𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 (𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯) 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘎𝘖𝘋’𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 

𝘞𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘕𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘓𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘋𝘦𝘔𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘞𝘰𝘭𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘶𝘵𝘩’𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘦, “𝘚𝘜𝘙𝘙𝘌𝘕𝘋𝘌𝘙: 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘴” (𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟹, 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟻).

𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.

.   .   .

2025 SURRENDER SERIES (no. 2)

Terms of Surrender: Unconditional and Lifetime

The second chapter of our study opened with the following quote (p 45):

“I have been before GOD and have given myself, all that I am and have, to GOD; so that I am not, in any respect, my own.  I have given myself clear away and have not retained anything as my own.” (Jonathan Edwards)

These words expressed the very definition of “unconditional” surrender: not subject to questions; unreserved, unlimited, unrestricted, wholehearted, complete, total, entire, absolute, unequivocal, categorical.

To illustrate unconditional surrender in another way, Nancy Wolgemuth drew our attention to a pivotal, decisive moment in U.S. History.  

“On April 9, 1865, after four years of hostilities that had claimed some 630,000 lives and inflicted more than one million casualties, General Robert E. Lee signed an agreement surrendering the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant. … Lee’s decision to accept Grant’s terms of surrender that afternoon resulted in the conclusion of the Civil War, as Lee’s army laid down their arms, followed over the next few months by the surrender of the remaining Confederate armies.”

It had taken some time and effort, through multiple couriered letters, to achieve that signed agreement.  Initially, although General Lee shared General Grant’s desire to end the conflict and its devastating ramifications, he had no intention of surrendering.  He wanted to believe there was a way to re-establish peace without giving up his position.

In some ways, we can relate to General Lee’s resolve.  He fiercely held out, against all odds of surviving exhaustion, starvation, and isolation.  He didn’t want to give up the fight about which he was so passionate.  He didn’t want to admit there was no other choice than to surrender, that peace could only be achieved by bowing to the authority of someone else. 

He didn’t want to give up control.  But in the end, he realized that willingness to hand over command was the only way that peace could be restored and rebuilding could begin.

What parallels did we see between General Lee’s decision and Christian surrender?  

In the aftermath of the Civil War, the surrendering factions were punished for rebelling.  Reuniting our country and rebuilding what had been destroyed was fraught with distrust, misjudgment, and individual acts of vindictive retaliation.  However, when we surrender to CHRIST, the reverse happens – we are spared the punishment we deserve.  Instead, we receive greater blessing!

We are welcomed into a restored relationship with our heavenly Father, who wants us to live in the good of all He longs to give us!  “If your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead?  Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake?  Of course not!  So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him?” (Matthew 7:9-11)  

Surrender in either situation was inevitable.  Peace could not be achieved any other way.  Surrender was the first step in a longer process but was the vital starting point to ensure a promising outcome. 

Until we agree with GOD that He is GOD and we are not, that His way is the only way to consider, we will not make any headway in a positive direction.  If we are yoked together with Him (Matthew 11:29), we will only spin in circles (or not move at all) if we are not moving in tandem with Him, fully handing over control to Him alone.

Nancy Wolgemuth described it this way (pp 50-52):

“In the spiritual realm, there can be no peace with GOD, or can there be peace in our hearts, apart from unconditional surrender.  Refusing to surrender only prolongs the conflict.” … “Even when the Spirit opened our eyes to recognize our rebellious condition, we may have sought a way to bring about peace apart from surrender.  We did not want to continue suffering the unpleasant consequences of our resistance, but neither did we want to lay down our arms.

Realizing that surrender was our best and only option, we finally agreed to accept GOD’s terms.  We waved the white flag; we owned Christ as LORD; we gave our lives to the One who gave His life for us on the cross – the One who demands and deserves our whole-hearted allegiance. … Surrender to the will of GOD is a mark of the truly converted.”

.   .   .

Can we be assured of our salvation apart from acknowledging CHRIST’s right to rule over our lives?  What part does surrender have in true Christian conversion?

As a group, we agreed that these can be separate steps: (1) simply trusting JESUS as our Savior, acknowledging our inability to reconcile with GOD or to pay for our sins apart from CHRIST’s sacrifice on our behalf, and (2) additionally acknowledging that apart from CHRIST, our life holds no earthly or eternal value, that He paved the way for us to have a genuine, growing relationship with the Father that will impact us in ways that are life-changing.  

The first step changed our eternal fate in a moment of saving faith.  The second step is a longer journey of growth (the fancier word is “sanctification”) as we learn to grant GOD’s Spirit more and more freedom to work in our hearts to mold us into the image of His Son.

