The only thing that stands between me and obedience to the Father is my will. Jesus cleanses me from sin in the New Birth. Then my soul and body must be submitted to the Lordship of Jesus through the Word.
My body has been trained to yield to certain appetites and desires that if partaken of after the New Birth, will break my fellowship with my great Father God. My body must be controlled.
My mind has been filled with ideas and beliefs that are contrary to the plan and purpose of the Father. My mind must be renewed. My emotions have been trained to yield to my carnal and selfish appetites. My emotions must be submitted to my born again human spirit.
And my human will has been accustomed to yielding to the call of my body and of my unrenewed mind. My unharnessed will must be submitted daily to Jesus and His Lordship.
Jesus addresses the will of the believer in every Gospel, appealing to us to yield ourselves willingly to God and His plans. Listen to His strong appeals:
Don't think I've come to make life cozy. I've come to cut — make a sharp knife-cut between son and father, daughter and mother, bride and mother-in-law — cut through these cozy domestic arrangements and free you for God. Well-meaning family members can be your worst enemies. If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me. "If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me (Matthew 10:34-39 – The Message).
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it (Matthew 16:24-25 NLT).
If anyone wants to follow in my footsteps, he must give up all right to himself, take up his cross and follow me (Mark 8:34 – Phillips Translation).
Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters — yes, even one's own self! — can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple …Simply put, if you're not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can't be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27, 33 – The Message).
All of us must be willing to yield our thoughts, plans, and ideas to the Word of God and to Jesus the living Word! If we fail to do this, we will miss God’s highest and best and open an avenue for Satan to work in our lives. Tomorrow I will give you an illustration of this in the life of King Saul.
Take time today to recommit your will to Him who loved you and gave Himself completely for you. A yielded will creates a life filled with God’s best!
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