Absolute surrender seems impossible… But the fact is, God will enable you to do it! The faith and consecration needed to be sanctified is not something you can create on your own. (Eph. 2:8) What is my part then? My part is to humbly come with the faith that I do have and say to the Lord, “I am willing for you to make me willing, Lord.  Change my heart as I seek your face.”  The Holy Spirit is drawn to this kind of praying when we mean it.

To “be seated with Jesus in heavenly places” (Eph. 2:6), or what we call sanctification, is not something we receive by climbing the spiritual ladder and, by our own efforts, elevating our lives to the ethical lifestyle of Jesus. Sanctification is something his grace does. It is received through faith alone just like salvation. (“He purified their hearts by faith.” – Acts 15:9) It is the work of God so that we can’t possibly claim we are more holy than our brothers or sisters or brag about our own holiness. In fact, there is nothing you can do to earn or attain it. It is already done for you in Christ and he longs for you to receive it through faith in his grace.

It is his holiness that is imparted to me when God raises me up with Christ. (Eph. 2:6) I know I can’t be like Jesus who never committed a sin. I bear sin scars and I need my mind renewed because of the strongholds I bring to my relationship with Jesus. I can’t be sinlessly perfect, but I can be crucified with Christ (Gal. 2:20) so that his nature becomes the mark of my life. His desires can become my desires. His Kingdom can rule my thinking. His Spirit can guide my choices. My life can be hidden in him. And I can live in the power of the Holy Spirit instead of in the defeating cycle of my own sin struggle. This can really happen! He wants this glorious freedom for you!

I know… Absolute surrender sounds radical and scary. It would be like the “radicalization” we have learned to fear in our day except for this: My total and radical commitment to Christ allows Holy Spirit to impart what’s in Jesus to me.  So, surrendered Christians don’t bomb abortion clinics or angrily attack others in protest. They live in the presence and power of Jesus who was radical in his love for everyone, humble even when persecuted, and consistently gave others his miraculous, life-changing grace that transformed their lives. Maybe we shouldn’t use the term today, but the more “radicalized” or surrendered I am, the more like him I become.

God loves you beyond what you will ever fully comprehend in this life. And the presence of the Holy Spirit brings those righteous, loving, amazing “Jesus things” into your heart and life! So, it just makes sense to give him everything about yourself – your plans, your desires, your family, your resources, your future… Your very life. (Romans 12:1)

I have yet to meet the authentic Christian who came to the place of absolute surrender to God, who lived it over time, who then testified they were sorry they ever went that far with God. In fact, most mature Christians feel like I do. I wish I had been more deeply given to Jesus earlier in my life. And I feel I haven’t gone far enough yet… I haven’t comprehended the depth and height and width of his love yet. I want to be more like him and to live closer to his heart today. I want more of his humility, more of his trust in his Father’s plan, and more of his heart for the hurting and broken.

In one respect, I can claim that I came to a place of surrender years ago.  But I need to surrender all again, today. And tomorrow, too.  So, Lord, I am willing. Take me deeper still as Holy Spirit enables me.

Are you ready to say, “Make me willing to absolutely surrender all, Lord?” Pray it! Believe it! Receive his transforming grace. Open every part of your heart.  Give him access to every part. (He knows what’s in there anyway and loves you still.) Trust in the power of his loving presence. Find rest and freedom, power and presence, love and purpose. Surrender absolutely… Be his.