Part 4: The 7 (Seven) Blessings of Surrender for Disciples
“Full surrender is the key to salvation, to rebirth, to victory over sin and temptation, and to fullness of the Holy Spirit.”[1]
In worldly terms, the word surrender has negative implications. One thinks of words like being powerless, having no freedom, captivity, slavery, hopelessness, defeat, or even death. However, the Biblical surrender is the opposite. The biblical surrender means true and abundant life, freedom, love, hope, victory, and even eternal life. So let us explore the Blessings of Surrender. The seven blessings are divided into three main categories.
A. JUSTIFICATION
1. Forgiveness of Sin
The first blessing of surrender is justification, which is forgiveness of our past sins and declaring us not guilty but righteous before the Father and the universe (Rom. 3: 23-25; Isa 55:7; 1 John 1:9)
Since one cannot right the past God freely frees a repentant sinner from the condemnation of sin and a guilty conscience (Rom. 3: 23-25; Heb 9:13-14). How beautiful it is that in the OT the sacrificial lamb could not clean the guilty conscience of a sinner but, the blood of Jesus can Heb. 9:13-14.
God then anoints with the Holy Spirit as a seal of adoption, as a son or daughter (Eph. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17). Under the banner of His grace and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, He helps us to grow in Him to be more like Him.
B. SANCTIFICATION (& JUSTIFICATION)
2. Gift of the Holy Spirit
The greatest gift that Jesus promised before His ascension was/is the Holy Spirit (Lk 11:1-13). He knew that transformation of character and the passport to heaven is the seal of the Holy Spirit, the seal of adoption and citizenship. Thus, He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (Jn 3:3). The Bible is clear about the two kinds of Spirits on earth; “the spirit of the world,” and “the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:12). That means the Spirit of the world must leave before the Spirit of the God will come in.[2]
Living in the Spirit is the same as “living in Christ” or having the “mind of Christ” (2 Cor 2:5). The Father blesses His people through His Spirit with the righteousness and character of God where the law is fulfilled (1 Jn 2:5), the strength of life, and the fountain of love and the fullness of God in faith. (Eph 3:14-19.
Please it is important to know that truth that the work of justification s sanctification cannot be separated. When God justifies he forgives and only declares a sinner as righteousness, by covering him/her with His righteousness. Then He works at making that declared one righteous through the work of the Holy Spirit.
3. Growing in Christ
Now that you are “born again” (Jn 3:3) you are spiritually a baby and immature. In order to be mature there must be growth; “be no longer children, but grow up in Christ. Eph 4:14, 15; “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2Pet 3:18.
Thus, apart from surrendering ones will growth is impossible. John 15: 5 says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” The Holy Spirit gives birth to the beautiful character of God. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such, there is no law.” Gal 5:22-25.
Constant surrender and abiding in the Holy Spirit is the key to growth and maturity and fruitfulness, and even the sustainability of the spiritual life (Jn 15:1-11)
4. Know God’s will & the Power to Obey
The Bible is clear that the willingness to do good and to actually do it, or the desire for good and the obedience to it is God’s work. “…for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phi 2: 13.
Since the Holy Spirit is God and knows the mind of God, He reveals God’s will and empowers a person to obey. The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and reveals righteousness and judgment (Jn 16:7-9). He is the counselor and helper (Jn 14:26). This results in maturity and fruit of the Holy Spirit, LOVE, and others in Gal 5:22-25. This is why Jesus said all the law and the prophets are summarized in one-word LOVE: “Love God” and “Love your Neighbors.”
5. Defeat the Devil and overcome Temptation and Sin (James 4:7)
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Jam 4:7
One of the truths that blew my mind recently is “the devil fleeing when we surrender to God.” I have read a passage several times but it never really rang a bell now.
This battle is a spiritual battle with spiritual powers and principalities of darkness. We are urged to “Submit/surrender” to God so God battles for us. The devil flees from a person who is surrendered because he cannot bear the presence of God. He does not run or walk but flees in the presence and name of the almighty God. What a blessing and a crucial truth.
