Is there something God is asking you to relinquish to Him? In military terms, surrender means defeat, but as followers of Jesus, it means victory over whatever is hindering our Christian life. In this message, Dr. Stanley explores what it means to ask the Lord for His will to be done in our lives and encourages us to let go of anything that God says is not for our best. We lose nothing when we yield everything to Him.
as best you know your heart are you
fully surrendered to Jesus Christ who is
not only to save you but your Lord can
you say yes I’m surrendered to the Lord
or would you like most people have to
say well now back yonder I can tell you
when I got saved well we’re not talking
about salvation we’re talking about
living a surrendered life a life that’s
willing to be honest and open willing to
believe the Word of God willing to
honestly and truly acknowledge that when
Jesus went to the cross he took all of
us in debt in full willing to
acknowledge that yacht has will for all
of our lives and willing to acknowledge
that God has the right to expect us to
say I surrender you see that phrase our
surrender is demanding it requires
something it’s one thing to say it to
somebody but to say it to God I
surrender I surrender what I’d surrender
myself all that I am all that I have
Lord I surrender everything listen
carefully that’s what he’s listening for
that’s what he is expecting that’s what
he died for
that’s his perfect will for all of us to
be able to say lord I surrender what do
I surrender I don’t suggest surrender
this or that that I have I’ve
surrendered my will to you I want you to
have you will in my life
I yield everything I don’t I don’t I
don’t have my grip on anything I want
your perfect will in my life now what we
surrender wouldn’t be the same for all
of us some people have to turn to this
some people have to surrender that only
you know what is in your life that maybe
God has been talking to you about for a
long time maybe a short period of time
but you know when you get down to pray
this thing keeps cropping up there’s
something you keep thinking about so
what do you do you tell God about it you
ask him to forgive you of your sin and
you move on your way you say well I know
I’m forgiven right and yet two weeks
later two months later next day you’re
still dealing with the whole issue am i
surrendered surrender is not easy it’s
the giving up of my right it’s the
giving up of something it’s the giving
up of an attitude something it’s giving
up some opportunity but surrender is not
easy
and when Jesus in those last hours of
his life we’re seen him with his
disciples around the table and we
celebrate the Lord’s Supper and we talk
about what a beautiful scene that was
and so forth but that wasn’t such a
beautiful scene because listen over the
scripture says and he came out and
proceeded as was his custom to the Mount
of Olives and the disciples also
followed him and when he arrived at the
place he said to them pray that you may
not enter into temptation and he
withdrew from them about a stone’s throw
and he knelt down and began to pray
saying father if you’re willing remove
this cup from me yet not my will but
yours be done
Jesus was dealing with this whole issue
of the surrender of his will to the
Father you say well he grew up he grew
up surrender to the father he’s always
known at the most critical moments of
his life he’s asking the father if it’s
your will and we know it was the
Father’s will for him to be crucified
and that’s exactly what happened but he
was Willy to ask the father if it’s
possible for this cup to pass from me
yet not my will but your will be done
when is the last time you ever said to
God Lord I want your will not my will
but your will whatever you want in my
life’s what I want whatever you want out
of my life I wanted out of my life
but if above everything else I want your
will to be done in my life see for a
general that means defeat for a follower
of Jesus it means absolute victory so
think about your own life for a moment
when’s the last time in your prayer time
you said Lord full surrender so when I
was thinking about this and getting
ready for this morning I decided to
check myself out so I took a walk I took
a pretty good-sized walk and when I
finished I’d asked the Lord Lord Sutch
every part of me there’s anything in my
life that’s not right even the things
that are good whatever it may be just
just show me where I am so I took a walk
and I came back to my original point and
I thought well I don’t want to miss
anything so I’m gonna take another walk
so I did the same thing again came back
and I wanted to be sure there’s nothing
hidden nothing deep down inside
nothing Unser ended to him because you
see that’s what everybody has to deal
with it’s one thing to say I believe in
Jesus it’s one thing to say my name is
written in the Lamb’s Book of Life it’s
one thing to say I believe the word of
God
it’s one thing to say I’m trying to live
a Christian life it’s something else to
say father I surrender what is it that
needs to be surrendered many people
trust the Lord Jesus Christ as their
Savior but he never has all of them
they never come to the place of
surrendering themselves to the Lord
because you see when you get saved its
amount of forgiveness of sin my name’s
written in the Lamb’s Book of Life and
now I belong to the Lord God what an
