James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Submit:
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers 1990 defines it as to be under obedience, to obey, (be, make) subject (to, unto), assign to a certain position, appoint, determine, ordain and set, to surrender and submit self. (Strong’s 5293 and 5226)
The Thorndike Barnhart Comprehensive Desk Dictionary (1950) defines it: yield to the power, control, or authority of another or others; surrender; yield and refer to the consideration or judgment of another or others.
Last week, someone called and asked for help with something. Ron was all for it……he always is and he is amazing! I was arguing with the Lord inside me….not speaking out loud, but nevertheless resisting what I knew He wanted me to do. I was tired and just didn’t feel like doing anything but sit in my chair and crochet. Then…still, small voice, “Will you do it for Me?” My heart melted and I told Him that yes, I would do it for Him. As it turned out, we weren’t needed after all. He sees our hearts….all the deepest places.
Why is submission so important? It crucifies “self” when we put other’s needs ahead of ours. I thought I had grown up all the way in that area, but saw I really haven’t. This test of sorts came after a great week of ministering at work.
I have begun saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Amen.” as I step into the Community College where I work as a reminder to me and anything lurking in that place that the King of Kings is there. I submit to Holy Spirit and allow Him to flow through me to minister to the many people that I serve there in the snack bar. One particular day, I was praying for several people in the back. It was awesome! God is so good! That day, I had worked two hours more than normal and I was beat when I got home.
My husband has a saying, “If you get squeezed and good comes out, praise God! If you get squeezed and bad comes out, praise God!”
I had been talking with the Lord days prior about being available to Him for others at any time and in any place and I discovered that I still need to submit even my thoughts to Him. Even though I didn’t speak my whining out loud, it was still in there. I asked myself, “So do you really, really mean it when you tell the Lord any time and any place?” I want to mean it. I want all the old Dawn dead and gone. None of this walk in Him is about me. There are so very many people that He wants to touch through me and you. Lord, help us to die to self that we may fulfill Your love to others through us.
Submission to Him is crucial if you want Him to work through you. When we submit to Him, we are showing our trust in Him.
After that incident as I was apologizing to my Beloved, I thought of Him and how He submitted all of Himself for me, for us when He was praying in the garden of Gethsemane.
Mark 14:32-36 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.” He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”
Submit: yield to the power, control, or authority of another or others; surrender; obey and submit self.
Lord, today I submit to You….my thoughts, my actions, my plans, and my hopes. Amen.
