And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 ESV
In 480 B.C. a state of war exists between Persia, led by King Xerxes, and Greece. At the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas, king of the Greek city-state of Sparta, leads his badly outnumbered warriors against the massive Persian army. Though certain death awaits the Spartans, their sacrifice inspires all of Greece to unite against their common enemy. 300 Spartans fought against tens of thousands of Persian soldiers. Though they were given an opportunity to surrender, the Spartans fought the Persians to death. Their bravery has been celebrated through the years and was the subject of a movie released in 2006.
In 2 Timothy 1:7, we are reminded that God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Fear pulls us away from God and causes panic in our lives. No matter the challenges we face, the Bible reminds us to face those challenges with faith and not fear. God wants us to be bold in our conviction that “we are more than conquerors in and through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37). Therefore, we should never surrender as we struggle against spiritual powers and principalities throughout our Christian journey.
The only time a believer should surrender is to the will of God. Even when our weaknesses are greater than our strengths, we should live with the confidence that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). God has given us power and authority to defeat enemies seen and unseen. Therefore, we should not surrender to anything or anyone who is trying to conquer us.
At times, we may feel as if we do not have the strength to keep fighting. The enemy may even tempt us to surrender to our addictions as if we do not have the courage to overcome them. This is when we should remember what the Lord says in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
Therefore, let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Do not surrender your joy because of sadness. In times of financial crisis, do not surrender your integrity for financial gain. Ask the Lord to renew the joy of your salvation so you do not surrender your Christian zeal for worldly pleasure.
The best way to safeguard our spiritual sanity in this world of darkness is by surrendering our minds, bodies, and spirits to the Lord. We must surrender all of ourselves to God so the enemy will not be able to control any part of us. The anthem of our souls should be:
All to Jesus I surrender All to Him I freely give I will never love and trust Him In His presence daily live
Questions for Personal Reflection
What should you do when you are tempted to surrender to the enemy?
What is the difference between surrendering to God and surrendering to the enemy?
Prayer- Blessed Lord, I thank you for not giving me the spirit of fear and timidity. Please remind me of the victory I have in Christ Jesus when I am tempted to surrender. May your Holy Spirit help me to be surrendered to your will so I will not surrender to the devil and His lies. Amen