awesome wonderful feeling that is but
what about the other side of that and
here’s Jesus speaking with a father he’s
committed to the Father but in these
last moments before his crucifixion what
is he saying he’s saying not my will but
your will be done when is the last time
you prayed that prayer father not my
will but you will be done
maybe he’s brought something up into
your life that you have been clinging to
not necessarily hiding but you just over
there you’ve never surrendered it to God
when is the last time you said Lord
opened the door to the closets of my
life and let’s see everything that’s
there and let’s be sure when I close
this door they close it as empty I’m
fully surrendered many people most
people probably spend their lives
talking and praying to God about this
and that giving God this that in the
other and yet never fully surrendering
themselves to him was it easy for Jesus
to say not my will but your will be done
no it wasn’t because he grew up in a
nation where crucifixion was a form of
punishment he must have seen many times
men hanging on a cross bleeding crying
talking whatever it might have been
he knew his crucifixion was all about
and he also knew that the Father’s will
for him was to be crucified and there
the sin of everybody upon himself he
knew that so when I look at this passage
and he says
father if you are willing listen to this
if you’re willing remove this cup from
me is there any other way to do this
massage crucifixion yet not my will but
yours be done
so I ask you this question what is there
in your life
as a follower of Jesus you still cling
into it may not listen it may not even
be a sin but it’s not the will of a
father for you it may not be something
you’ve done it’s something that you’re
holding on to so you say well I’m not
guilty of this and I’m not guilty of
that
is there something in your will that
you’ve never surrendered can you say
it’s best I know my heart I’m totally
yielded to the Lord Jesus Christ as my
savior and my lord whatever he wants is
what I want whatever he wills is what I
will
I yield my will to him I want him to
have all of me most people would have to
say Lord you can have all of me but I
know this obey this this is really not
that wrong God and nobody’s perfect
so I just want to thank you I yield
myself to you accept everybody has some
weakness and like Lord that’s mine thank
you for the fright thank you you
understand no no no no
that’s not the way God operates and the
reason so many people are living
hindered in their Christian walk is
simply because they’ve never yielded
themselves totally to him you say what
do you mean yield himself I mean you
come before the Lord you open your heart
to him and you say to him whatever’s in
my life that does not please you that
please me please you I want you take it
out I’m willing to confess repent walk
away give it up lay it down I want to be
totally yielded to you because listen
you can never become the person God want
you to be holding on to something that
doesn’t fit you you can never enjoy the
blessings of God as long as you’re
holding on to something that blocks a
blessing and I think about people who
live that may be saved early in life but
never fully surrender and they will
boast about their name is written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life and I’ll think about
all these wonderful songs we sing and
and how beautiful they are what is there
in your life that God’s put his finger
on so to speak he’s brought into your
mind it’s the one thing that when you
pray and you do you bless God and praise
Him and sing and wonderful hallelujah
you go home at the church and you talk
about what a fantastic music program we
have and how you love standing up and
singing the songs over and over and over
again what about the thing that you’ve
not talked about what is there in your
life that’s keeping you from being able
to say yes Lord everything not most
things not some things everything put
your finger on anything and everything
you see in my life that doesn’t fit your
perfect will I surrender
think about people who live their whole
lives never foolish unto themselves to
the Lord
maybe you got saved early in life I was
on the twelve I never heard the word
surrender when I was Travis or aged and
so I think about people who are saved
early in life they get baptized they go
to church they joined the church they do
all the things that church members
supposedly do they go to a church where
the gospel is sort of preached you know
not really fully but just sorta just so
nobody gets upset and so they never hit
they they never hear are you surrendered
to Jesus Christ we say well he’s the
Lord of my life now think about that you
can say Jesus is a lot of my life that
can mean different things for different
people
he is the Lord and he is in my life but
is he the lord of my life and my fully
surrendered am I yielded to him when a
general says I surrender what does he do
he gives up freedom liberty and all
rights everything when we come to Jesus
we say Lord I want to surrender my life
to you now nobody’s perfect yard so I
know there’ll always be a few things
over here that don’t please you but I’m
gonna do my best Lord but but and we
rationalize it and I think that one of
the reasons that so many Christians are
unhappy and you come to church and I