Sometimes when the temptation is strong, you just pray in your mind as Peter did “Lord save me” knowing you are drawing and you have no power to save yourself. This is when God intervenes and saves you from the claws of the Devil.
As Haubeil says, “this surrender also clearly has to do with victory over evil as Rev. 12:11 affirms: “And they overcame him (1) by the blood of the Lamb, and (2) by the word of their testimony; and (3) they loved not their lives unto death.” This shows that complete surrender is necessary to overcome sin and Satan and that this is the best thing we can do.”[3]
6. Serving God –Holy and acceptable service
Consider what Paul says in Romans; “I beseech . . . you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” Rom 12:1-2.
Please note that our surrender, “a living sacrifice,” is the first service that is good and acceptable to God. Only after the sacrifice, we are able to know the perfect will of God to serve according. The rest of Romans 12 continues to explain how the Holy Spirit empowers a person with Spiritual gifts so he/she can serve Him accordingly. This is the same demand God gave the disciple to wait to be empowered by the Holy Spirit (Lk 24:49; Acts 2: 4-8). In obedience to this, the disciples remained in the Upper Room praying and connecting with God and their fellow disciples.
Moreover, As we discussed in the previous post when God calls, He calls us to first belong to Him, and that is to be with Him and be saved before we begin to serve (Mark 3:13-15).
C. GLORIFICATION
7. Eternal Life: The Ultimate Blessings
a. Assurance of Salvation.
Having surrendered to God, we do not worry about how to save ourselves but rest in the almighty, all-powerful, and gracious hands of God. Even when the time comes for us to sleep/die we can say with Ellen White and Elvis Presley “I know whom I have believeth”. God is able to keep that which we have given to Him, our lives. We can have the assurance of eternal life even here and now.
As long as one remains submitted to God, and follows Him constantly, He keeps them unto eternal life. “27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (Jn 10:27, 28).
b. Eternal Life
Total Surrender is the beginning of a “more abundant life.” An abundant life not only physically or temporarily but, also a life that is full of spiritual strength, joy, peace, and hope for tomorrow. These Seven Blessings of Surrender can be experienced when we consciously, deliberately, and daily choose it.
As we finish I would love to review the critical points.
- The Seven blessings are a blessing of Surrendering to God,
- Notice all of the work is related.
- The Holy Spirit is the greatest gift that all Spiritual rebirth, growth, maturity, service, and even eternal life depend on.
- The Holy Spirit works with us daily, as we make conscious and deliberate choices for Jesus by surrendering to God’s Lordship.
As a Summary, I would love to use a paragraph from the book abiding in Christ by Haubeil;
“In order to retain the positive consequences of our fundamental surrender, it is necessary to abide in Jesus. This is why Jesus talks about “abiding” nine times in John 15. In verse 5 we read; “He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing…. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” Abundant life has to do with abiding in Jesus. Through fellowship with Him, we are able to lead a fruitful life – a life of joy, power, victory, and valuable abilities. God is able to do great things in our lives. When we are seized by this truth, it will revolutionize our lives.” [4]
A Disciple’s Daily Duty
The most important duty of a disciple to ask each morning should be these two: to Surrender and to receive the Holy Spirit.
Our prayer each morning should be;
“Dear Lord, take me I surrender. I lay down my will, who I am, and all that I have; my life, plans, passions, desires, and fears. And, as you promised fill me and empower me with the Holy Spirit to live an abundant and victorious life today amen.
I have a very interesting study coming up on this topic in relation to the OT sanctuary. Please stay tuned for it, and please subscribe so you do not miss out on these posts.
Reference
[1] Garrie F. Williams, How to Be Filled With the Holy Spirit and Know it, German version, (Lüneburg, 2007) p 78) –Cited by Haubeil,
[2] Andrew Murry, Absolute Surrender (Moody Press: Chicago, 1895), 22.
[3] Haubeil, Abiding in Jesus, 34
[4] Haubeil, Abiding in Jesus, 40
