submission

We hear the word and we cringe.

It evokes feelings of loss of control, being weak, giving up or giving in.

Poor thing, it has a bad rep.

But truth be told, it’s the road to redemption, the pathway to freedom, the lane to liberty.

[bctt tweet=”Truth be told, it’s the road to redemption, the pathway to freedom, the lane to liberty: SUBMISSION”]

We dove into this topic with Part I of this series The Way Of The Master. You can read that by CLICKING HERE. So here I’m picking up where I left off with the HOW. I am a person that is open to learning. But I need to know HOW to do what you’re suggesting. So here’s my take on how we can submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ.

Humble Crucifixion

In order to submit, we have to acknowledge that our way isn’t the only way. We have to acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers. Our minds tend to think we know a lot and pretty much have it together.

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God;

it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

Romans 8:7-8

But true humility knows and recognizes that we have nothing and are nothing apart from God. And as a Believer, my life is not my own anyway because I was bought at a price so I ought to just take up cross and follow Him. When we humble ourselves, He exalts us in due time. When we submit to one another, we demonstrate the love of Christ and He is glorified.

[bctt tweet=”True humility knows and recognizes that we have nothing and are nothing apart from God.”]

Consider The Source

Recognize the authority, HIS authority in your life. When you respect a person and consider them credible, you listen to them and take their advice. My former co-worker, Mrs. Delia, patiently, lovingly spoke into my life. I considered her credible as an authority on parenting as she had successfully raised several children. I knew her to be a credible source of information on marriage as she had navigated the highs and lows of married after having been wed to her beau for nearly 50 years. And I also listened as she shared the gospel of Jesus Christ. Her love for the Lord was evident in her love, patience and compassion for others, including myself. She truly modeled Christ’s love and when I was ready to taste and see, it was she who walked Roman’s Road with me. She indeed was a credible source to whom I listened and acted on her advice.

Consider your standing with Jesus and His track record. A ruler divine from the beginning of time. All knowing, all-powerful and everywhere all at the same time. He kept you from disease when you were promiscuous. He kept you from hurting yourself or others when you thought you could take no more. He kept you alive when you were driving in unsafe conditions. He answered your prayers for salvation, healing, provision and protection.

I would say He’s more than credible.

Have Ears To Hear

Since we’ve already established that we don’t know everything, we don’t have all the answer and there is ONE who is credible that does, let us hear what He has to say. Hearing from God requires us to be still, minimizing internal and external distractions.

Be Quick To Obey

I tell my children, “Delayed obedience is disobedience. Slow Obey = No Obey.” Then the Lord gently reminded me that I had to take my own words to heart. As a journalism student I was taught to always gather the 5 W’s & the H. And I try to execute that same strategy with God…It doesn’t work that way friends.

We are not only to be hearers but doers of the Word. And that doesn’t mean DO only after you have all the answers. Besides, you’ll never have all the info upfront so get to moving. When you plan a vacation a year or more in advance, do you have every bit of information upfront? Do you know the exact weather forecast for the second day of your trip? Do you know exactly what you’ll eat on the 4^th day? Do you know who will fly your airplane? NO! But you book your flight, your hotel, and your ground transportation and may even buy new clothes not knowing exactly what’s to come. So why do we demand so many answers from our Heavenly Father who knows all, sees all and loves us with an ALL-consuming love? Mmm…

Let’s learn to trust and obey friends. Here’s a little nugget on obedience.

If you’ve turned over the reins and Christ is guiding your steps, kudos friend. I’m praying for your continued obedience to take Him at His word. For those on the fence, what’s standing in the way of your total submission to Christ? Let me know so I can pray for you.

Submission is not actually the dirty little word after all but a means of experiencing Christ in a deep, meaningful, transformative way.

Take a knee and submit today.

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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Happy to connect with friends spreading the Good News #DanceWithJesus, Grace & Truth

A lone man methodically hanging laundry.

Unassuming yet powerful.

