Surrendering to the Lordship of Christ

SURRENDER IS THE KEY!

Last week, I read a book by Joni Lamb entitled Surrender All (ISBN #978-1-4000-7375-7). While I sometimes find it hard to finish many books, because of the authors failure to draw me in, I must tell you that Surrender All is one that kept me interested from the first page... all the way to the last. The Holy Spirit is so evident throughout each paragraph as Joni shares so many testimonies where, either she, or, some of her closest friends have surrendered EVERYTHING at various crossroads of their lives, only to see God miraculously reveal His unfolding "good plans" - plans that far exceeded their human expectations.

Surrender All actually moved me to tears as I rejoiced with Joni's personal account of each story and how God's love brought each person from either heartache, pain, or indecision to a place of glorious VICTORY! As I read example after example of how each "breakthrough became a reality" - totally changing the course of each life mentioned - I was encouraged to surrender more of my life... even those parts of my life that may seem insignificant.

I really think "surrender" is the key that unlocks the door to the working of God's Word. So many times I've witnessed Christian's who try to manipulate God through crafty prayer and fearful denial, all in an effort to try and force God's will. While I do believe that we should "stand" on God's promises in the face of adversity (Ephesians 6:13), I also believe that our "standing on God's Word" should be done with a pure heart of humility that is willing to accept God's pathway to wholeness - regardless of our preference. (Have you ever noticed that God rarely unfolds things in our time... or in our way?)

Psalm 37:5 -

"Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

The Lord is good and it is His good pleasure to bless His children (Luke 12:32). Our response to His love should be that of "trust". When we fully trust someone, we have no need to manipulate them; instead, we should rest in their desire to act toward our best interest. God's Word promises us that He will bring those things to pass that we deeply hope for. Not the selfish things of this world, rather: the hidden treasures of our hearts, our destiny, the purpose of our existence, the wholeness of our families, and the salvation of our souls. Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17), so there is no need to fret over the haunting "what ifs"; those strongholds (thoughts) that try to persuade us to control our situation... instead of relinquishing everything to God.

Learning to surrender requires a "leap of faith"; one that is anchored in the knowledge of God's character. We cannot expect to know God's character unless we are, first, willing to spend time reading His Word. In addition, we must be willing to fellowship with His people by going to church regularly and we must communicate with Him on a daily basis through a prayer life that is more eager to "listen" than it is to "speak".

Time and time again, scripture reveals how God moved when His servants were obedient to His "rhema word" of instruction concerning the dilemma of their moment. I'm talking about a "NOW" word; a word that is specifically for us at our moment of crisis. The Lord does not want us to live on yesterday's word or off of someone else's word; rather, He wants us to follow His leading - step by step - as we walk through unknown doors of "choice". While He does give us a free will to choose any door of life that seems good at the time, He also tells us - in His Word - that He is knocking on the door of life (Revelation 3:20), encouraging us to choose the path of surrender that He has prepared for us. This is the best path. This is the path to victory.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 -

"I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

One of my favorite scriptures is Deuteronomy 30:19-20. This verse really sums up the Christian journey as God prescribes the pathway to victory according to His perfect will. As we "choose" to follow after peace by "surrendering" our will, to His, the heavens open up, as the natural is overcome by the supernatural. The glorious wonders of the Kingdom of God are made manifest as we stand in awe at the evidence of our breakthrough. As darkness gives way to light and our breakthrough becomes a reality, God's glory is revealed. This is where our tests become our testimonies. This is where our faith becomes substance (Hebrews 11:1).

SURRENDERING ALL is the secret ingredient of the soul that gives FUEL TO OUR FAITH. While "surrendering our will to His" is in direct contrast to our fleshly nature, it is the only sure way to walk in the spirit. We are told that true worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). As our spirit surrenders to His, He ushers us into His perfect will; a place of wholeness and victory. While He probably won't allow our breakthroughs to manifest on our timetable, I can assure you that He will not be too late. His timing and His way is always perfect. He is continually standing with open arms, inviting us to leap into His bosom.

What do YOU need to surrender, today? I pray that you will be able to free-fall into the arms of Jesus, as you "truly" trust Him with every aspect of your life. He will not disappoint you. Trust Him, today, with whatever it is that has caused you pain, unforgiveness, hardship, grief, or emptiness. He wants to take that part of your life and exchange it for His victory, His blessings, His comfort, and His wholeness.

Psalm 9:10 - "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee."

May you have a blessed day today knowing that God is for you.

I am praying for you!

In Christ,

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries

Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women

www.DeborahRossMinistries.org

I love hearing from you!

Hebrews 11:6 -

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Bible Study: Help for those who are suicidal...

SUICIDE
is NOT... the answer!

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

STOP! Those negative voices in your head are NOT from God! They are not the words of Jesus! They most certainly DO NOT communicate instructions from the Holy Spirit! And... those nagging oppressive voices are not even thoughts of your own!

