James 4:7-8 tells us ‘Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.‘ It is significant that submission to God comes before resistance of the devil, and any discussion of spiritual defiance of the enemy would be incomplete without a recognition that spiritual success only comes to the degree that we have surrendered our lives to God’s hands and are seeking to live whole-heartedly for Him. In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray for God’s name to be hallowed and for His will to be done and His kingdom to come before we ask for His provision, forgiveness and protection from temptation. (Matt 6:9-12)
Surrender and submission to God are often viewed negatively, as a case of ‘what do I have to give up, then?’, spoken in resigned tones with gloomy expressions on our faces. However, quite the opposite is true. Surrender and submission are joyful acts of worship, our willing acts of devotion to a God who is good and who has our best interests at heart. Nothing is more important to our spiritual growth than our willingness to submit ourselves to God, recognising His sovereignty and revelling in His love.
‘King of my heart, king of my soul
I’ll make a joyful surrender
No other name, no other throne
It’s You alone
So let my life be undivided, God.’ (‘King Of My Soul’, Matt Redman)
‘Lord, take this life, let it become Your throne:
Unbroken praise be Yours.
My surrender, my devotion
Be Yours, be Yours forevermore,
Be Yours, be Yours forevermore.’ (‘Unbroken Praise,’ Matt Redman)
‘I cast all my cares
Down at Your feet
You meet me here with tender mercy
And everything You are
Is everything I need
I lift my hands, surrender to Your majesty.’ (‘Majesty of the Most High,’ Matt Redman)