Those around him know there is something more beneath that quiet demeanor, something special, something deeper. After a personal attack, his true identity becomes known. A legend turns real. He is a master, the master. A young man falls at his feet in total surrender asking to be his pupil. He says to the teacher, “If you desire master, be my teacher.”

The scene is one from a movie called Ip Man II about the trials of a martial arts instructor. How striking it was to observe this student readily fall at the feet of this respected teacher in total submission. To come under this master’s authority, the pupil would receive guidance, training and instruction and the pupil had absolute faith that the master would deliver skills needed for survival.

It would behoove us to take a lesson from the student in this movie. Oh that we would be quick to fall at the feet of Jesus in total submission. Friends, that we would be QUICK to obey the Lord. As we fall, let us surrender our will and prepare our hearts to receive instruction from him. When the young man fell at the Sensei’s feet, he wanted a piece of the master. He wanted to learn how to be disciplined like him, how to fight like him, how to be like him. And as Christ followers, we to ought to want to look like, walk like and talk like Jesus.

A disciple is not above his teacher,

but everyone who is fully trained

will be like his teacher.

Luke 6:40

Likewise we must bring ourselves under the subjection of our Master. As I was working on last week’s post on discipline, it got me thinking about people we view as disciplined and martial artists came to mind. You can read that post by CLICKING HERE. In addition to being disciplined we view martial artists as obedient. The master is held in great esteem for his knowledge, skill and ability. The master is often seen as having quiet courage, gentle fierceness and absolute discipline and self-control.

Doesn’t our own Master possess all these qualities and then some?

Is Jesus not all knowing, all-powerful and everywhere all at the same time?

Is HE not the bravest of the brave?

Is HE not the sacrificial Lamb and the Lion of the Tribe of Judah?

Is HE not one who always does the right thing at the right time?

Submit to God and be at peace with him;

in this way prosperity will come to you.

Accept instruction from his mouth

and lay up his words in your heart.

Job 22:21-22

We obey our bosses, law enforcement officers, coaches, and doctors. We would do well to have at least that same level of obedience to Christ, submitting to Him wholly, without reservation. How many of you have received a prescription from a doctor, taken it to the pharmacy, paid your hard earned money and taken the pill all without asking the doctor any questions, without seeking alternative treatments, without researching the medicine or even reading the literature that comes with the medicine?

Yet our flesh screams in opposition to fully submitting and obeying Christ. Even now you might be mad at me and ready to close this post. Our flesh, the carnal man, the SELF that needs to be tamed is always at enmity with God, but praise Him that greater is He that is within YOU! The spirit at work in you enables you to submit to Christ’s authority in your life. If you are a kingdom citizen you come under the subjection of your ruler, Christ and you are expected to adhere to His commands. And Jesus himself showed you that even He submitted, doing the will of Him who sent Him. When you gave your life to Christ, you surrendered your rights.

I have been crucified with Christ;

it is no longer I who live,

but Christ lives in me;

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me

and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

Many see submission as:

Bondage

Prison

Suffocating

Submission IS:

Freeing

Liberating

Security

Protection

And submitting to Him, as scary, daunting and crazy as it may seem, is a sure way to be led in paths of righteousness for His namesake. It is a surefire way to have goodness and mercy following you all the days of your life. Submitting to Him is a mark of a true disciple.

Stick with me on this journey because I have a feeling we’ll need to dig deeper in this topic as we fall in total submission, following the way of the Master.

I know…this can be a tough one. Let us pray.

Lord you be high and lifted up above all the earth. Father I thank you. You are good and your mercy endures forever. You are faithful and communicate your love to us time and time again. Without you God we are nothing so I thank you for your promise to never leave nor forsake us. Only You can create in us a clean heart and a right spirit and that is what we need in order to fully submit to your Lordship. Without your guidance and leadership we are as sheep without a shepherd. But praise be that you are the Good Shepherd. Let us be obedient sheep that know, hear and follow your voice as you lead is in THE WAY everlasting.

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

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Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Purposeful Faith

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