The DEVIL is the one who comes to STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY (John 10:10). His tactics are to first get you offended. Then, he wants you to harbor unforgiveness, vengeance, or even severe depression. Finally, he sends hordes of demons to squat on your shoulders and chant your demise. And those nights of no sleep? Well, that's all part of his evil ploy; using solitude for the purpose of replaying your injury(s) over and over and over again. His imaginative movies in your mind always invent "what ifs" that far exceed the original crime against you. The devil will stop at nothing. In fact, he finds it quite amusing when you accept these haunting, hellish words of discouragement as if they were your own - and even worse, he would love to make you think these perverted suggestions are coming from God.

John 10:10

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

Focus on the second part of the scripture above which says it is Jesus who comes to give you life... AND GIVE YOU LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY! This promise is not only for the life to come (heaven), but also pertains to the life you currently live in this world (Mark 10:30 & Luke 18:30). God promises you that He is for you and not against you (Romans 8:31). Your Heavenly Father loves you and wants to turn things around for your good. He wants to work a miracle in your life. It grieves Him to be rendered unable to help you - because of your unforgiveness, doubt and unbelief. You see, fear and faith cannot co-exist. You must decide NOW to hold onto faith in God's Word while diligently seeking to drive away all fear and doubt. This may be a tough battle, but not one that is too hard for God.

Let's look at scripture to see what Jesus did with demons. Did He offer them a sedative? Did He counsel them? Did He ignore them? NO! He cast them out!!!

Matthew 8:16

"When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:"

Friend, a medicated demon is still a demon. You can't get rid of those voices with drugs, alcohol, sex, shopping, gambling, pornography, or any other vice. These voices must be driven out - even cast out. (I fear that Americans are quickly becoming pharmaceutical junkies; always looking for a medicine to mask the pain, but not necessarily seeking the cure... Jesus the healer. Has anyone besides me noticed that many of the people who commit suicide are actually taking medications? Or, does anyone besides me ever hear the potential side effects from advertised drugs?) God wants to get to the "root" of your problem. He does not put bandaids on people - he heals them!

Scripture says we are to take "thoughts" captive. This means we should "catch" every negative thought and toss it out. Then, we are to replace that thought with a promise from God's Word that is the exact opposite of the thought that was sent to destroy you.

I know, for some of you these bad thoughts are coming at you faster than the speed of light. You are exhausted and you feel as though you don't have the ability to take these pounding messages captive. I've been there and I know - first hand - how you feel. But friend, you CAN conquer this hellish onslaught in your head!

First, however, you must make up your mind that you are "more than a conqueror" through the power of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:37). You must accept the fact that God loves you and has good plans for you... ON EARTH. You must FORGIVE all of those who have offended you - perhaps even God! (Remember, forgiving requires forgetting. If you reserve the right to relive your anger, you have not forgiven.) Above all, you need to be a born-again child of God who craves His every Word.

Forgiveness is a process. It may take months or even years to drive the bitterness out of your heart and mind, but as you lean upon every Word of the Lord, you will prevail. I believe sometimes we need to cry out loud (really loud) in prayer; speaking God's Word as we purge the poisonous venom of unforgiveness. This may need to be done daily or perhaps many times a day - until you are completely healed. My friend, once you are clean from your mental anguish, it will be as if your were never hurt. God has a way of making tomorrow a new day - a new beginning!

Lamentations 3:22-23

"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

During these tough economical times, many of you are suffering financially. These troubles can also affect your marriage. Then, a marriage on the rocks affects the children. The next thing you know, everything is upside down.

Or perhaps, you have had a horrible childhood. Perhaps you were abused.

Some of you have been assaulted by strangers. Out of nowhere, your life was invaded by a horrendous event or series of events that have left you feeling despondent about any sort of future joy.

Joel 2:25

"And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm..."

DON'T LET THE DEVIL WIN! God wants to restore what the canker worm and the locust have eaten! He can restore your finances - even in the midst of a troubled economy. He can put your marriage back together - even if it appears it is over. He can give you back your joy. And He can calm your children. If He doesn't do any of this in your timing or in your way, I can guarantee you that He will do EXCEEDINGLY, ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL YOU COULD ASK OR THINK (Ephesians 3:20)! He is a good God and He gives good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11 & Luke 11:13)! Your job... trust Him; for He is not a man that He should lie (Numbers 23:19 & 1 Samuel 15:29).

So friend, don't play God. Don't accept any thoughts that encourage you to take your life into your own hands. God has put you here - on this earth - for such a time as this (Esther4:14). Who knows what your future holds? You could wind up being the most influential person (besides Jesus) to ever walk this dusty earth. God can take your testimony of overcoming life's trials to encourage millions. You might be broke today, and be a millionaire tomorrow. You might be miserably single this year and happily married next year. That heart of despair can instantly change into a heart of joy.

Trials don't last forever. There "is" a light at the end of your tunnel - and it is NOT a train! It's the light of Jesus! He is standing with open arms, radiating God's glory as he says, "Well done thou good and faithful servant (Matthew 25:21 & 23)."

