In this episode, we examine the importance of surrendering our all to Yah without doubt or questioning, which leads to full obedience.
Be sure to download the companion journal for this video from the link below:
My 12-Week Journal
Week 07#: Surrendering to Yah
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Before you can be ready to live out your purpose, you have to be fully surrendered to Yah, his son, and the guidance of the Ruach. This is a step that cannot be bypassed, because everything you do, say, think, and even feel will hinge on your complete surrender to the Elohim. That is where full obedience comes from. One cannot be fully obedient to Elohim without being fully surrendered to Elohim. In Hebrew, a singular noun is usually made plural by adding a Yod and Mem or “YM” at the end, thus malak, which means “messenger” becomes malakim (or malakiym) meaning “messengers.” In the singular, El or Eloah refers to the “mighty one,” but Elohim (or Elohiym) refers to “mighty ones.” In the Elohim, therefore, a family is present and at work, and we see that from the very first book of Genesis, where the Ruach is hovering over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2), and the Father says to his son, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness (Genesis 1:26).”
The final goal of the plan of redemption is to have us join this family as sons and daughters. The book of Psalms hints at this:
“I said, ‘You are Elohim, sons of the Most High, all of you.’ “
—Psalm 82:6
Before we can become sons and daughters of Yah, however, we must be servants to Elohim, seeing we are currently strangers and sojourners with Yah through sin.
“For you are strangers and sojourners with me.”
—Leviticus 25:23
“But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding.”
—1 Chronicles 29:14 – 15
In our modern vernacular, the word “surrender” carries negative connotations. It implies that one is a loser, or is weaker than some other force. Criminals surrender to the police. One army surrenders to another in war, a weaker or less able opponent will surrender to a stronger or more capable opponent in a given contest, and so forth and so on. Today, many teach and believe in the winning attitude, the idea of never giving up and never having to surrender. Victory is everything. To conquer a situation, overcome rivals, or win a challenge is more inviting than the idea of surrendering, submitting, being obedient, or yielding to anything. But the latter list is exactly what we must do in order to be fitted for Yah’s service. We must surrender ourselves to the Elohim: to the Father’s laws and ways, to Yeshua’s leadership and living example, and to the inner workings of the Ruach (or Spirit of Yah).
The idea of yielding or surrendering oneself completely to Elohim is hard to grasp for some, because there are so many factors in life that have control over us already. Employees must yield to their managers or bosses; students to teachers, professors, and school administrators; citizens to civil authorities; military personnel to commanding officers; debtors to their lenders; the list is virtually endless. Given all this, many people desire to hold onto the last vestige of authority left to them. Whatever control they can retain of their own lives they will cling to with their all. Surrendering completely to Yah would mean having no control of your own life whatsoever, but that is the point. That is the aspect of dying to self. Yeshua illustrated this point in a parable.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
—John 12:24
Only by dying to self, denying our own pleasures and longings, and living to love Yah and our neighbor as embodied in the two great commandments, will we truly bear abundant fruit. But living for ourselves will cause us to remain alone, bearing nothing, and this is considered lawlessness. In the next two verses of that chapter, Yeshua fleshes out his point by adding:
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
—John 12:25 – 26
To love any aspect of your life to the point where you are unable to surrender that aspect to Yah—be it in what you view, listen to, speak, eat, or where your feet take you and what your hands create—then you are forfeiting your life, and eternity will be lost to you. If, on the other hand, you decide to serve Yeshua (and again, the decision is entirely yours), and you make up your mind and heart to yield completely to him, surrendering your will to his will in the true sense of service and subordination, then your life will hold value. Yeshua will be able to place his yoke upon you, no different than a beast of burden, but his burden is light, as we discussed in week 3. And like any beast of burden, we have to be broken in, and made completely subordinate in order to be completely useful. What horse can be used to pull a wagon if it does not obey every command? What ox can be used to plow a field if it stubbornly refuses to turn left or right when prompted? Full obedience means surrendering completely to the Elohim, and obedience is the second order of business when it comes to serving the Most High Yah, as it directly follows hearing him.
But that kind of obedience does not come with doubt or questioning. The ox doesn’t argue with its master, nor does the horse question a rider as to the direction he, or she, is told to turn. We don’t have to understand why Yah commands us to do something, or how his promises are to be fulfilled, or why he withheld something from us, or when a prophecy will come to pass, we must simply hear and obey Yah.
WEEK 7
Surrendering to Yah means yielding yourself completely to his will. This will be reflected even in your prayers. Rather than trying to force Yah’s hand by having a situation turn in your perceived favor, you will pray that he allow you to withstand the circumstance if his will calls for it, whatever that circumstance may be. When we desire that Yah’s cup be removed from us, like Yeshua, we must pray:
“… Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
—Mark 14:36
Sometimes his will is that we endure pain, suffering, hardship, isolation, or loss as part of a trial or test, or perhaps as a final step in letting go of an unwanted aspect of our worldly selves. It might even result from a punishment for a sin we committed, for it is written:
“I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity.”
—Isaiah 13:11
Over the next 6 weeks, I’m asking you to continue this journey with me; not a journey to figure out a career path, or how to busy yourself and fill your life with meaningless activities. In fact, we’ll be seeking to clear out the clutter and pare things down so you can focus on the most important aspect of your life: what it is Yah has truly called you to do in service to him.
Remember that our purpose, and our plans, must derive from Yah. This 12-week journey will involve listening to this message one week at a time, while applying its principles to your life. The 12 parts should not be binged in one go, otherwise it defeats the purpose of the journey. If you have already viewed the series one week at a time, then feel free to binge in another viewing.
THINGS TO DO OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT WEEK
First, listen to this message several times and review its various points.
Keep this in mind:
Unless I fully surrender to Elohim, my life cannot be used to bear fruit for the Kingdom.
Reflect on this verse of the week:
“Submit yourselves therefore to Elohim.”
—James 4:7
Ask yourself this question:
Will I let go of the desire to retain control of my life in any way and surrender all to Yah?
Keywords: life of value, the ruach, denying self, dying to self, you are Elohim, surrender, give in, give up, yield, submit, subordination, denying your own pleasure, my own pleasure, punish the world for its evil, let go control, bearing fruit for the kingdom, kingdom preppers, finding purpose, 12-week journey, searching for purpose, kingdom prepping, kp, scripture-study
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