wouldn’t dare accuse you of anything I
love this fellowship but it’s easy to
come to church and just get all caught
up in these wonderful songs and praise
God you want to shout you can if you’d
like you can shout but when the
shoutings over can you honestly say yes
Lord I surrender my life totally to you
I want what you want I will what you
will you can remove what’s not of you
you can add what you want to add that’s
what Jesus missed
he was making the final surrender of
himself to the Father and to the cross
crucifixion and death it’s easy for us
to paint a pretty good picture of what
the Christian life is all about we
talked about answered prayer we talked
about that name is written in the Lamb’s
Book of Life
we talked about all these beautiful
songs we talked about all the promises
of God in the Bible we can go on and on
and on
but what about surrender can I honestly
say Lord Jesus in my total life I want
full the surrender no grip of anything
full surrender send me where you want to
send me take what you want to take send
what you want to send full surrender
that’s what Jesus was doing in the
shadow of the Cross he was saying to the
Father whatever you want not my will but
yours be done when is the last time you
honestly said personally to the Lord
father in every area of my life I want
your will to be done not my will but
your will whatever pleases use what I
want that’s what I want Lord he wants
you to trust him absolutely fully with
your life believing that he will guide
you to lead you enable you to become the
person God I want you to be anything
about some of the people who have
talents and abilities and skills that
never give them to God and I think about
people who have reached and I’m probably
the oldest person here this morning but
I think about people who have come a
long ways in their life they’ve been
blessed in many ways but they’ve never
said Lord I fully surrender myself to
you no strings attached
I’m not holding on to anything I want
what you want take what you want to take
here’s my life
that’s what discipleship is about
that’s what lordship is about if I
should ask you is Jesus Lord of your
life
the natural tendency would be to say yes
well if he’s the Lord of your life that
means he’s in charge of everything our
conversation I character our conduct all
submissive to him what would happen in
your life if you absolutely fully
surrendered yourself totally to him
no strings attached Lord here’s my life
what would happen in your life what
would happen to your prayer life what
would happen to your giving what would
happen to your conversations or other
people what would happen to your heart
the people who are in your family oh you
work with whoever it might be
that you know are not saved what would
happen in your life if you fully
surrendered yourself to Jesus Christ
fully surrendered holding nothing back
I surrender everything I yield
everything Lord in your mind if you were
to say today Lord Jesus yes
I surrender everything in my life to you
how do you think God would respond he
doesn’t want what you own he wants you
he wants the surrender of yourself God
can handle it he can take anything we
have any time he gets ready that’s not
the issue the issue is does it have me
does it have you what is it that you
hold back on what is it that’s keeping
you from being able to sing with all
your heart all to Jesus I surrender
watch that not some something Jesus has
earned enough all to Jesus I surrender
all to him
I for really give if you ever said that
to him in prayer I want you to have
everything Lord yield myself to you
completely
and Jesus had been seated around the
table with his disciples and you
remember when you read these passages
that the disciples were thinking about
other things they were arguing with each
other about who’s the greatest among
them and here’s Jesus facing the cross
can you imagine what the other would do
in your life if you said Lord I’ve been
playing Christian long enough I’ve been
I’ve been telling that I’m a child I’ve
gotta learn them I want you to have
everything starting today I want you to
have everything I surrender all that I
am to you do you know why most people
won’t do it it’s the devil Street but
you know what they won’t do it they’re
afraid that God is going to take
something they want that they’re holding
on to and they’ll say well suppose and
I’ve had people tell me I suppose God
takes my son
what kind of God do you think he is
suppose he suppose he does this this
idea of God that he’s just waiting to do
something that’s horrible and painful
that’s not who God is he just wants you
to surrender yourself to him so he can’t
bless you
bless others through you and give you
the opportunity of enjoying a sod of the
Christian life that most people will
ever enjoy what would it what would it
take in your life for you to say lord I
fully surrender myself to you totally
whatever you want yards what I want the
Christian life is a way of life led by
the Lord Jesus Christ who lives within
us who has the very very best from God’s
point of view does that mean no sickness
no sorrow no heartache no wants no needs
that’s not what that means at all
because some of those things that we
don’t want in that life God wants them
in that life for the simple reason he
knows that’s what it’ll take to finish
off the sand out to carve out of our