A few helpful Scriptures were shared around the table:

• “Then JESUS said to His disciples, ‘If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24, NLT) – – We are called to be His disciples, to deny ourselves and follow JESUS.  True belief will be followed by an all-in commitment to the LORD JESUS, following Him wherever He will lead us.
• “One of the teachers of religious law said to [JESUS], ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’  But JESUS replied, ‘Foxes have dens to live in and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay His head’” (Matthew 8:19-20, NLT). – – True faith and trust will enable us to “give it all away” (material things, home, relationships, professional opportunities, etc.) if that is what He asks us to do.  He directs (as LORD) and we obey without question because He is sovereign over all things and He is entirely trustworthy.
• “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.  Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit.  … Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.” (Matthew 17:16-20, NLT) – – True belief will change our desires.  By their fruits you will know those who are true believers.  The Spirit’s presence and work in someone’s heart will be evident.
• Paul offered us a clear example: “I have been crucified with CHRIST.  I no longer live, but CHRIST lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of GOD, who loves me and gave Himself for me”(Galatians 2:20).
• CHRIST, Himself, provided the ultimate example of unconditional surrender, “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). – – Though He was fully GOD as well as fully Man, the Son never moved a muscle or spoke a word without direction from the Father.  
• “You are not your own; you were bought with a price.  Therefore, honor GOD in your body and in your spirit, which are GOD’s”(1 Corinthians 6:20). – – Why would we seek reconciliation with GOD if we have no intention of acknowledging His rightful place of authority over all things?  What hinders us from granting Him full freedom to create, sustain, and direct all aspects of who we are and how our lives will unfold within His purposes?  These are important questions to consider as we continue our study!

.   .   .

Our lesson then asked: “[As] you distinguish between an initial point of surrender to CHRIST and an ongoing, life-long process of surrender in a believer’s life, how can an initial, unconditional surrender to the lordship of CHRIST simplify subsequent points of surrender along the way?”

In childlike faith, we acknowledged that we can’t save ourselves.  We were captivated by the Savior.  Full surrender is a whole other level of trust and relationship – one where we continually yield to the guidance and transforming power of the Holy Spirit within us.  

CHRIST lives within you … the Spirit gives life because you have been made right with GOD.  The Spirit of GOD, who raised JESUS from the dead, lives in you. … You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of GOD living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of CHRIST living in them do not belong to Him at all.) … Letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death.  But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” (Romans 8:10-11, 9, 6)

As one of our group members poignantly asked, “If the work of the Holy Spirit is not evident, where did that person place their faith?  If GOD’s Spirit is not alive and at work in their heart, is it truly the LORD JESUS they are trusting in?” 

Our thoughts drifted back to Paul’s journey.  On the road to Damascus, when confronted with the reality of who JESUS is, he simply said, “Who are You, LORD?  What would you have me to do?” (Acts 9:5-6).  Years into a life given to proclaiming the good news about JESUS through a long and bumpy road, he penned the words shared above with greater clarity, “I no longer live; CHRIST lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).

Initially, Paul’s surrender was simple and unqualified.  He surely could not have known what full surrender to CHRIST would ask of him, but He yielded to JESUS as LORD.  He never wavered from the task appointed to him, declaring that he considered it an obligation and a privilege to be a slave for CHRIST and to declare the good news of salvation to anyone and everyone he encountered (Romans 1).

Our commitment to CHRIST can be tested in many ways.  A variety of real-life challenges were vulnerably shared around the table:

• “Motherhood will always test my faith!  Rough spots are just as much of a learning curve for me as for my kids.” 
• “My husband and I were called to minister to children with special needs.  Although our hearts were always committed to that call, the journey challenged us to love those that are not always easy to love.  The level of self-sacrifice that was required was shocking and tested our willingness to obey the LORD’s direction when it was very difficult.”
• “I am learning the hard lesson of making peace with people I encounter who don’t treat me with respect or consideration.  I ask the LORD to help me choose the proper response regardless of their attitudes or actions, even when they confront or antagonize me.”

We will be challenged by sin, self, questioning or persecution from others, and the enemy, all of which can cast doubt, and disrupt or distract us from GOD and His purposes.  It is important for us to acknowledge a lifelong need to stay close to the LORD, in tune with Him, checking in regularly with His Word to “clean our feet from the dust of our daily paths,” to realign our thinking and to re-establish the LORD as the Head of our chain of command.

Moments that test our allegiance may cause us to wrestle with GOD’s truth or our own desire to yield to His will instead of our own.  But when we cry out for Him to set us on the right path, His rescue strengthens our faith and renews our commitment to trusting Him, whether or not we understand His ways or His timing.  

At times, the LORD even allows difficult circumstances in our lives that strip away things we value dearly.  It seems harsh, but we know our GOD is never callous or random.  He does not consider people or property or opportunities expendable for a greater plan.  He simply loves us too much to allow us to place our trust in what will eventually let us down. 

He uses those losses to help us see our need for Him, to see the frailty of placing our confidence in anyone or anything else, to train our hearts to ache for the security of His care and direction alone.  When we cry out to Him and find Him unchangingly trustworthy, our faith grows!

Those challenges that test (and prove!) our faith also provide opportunities for us to tell others who GOD is revealing Himself to be in the midst of those trials, to bear witness of the ways His Word rings true, and to share the unique glimpses of His character we are granted. 

