Partial surrender doesn’t exist. We are not genuinely surrendered unless we are fully surrendered. Very few are truly surrendered, but God gives victory to those who are.
The word surrender is not in the KJV Bible. Instead, this translation uses “submit” and “consecrate.” Surrender means the war is over and the fighting has ended. It means a cessation of resistance and rebellion and the usurping of our own power and will to do the victor’s will. It also means peace on the terms of the victor.
Believers are holy and sanctified because we stand in Christ and His righteousness. But we are further encouraged to be consecrated to the Lord and to be holy or sanctified daily. This process is called progressive sanctification.
God does not force this surrender on us but encourages us to do it for His glory. This is a surrender of our will to do the Father’s will. Surrender or consecration to God entails complete and entire separation from the world and sin and complete devotion to Christ.
We become surrendered or consecrated to God when, like Paul, we adopt a new value system and lightly esteem the things of the world but highly esteem the things of Christ. This also happens when we seek those things above rather than the things of the earth.
Think of some life areas that you need to surrender.
James H. Cagle has been preaching and getting the Word out since 1982. He has pastored for twelve years. He now writes for twelve newspapers weekly. He has published three books and is working on several others. James spent four years in the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged in 1980 as a sergeant. He grew up in Bemiss, Georgia, and graduated from Lowndes High in 1975. He currently resides in Nashville, Georgia.