Elijah: A Man Surrendered to Godنموونە

Being God’s Man

Before Elijah ever came on the scene, he laid down his desires to be his own man and decided to be God’s man. It was the foundation of his usefulness. And it will be the foundation of ours as well. The truth is, you can never be God’s man unless you are a surrendered man because you can’t be your man and God’s man at the same time.

This is what we often miss. We miss the truth that life with Jesus is one of continual surrender. It is about dying daily (1 Cor. 15:31). The gospel teaches us that there is no resurrection without death. So, as we die daily and surrender our life to the Lord, then, and only then, will we experience the resurrection life of Jesus and the power of His Spirit.

But let’s be clear: Surrender is not just a prayer. Surrender is a work of God’s Spirit. Surrender is also a spiritual discipline. It is not just a disposition of the heart; it is an act of the will. It is the discipline of continually surrendering every area of our life to him. Every area. Take your finances, for example. I love to challenge men to give financially. Not only because I know that God blesses it and because God has used it in my life as much as anything, but because it is one of the most basic yet profound acts of surrender. It’s one thing to surrender our lives, but it’s another thing to surrender our money. Surrender says, “My money is not mine, it’s the Lord’s.” If you are not giving sacrificially and consistently, you are not a surrendered man.

And although this type of complete surrender sounds difficult, it is actually the starting place of true joy. There is incredible freedom in totally entrusting your life to the One who created you, knows you best, loves you most, and has plans for you that you could never imagine. Everything you long for comes from the life of the Spirit in you. And that life only comes to those who are surrendered. If you want to be the man for the day, you must first be God’s man. And being God’s man is about surrendering your life, over and over again, to Him.

Thank You for Reading!

This plan was adapted from The Man for the Day by J. Josh Smith. Click here to learn more or purchase your copy.