Posture of Surrender
The Lord has such beautiful freedom for His people that is found in the posture of surrender. Yet, surrender is one of the postures of the saints that the enemy fears the most.
The conception of Jesus began with an act of surrender by a young girl. "And Mary said, 'Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1:38).
Today, I hear the echo of her words on the lips of those who want God more than they want their way or their will. This sound of surrender is the same sound that resounded through the heavens, through the earth, and through Hell when Jesus surrendered all, saying, "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done" (Luke 22:42).
There is great intercession happening within us, groaning for God's people to go low and surrender all. We must remember that in both of these instances—Mary's surrender and then the surrender of the One she carried in her womb—there was pain and deep personal struggle in the yielding.
I feel in my soul and my spirit that the deep, internal struggle (wrestle) of the flesh and spirit is happening in so many of God's people so that they may enter the place that says, "Let it be to me according to Your word," or "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; YET not my will, but Yours be done."
We must understand that the posture of surrendering self (surrendering our will, our desires, our comforts, and our lives) is the sound that opens prison doors to set the captives free. Mary's surrender, which came at such a high cost, made a way for our Savior to be birthed. And Jesus' surrender, which came at the greatest cost that will ever be paid, made the way for all mankind to have the opportunity to walk through Him (as the open prison door) to eternal freedom.
The sound of surrender sets you free, and it sets the stage for others to be set free from captivity. This act and sound of surrender is so threatening to the enemy that he is raging against it to stop it with great force. (Photo via Unsplash)
Sword or Surrender?
When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter pulled out a sword and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers (though we know that Peter wasn't aiming for merely an ear but to take his life).
Peter was face to face with injustice, and being a man of action, he was going to stop the great betrayal taking place before his eyes. Injustice was provoking Peter to draw his sword.
We have all seen things in the past two years and even come face to face with that "provoking spirit" that made us want to draw a sword in a moment of injustice rather than find out the will of the Lord. Peter's quick reaction that caused him to draw a sword would also cause him to deny Jesus three times that same night.
It is often easier to draw a sword than surrender to the will of God at times that include suffering. Yet, the pain that Peter experienced by choosing the sword over surrender was, by far, the greatest agony of Peter's life. A short time later, God redeemed His friend. The surrender of Jesus set His friend free from the prison of guilt, shame, and regret.
We must understand that our personal act of surrender (that often comes in a time of great pain, injustices, and personal crisis) has a far greater effect on mankind then we will ever know. Young Mary's act of surrender was a very personal act in a private room, and yet, thousands of years later, it still resounds with an echo that strengthens us to do the same today.
Of course, there are times that we are "called to arms" (battle), but even that is in surrender to His will, not provoked by the flesh. Surrender can be one of the greatest spiritual weapons ever used to defeat the enemy, not passivity but true spirit-led surrender.
You may be in a place of great personal pain. You may be wrestling against your thoughts, your will, and your soul to be able to say, "Not my will, but Yours will be done." You may even want to stand up and draw a sword to stop what is happening before your eyes with a weapon of force, trying to control the pain and whatever feels out of your control. But today I hear the intercession of Jesus for you, which is giving you the strength to bow down and surrender to the will of the Lord. (Photo via Pixabay)
I hear in my spirit the sound of swords returning to their sheaths, the sound of knees hitting the floor in absolute surrender, and even the weeping that finds the words of surrender which say, "Let it be to me."
Cost in the Sound
This is the sound of the disciples of Jesus today saying, "I choose Your will over all other things, even my will." There is a cost in this sound, but the cost and sacrifice are creating a frequency that will set you free to truly live. It will echo through eternity with a remembrance like that of the great heroes of faith. What you sacrifice and surrender in this moment will affect the rest of your life, and will ripple with a sound and frequency of freedom.
Put back the sword of the flesh and pick up the sword of Spirit, which is surrendering to His Word. We do not understand today what our surrender will do for our tomorrow, for our children's tomorrow, and for mankind's tomorrow. As you repeat the words, "Let it be to me according to Your word" and "Father, not my will but Yours be done," you are shifting the narrative.
For each Believer that does this, their "ripple" will be added to the ripple effect of every Believer that is also yielding their will. This will create a tsunami of surrender that overtakes the flood that the enemy has sent. God's standard will be raised, and many will be set free (see Isaiah 59:19).
Jesus is interceding for you even now. He sees your pain, He knows the cost you've paid, and the pain you've faced. He will never leave you or forsake you as you give your all, even when you don't understand.
It will be worth the cost. Fruit will come forth from the seed of sacrifice that you put into the fertile soil of personal pain, watered by your tears. He is worthy of it all. Say with me today, "Not my will, but Yours be done!"
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Kathi Pelton
Inscribe Ministries
Email:Â jkpelton@sbcglobal.net
Website:Â www.inscribeministries.com
Jeffrey and Kathi Pelton live in Portland, Oregon. Jeffrey is a writer, teacher and book editor. Kathi is an author and prophetic voice to the Church. They walk with nations and individuals to see God's original intent fulfilled. Their ministry, Inscribe Ministries, was founded upon the verse from Habakkuk 2:2 that says, "Then the LORD answered me and said: 'Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.'"
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