Nancy Wolgemuth shared these thoughts about navigating those battles (pp 56-57):

“Once a lifetime surrender has been made, many of our battles will be much less difficult to fight, because the outcome – JESUS is LORD – has already been established.  That foundational acknowledgement of His sovereign right to reign and rule over us will serve us well as our allegiance to the King is tested on a daily basis.

One of the challenges of complete surrender to CHRIST is that we don’t know what lies ahead. … We’d like to know what to expect, what it will cost us… where He will expect us to go … what He will ask us to do.  We want to see all the fine print so we can read it over, think about it, and then decide whether or not to sign our name on the dotted line.  

But that’s not GOD’s way. … Because He is GOD; because He has bought us; because He is trustworthy; because we know how much He loves us; because we live for His glory and not our own independent, self-promoting pleasure.”

.   .   .

Our study then asked, “Why might the concept of “signing a blank contract” for your life and letting GOD fill in the details seem risky or frightening to some?  Why is it really not risky at all?  What do we stand to lose by unconditional surrender to GOD?  What do we stand to gain?”

As humans, we want to know what to expect.  There are many situations where it is good and wise to gather information that will help us make the best decision.  We foolishly believe that “knowing” will control and affect a desired outcome.  However, there are many things we simply cannot know, cannot anticipate, cannot understand ahead of time.  

But … we do know the One who knows ALL things and orchestrates every detail to perfection!  Risking it all on GOD is no risk at all.

We considered some details from the story of Abraham in Genesis 12, 15, and 17, digging deeper into the costs and rewards of following GOD.  Abraham was called by GOD to “leave it all behind” and follow Him on an unknown journey to an undisclosed destination. 

Although the LORD faithfully fulfilled many promises to Abraham, some of those were not completed in Abraham’s lifetime.  Hebrews 11 tells us that his confidence never wavered in the eventual reality he wasn’t privileged to see on earth.  He simply took GOD at His Word and looked forward to the day when His purposes would fully unfold.

Many of us can echo Abraham’s experience that unconditional surrender to GOD has cost us the loss of family, the comforts of “home”, our own limited ideas and ideals, sometimes material possessions, geography, professional opportunities, or personal relationships.  Following where He leads can bring many challenges, not the least of which is the agony of stepping into the unknown or waiting for His perfect timing to fulfill His purposes.

But … we gain ALL the LORD longs to bestow on us: His Presence, His promises, His protection, and His provisions (that come from His storehouses that never run dry, that are in full agreement with His wise and eternal purposes that are never threatened or derailed or delayed).  We are forever secure in His embrace, in His redemption, and sustained by His abundant care.

Abraham and Sarah were both given new names, new identities (father and mother of many nations).  When we surrender to GOD, He makes us new.  Our new selves are positioned and equipped to grow into the people He always intended us to be.

We trust in a GOD of redemption.  He can take our worst choices and “make them pretty”. But that transformation doesn’t happen until we give up our own voice, our own choice, our own version of the story and turn to Him, unequivocally choosing His way, His plan, in His time.

With His help, we will do what GOD calls us to do.  We won’t know many of the details ahead of time, but we trust Him.  The wisest choice is GOD’s way.  It is foolish to hold onto our own plans – why would we do that?

.   .   .

The end of chapter 2 included deeply touching examples of prayers written by men and women who made the unconditional choice to follow CHRIST.  One of those prayers was written by Betty Scott Stam (1906-1934), who grew up in China, where her parents were missionaries and where she and her husband also served as newlywed missionaries and died as martyrs just weeks after the birth of their daughter (p 59).  

“LORD, I give up my own plans and purposes, all my own desires, hopes and ambitions, and I accept Thy will for my life.  I give up myself, my life, my all, utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever.  I hand over to Thy keeping all of my friendships; all the people whom I love are to take second place in my heart.  Fill me now and seal me with Thy Spirit.  Work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, for to me to live is Christ.  Amen.”

I will never forget sharing this prayer (nearly 30 years ago) with my Sunday School class of middle and high school girls.  One of those girls copied Betty’s words into her Bible.  I knew she meant them as her own prayer of devotion to the LORD.  

GOD hasn’t call her to a mission field across the world or asked her to give her life as a martyr for proclaiming faith in CHRIST.  But the life He has called her to live has brought many heart-wrenching challenges, including raising her young daughter as a single mom.  

This sweet soul has never wavered from loving the LORD and serving Him faithfully, regardless of personal cost.  Her love for Him radiates from a life of obedience and trust and her daughter’s face beams with the joy of knowing GOD’s love extended to her through a mother’s heart.  I have no doubt He is honored by her choice to leave her life in His hands, to follow Him, at any cost.

.   .   .

Nancy Wolgemuth closed chapter 2 with these words of challenge and encouragement (p 63):

“If we overlook or reject the calling [to be slaves of JESUS CHRIST], we forfeit one of life’s greatest privileges and our only means to true freedom.”

May the LORD open our hearts to fully embrace the freedom He offers us through the doorway of unconditional surrender!

Not what I will, but Your will be done. (Mark 14:36)