The Heart Of Surrender

Wednesday, July 1

2 Chronicles 14:11-12 (NIV)

“And Asa cried to the LORD his God, “O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” So the LORD defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopians fled.”

Devotion

"And Asa cried unto the Lord his God."

Before Asa looked to his army, his own strength, or his own wisdom, he cried unto the Lord. Asa acknowledged his weakness and sought God first. He showed that his dependence was on the Lord rather than on himself. In the same way, when we face battles or simply walk through this life, we too must surrender, cry out to God, and seek His face daily. Our hearts should desire to bring glory to God rather than glory to ourselves. The heart that seeks God is the heart that finds Him.

"Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power."

Here, Asa acknowledged his weakness, but he pointed to God's strength alone. He understood that victory was never determined by the size of the army, but by the great strength of God. Whether they had many or had no power at all, God was able.

"...for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude."

This is the heart of surrender. Asa did not trust in himself; he rested in the Lord and then, in faith, moved forward in obedience. Surrender is placing full dependence on God while continuing to walk in obedience to Him. Our hearts should desire His Kingdom, and His will to be done above our own plans, desires, and ambitions.

A surrendered heart is fully devoted to the Lord. It relies on Him, trusts in Him, seeks Him daily, and recognizes that God alone is our source. Whether we are in seasons of joy or hardship, we can remain confident because our confidence is not in ourselves, but in God.

King Solomon is an example of someone who started well but slowly drifted away. God blessed Solomon with wisdom and wealth, yet those blessings could not keep his heart if he chose not to remain fully surrendered to the Lord. Solomon did not wake up one day worshipping idols. His heart drifted little by little. He disobeyed God's commands by taking foreign wives, and eventually, "his wives turned away his heart after other gods." Idolatry was not where Solomon's downfall began—it was where it ended. The root of the problem was a heart that was no longer fully surrendered to God.

We can learn from Asa's dependence upon God and from Solomon's warning. Every day, we have the opportunity to posture our hearts before the Lord and choose surrender over compromise. Tomorrow is not promised. Today isn't even promised. There is no better time than now to surrender our hearts completely to the Lord and depend on Him in every area of our lives.

There is Victory in Surrender.

"So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled." (2 Chronicles 14:12)

Asa's heart was fully dependent on the Lord, and because he trusted God rather than himself, the Lord fought for Judah and gave them the victory. Every day, we must choose who our hearts will rest in and remain confident, not in ourselves, but in God alone. In Him, there is victory when we surrender.

Today's Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You that You are our strength when we are weak. Teach us to surrender every part of our hearts to You and to rely on You instead of ourselves. Guard us from compromise, help us to seek You daily, and give us the faith to trust You in every battle. May our lives bring You glory as we walk in obedience and rest in Your unfailing power. In the Name of Jesus, we pray. Amen. 

Apply It Today

Take a few moments today to honestly examine your heart. Ask the Lord to reveal any area of compromise, self-reliance, or divided devotion. Surrender it to Him, and choose to trust Him fully, knowing that a surrendered heart is a heart He can lead and strengthen. 

Resources

• No matter what you're facing, God is watching over every step. Take a few moments to watch "The Lord is My Doorkeeper" and be reminded that the Lord is faithful to guide, protect, and provide.
• New Music Alert! Don't miss "The Well," the latest release from Free Chapel Music! Listen today and be refreshed as you worship the Lord.