life things that are hindering us
keeping us from be the person he wants
us to be and if I should ask you do you
want to be the person God wants you to
be naturally you’d say yes if I said
well then here’s the price more than
likely you’d say well let me think about
that again I’m not sure that’s what I’m
willing
the disciples were arguing about all
kind of stuff of around who’s gonna be
the greatest among them and they discuss
this and discuss that and what Jesus was
concerned about and thinking about this
he said father if there’s any other way
to do this but not my will but your will
be done if you had to surrender yourself
to the Lord Jesus Christ fully
completely no strings attached no no
nothing nothing withholding from him
what would that mean in your life what
is it that you’re holding on to you know
in your life already that God doesn’t
want there is it somebody is it
something is it a way of life is that a
heaven in your life what is it that’s
keeping you from being fully totally
surrendered to Jesus Christ is the Lord
of your life because we do we know this
he has the best plan you can’t improve
on God’s love can’t improve on eternal
life what will it take to bring you to
full surrender to Jesus and discover
what he would do in your life if you
gave him full charge
said Lord here’s my life then you will
live your life and just wonder what
would happen see the Christian life is
not what most people think it is and
some people will tell you no I’m not
gonna be a Christian because they have
an idea if you become a Christian you
give up all fun you give up your rights
you have to love even the wicked and on
and on and on but yo but the truth is
when you surrender your life to Christ
fully life begins at its best that’s
when life begins at its best so what
will it take to get you there what
change would you have to make this
morning if you said before I walk out of
this building I’m gonna be fully
surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ is
my Savior what it taken what would
happen in your life if you really and
truly surrendered your whole being to
him and just said God whatever you want
is what I want whatever you will is what
I will and I’m listening ready to be
obedient what changes do you think he’d
make in your life you may be surprised
he wouldn’t make as many changes as you
think but I have to think about this
I can either fully surrender my life to
Jesus oh I can keep playing this game
then I’m gonna do the best I can Lord
under the best again know what is
perfect I know you fully understand God
yes he does he feel they understands
what you’re missing but he’s not going
to force you into life at its best light
at its best as a life fully surrendered
life at its best is a life that
discovers just that much God truly loves
you he forgives us of our sin
he writes our name in the Lamb’s Book of
Life
never be erased he’s fixed it so that
whenever we die we go into heaven and
he’s also made it possible for us to
live this life here with difficulty
hardships troubles and trials yes but
anchored to eternal life anchored to the
God it was in control of all things and
they will get us to heaven one of these
days now listen carefully
if you don’t have Jesus what do you have
that gives you any assurance about
anything today tomorrow next year until
then if you don’t have Jesus what do you
have if I should ask you do you believe
the Bible oh yes
how much ever do you believe Genesis the
revelation if you if you really believe
that surrender your life to Him give
your whole self to give him the
privilege of blessing you to the maximum
of your potential surrender to God when
you breathe your last breath what
matters only one thing your relationship
to God through His Son Jesus Christ you
spend your life
so nobody can answer that question for
you but you but I pray in Jesus name
that you will be honest enough with
yourself when you get home whatever it
might be let’s say to him Lord maybe I
don’t understand it all but I’m
surrendering everything to you
everything and so I hear this but
suppose God does this no no no no no may
I inform you that yds trustworthy he’s
trustworthy you can trust him he’s not
gonna pull any tricks he’s not gonna
deny you anything he’s promised he’s
gonna do exactly what he said and for
all of us who believers in children of
God he says absent from the body
what present with the Lord the safest
place to be is surrender damn and I
trust that you think seriously about it
can you honestly say fully surrendered
you may have to say it today tomorrow
the next thing the next week next month
next year because we don’t always stay
fully surrendered but have you ever come
to the place where you’ve said in your
life fully surrendered amen
father we thank you for loving us we
thank you for being patient with us we
thank you for your forgiveness
we thank you that you wrote our name in
the Lamb’s Book of Life
thank you for the assurance of heaven
but right now Lord we want you to work
in our hearts so when we think about
every aspect of our life we can honestly
say to you oh Jesus I want to be fully
surrendered
we want to be able to not just sing it
but the testify of it all the Jesus I
surrender all to him I freely you I will
ever love and trust him and in this
presence they they live make that our
prayer Father in Jesus name Amen
[Music]