The Gift of Surrender

I saw this video on wretchedradio.com, and boy, does 

this guy know how to preach it!

(I think he's really like forty years old, though)

You can check out his website here.

Also, I just read a great post on ''Pastor Smarty Pants'' R.W. Glenn's 

blog, check it out here.

On a different note, recently I've been convicted to examine myself

to see if I really practice what I preach, and the answer is... ...yes and no.

I think the biggest thing for me is that I pray, and feel as if I could do

anything for the cause of Christ, and then I don't really put out any effort,

and I find myself living as if it's all just a game. It's not.

 I have to remind myself that being a child of God is hard work!

Lots of times I think of this as ''fighting the flesh'' i.e., in my own strength, 

which it is not, but why don't we look at it another way: God showed me

this a while back, when I was really struggling with a temptation. The key is 

surrender. When faced with a choice between good and evil, sin and 

obedience, the choice you make goes two ways. If you choose to disobey, 

you are surrendering to Satan and fighting against God. Likewise, when 

you choose to obey, Satan will flee! as it says, 

           ''Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil,

            and he will flee from you.''

             - James 4:7

When approached that way, It is only a matter of trusting God when He says, 

           ''Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life,

            righteousness, and honor.'' - Proverbs 21:21

and,     

           ''Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and

            sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.''

             - James 1:15

Therefore, all that must be done is to surrender to God, trusting his words,

even if all your flesh is crying out that it must be gratified, that all God's

promises are empty. Truly, it is not so! You must (and this is where the hard 

work comes in) will yourself to let go and trust in His promises, after 

all, did he not save your very soul? I learned this lesson when I listened to 

an Otto Koning message, that lots of times we must will ourselves to do 

something God requires of us, that goes against all our emotions, fears, 

and comfort. Remember, I'm not trying to teach some freaky works-based 

righteousness stuff here, all this is done only by God's Holy Spirit living in 

us, and made available only through Jesus' atoning work on the cross! 

           ''Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as

            obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey,

            either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which

            leads to righteousness?'' - Romans 6:16

''Submit yourselves therefore to God...''

That is the way to fight the flesh!