The Path to staying upright
Let’s be frank. Submission for many of us is not our strong suit.
The thought of submitting connotes giving up, giving in, or laying something down we’d rather not and to the human nature that smacks of defeat.
But submitting to God is a win-win move. Stowell Theodore of Kingdom Covenant Ministries framed it like this: “Submitting [to God] is work; but the reward is abundant blessings now and in eternity.”
Eager to see us thrive, God invites us to submit to His Spirit “and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). This posture shields us from being overpowered by the temptations that separate us from God and weaken our witness as the light of the world. God also promises to give us the desires of our heart when we submit to Him. “No good gift will he withhold from them that walk uprightly before him” (Psalm 84:11). To walk upright with God happens when we bow our heart and will to His. As we do this, God promises to make our path straight and remove obstacles that block our way (Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP).
The dictionary defines submission as “to accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person.”
So how do we submit to God? Start with these steps:
- Salvation – The starting point of surrender to God is accepting Him as Lord of your life.
- Obedience to God – “If you love me keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
- Seek God – “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). God is revealed in his word.
- Become His reflection in the world – “Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good work and glory your Father in Heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
- Give God authority over every area in your life – “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny himself daily, take up his cross and follow after me… (Matthew 16:24-25).
- Have faith in God – Without faith it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). You can trust Him. He knows the end from the beginning.
Submission is a lifelong process that relies on the help of the Holy Spirit daily. So pray continually, “Lord put me in that place where my heart is upright before you.” Amen.
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CHAYIL glory is the all-powerful, great glory of God manifested in and through his believers in the earth. The CHAYIL GLORY blog is published every Monday with insights to understand and apply God’s perspective to everyday life.
