.

When will we Christians learn to believe and trust Scripture?!?  It is God’s words to our pathway to the abundant life of Christ.

And must we be reminded that the Lord’s way is 99 times out of 100 the complete opposite of the world’s way…let us not be led by the world’s thoughts and ways.

Just the word “loss” brings shivers to too many…we could lose everything except Christ (and we can never lose Him once we are one of God’s kids!) and still be the Victor!