Think of it this way: a month, a year, or even many years of suffering is but a "small" fragment of your life - compared to a seventy, eighty or even hundred year life span. Also consider how that space of earthly suffering will seem so insignificant, compared to the eternal rewards of knowing you "passed the test" of earthly hardships for the glory of God:

YOU OVERCAME!

YOU SURVIVED!

YOU CAME OUT!

YOU LIVED, LAUGHED, AND LOVED!

(Revelation 12:11)

Now, find yourself a Holy Ghost filled church that speaks LIFE, surround yourself with honest friends who know Jesus intimately, and pull down those strongholds in your mind that are contrary to that of a Christian.

Jesus loves you... and so do I!

PS - Don't stop taking your medication unless the Lord tells you to. He is the one who knows what is best for you! Seek Him and Him alone; but don't assume that His only way of healing you is through medications. His Word is powerful!

Romans 12:2

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

2 Corinthians 10:5

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; ..."

Yours In Christ,

Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries
http://www.deborahrossministries.org/

For His Holy Name's Sake...not yours

(This study is based upon Ezekiel 36 and 37.)

Have you ever thought that you, your spouse, or your children had committed some sin(s) that would cause God to refrain from blessing your family? While it is true that the consequences of our lives most often reflect the sum total of the decisions we have made, this doesn't mean there is no hope for a fresh, new start, with Christ... no matter how broken the road of life may seem.
The Lord wants to restore the joy of our salvation!

The only requirements are...
That we repent from our wrong doings. (Repent means 'to change'.)
Then, we place all of our hope in the promises of God's Word.

Like Abraham, we are seen as righteous in the Lord's eyes WHEN WE BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL DO WHAT HE SAYS HE WILL DO - not because we deserve it, but because He is faithful!

Like many of you, my life has had certain twists and turns resulting from poor choices made by either me or my spouse. Then again... some of my life's pitfalls were simply the result of pro-longed situations and circumstances that I had no control over. I too, was once in a place where doubt and unbelief threatened my heart with lies that better days would never come. As fear chanted, "Doom, gloom, and despair", it would have been easy to rationalize God disqualifying me (or our family) from any sort of deliverance. The enemy of my soul would certainly want me to think we were unsuited for any sort of future blessings from God.

Praise the Lord for His mercy and grace! Praise God for second chances! Praise Him for His promises!

I'm thinking of an 'aha' moment with the Lord from Ezekiel 36:22. It is here that God's Word refreshed my soul - once wearied from what seemed to be a never ending fiery trial - giving me hope for a bright future:

"Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went."

Hallelujah! God wants to sanctify us in the eyes of the world (the heathen) as we confess our wrong doing, repent, and then trust Him for divine protection from shame and defeat. His Word declares He will sprinkle 'clean water' upon us, making us clean from all of our filthiness (Ezekiel 36:25). He says He will do this for His name's sake and not because we deserve it. To me, that's refreshingly GOOD NEWS. That's news that I can completely put my hope and faith in.

Has someone wronged you in such a way that bitterness and oppression have 'dirtied' the very core of your soul? Maybe you or your spouse have made poor choices, resulting in consequences that have put you into a 'dirty' deep ditch; one so deep that it seams there is no way you'll ever be able to recover. Or, perhaps someone in your family (you, your spouse, or your child) just became born-again after a long history of sinful 'and dirty' behavior; now, you are having a hard time believing that God wants to restore the physical realm in addition to the spiritual realm.

Though you want to believe for God's best, the enemy of your soul threatens to lock you into the curse by saying...

"You've gone too far. God may allow you into heaven, but He'll never allow you to live in the blessings of this present life. You are dirty - forever marked with a curse."

The devil is a LIAR!

God says He'll not only give those who cry out to Him (those with sincere remorse over their sinful behavior) a new heart and new desires, but He will also restore their lives - not because they deserve it, but for His name's sake! God will take you from a life of desolation to a life that flourishes like the garden of Eden (Ezekiel 36:35)!

Be encouraged today knowing that God wants to take the dry bones of your life - the most hopeless and dead dream you may have - and breathe life back into it (Ezekiel 37:5). He wants to raise you up with life abundantly and joy unspeakable.

Like Ezekiel, 'I' prophesy to YOUR dry bones...

"God will put His spirit in you and you shall live! You will have peace in your own land and you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of despair and hopelessness. Only trust Him with a cleansed heart of FAITH... faith that believes God's Word... and faith that trusts in God's love."

My friend, the Lord loves you, your spouse, and your children! He has good plans for you. There is always a bright future for those who place their faith in the Word of the Lord; for He is good and His mercy endures forever.

Life is never hopeless with Christ Jesus. He is our hope. He is our peace. He is our future.

If you are a child of the King, He will deliver you - for His names sake... not yours. Trust Him today and praise Him in advance for His goodness.

"And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it, saith the Lord." - Ezekiel 37:13-14



In Christ,
Deborah Ross

Deborah Ross Ministries
Strengthening Families & Encouraging Women
www.DeborahRossMinistries.org