Introduction
Living a productive Christian life requires one simple but profound step: submit your ways to the Lord, and He will straighten your path. Discover how surrendering to God’s will leads to steadfastness and a quickened spirit, enabling a faith-filled and successful life. Simple as it may sound and look, the consideration and application of this principle is difficult for most believers today. We live in a world where self-driven ambition and the pursuit of autonomy are highly valued. Everyone wants to control their destiny while eagerly anticipating what the future holds. Days are consumed by hard work, strict schedules, and demanding projects that drain our time and energy.
However, the key to true success lies in surrendering our plans to the Lord and allowing Him to guide us at every step. A new covenant believer’s life should be directed by God, who offers clarity and purpose beyond human comprehension.
Understanding Eternity
Surrendering to God requires an understanding of eternity. God alone knows the end from the beginning because He exists outside time as many people perceive or understand time. Unlike humans, who live within the constraints of minutes, hours, days, and years, God inhabits the eternal realm—Kairos moments—unbound by the linear progression of time. As Isaiah declares, God says, “I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
In Isaiah 57:15 God also declares that He is the “high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity”. These scriptures testify that God is not bound to our four-dimensional world, in which case, time being the fourth dimension, can constrain him. Understanding God’s eternal nature is key to surrendering to Him, as only He, unbound by time, knows the end from the beginning and orchestrates all things with divine purpose.
Believers have the privilege of knowing God through Christ, which grants access to eternity. As Jesus stated, “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Moreover, salvation positions us in Christ Jesus in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6) – implying that believers, like Christ live in eternity. With the Spirit of grace, we gain wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, empowering us to live with an eternal perspective.
God’s Plan for Mankind
Cultural traditions and human doctrines often conflict with the present truth of God’s Word. This truth is inspired by the person of the Holy Spirit who draws and instructs based on the patterns or ordinances that govern the heavens. In other words, the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). This scripture reveals that God has designed the Bible to equip you with divine instruction and correction, empowering you to gain strength and navigate your life in the right direction.
While many pray for God’s will to be done and His Kingdom to come, they resist when biblical principles conflict with personal values or goals. The principles and patterns of God, as revealed in the Bible, often stand in stark contrast to modern traditions, cultural norms, and human doctrines. For example, many people rely on financial consultants or gurus for advice, turn to astrology or horoscopes for life-changing decisions, or align themselves with current trends and influential figures to determine their path in life. However, such approaches overlook the fact that God, who is all-knowing and eternal, patiently waits for us to surrender to Him. Only then can He provide the divine blueprint to guide and direct us on the path we should follow.
God’s ultimate test for mankind is the ability to surrender to Him. The Father seeks devotion and intimacy with His children, and the most profound way to demonstrate this is through surrender. Unfortunately, many are too proud to fully yield to God. As 1 Peter 5:5 reminds us, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” He also dwells in the heavens but also resides with the humble and brokenhearted (Isaiah 57:15). These scriptures highlight the vital impact of brokenness and surrender that God desires to establish a relationship with believers in Christ. When we humble ourselves and surrender to Him, we gain access to eternal realms, where divine wisdom and instruction are revealed.
David understood this principle when he cried out, “Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.” His sacrifice—a broken and contrite spirit—was one that God would never despise (Psalms 51:11, 17). Brokenness and complete surrender are the clearest paths to capturing God’s attention. It is in this posture of humility that God reveals His guidance, divine plan, and preordained will for our lives.
Allowing God to Lead
Jeremiah’s response to the impending destruction of Jerusalem highlights the importance of surrender. He recognized that human lives are not their own and declared, “It is not for man to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). Similarly, Isaiah emphasized that God is the one who teaches and directs us in the way we should go (Isaiah 48:17). This principle is echoed in Proverbs, which teaches that when we submit our ways to the Lord, He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:6) and establish our plans (Proverbs 16:3).
Surrendering to God brings two vital strengths for success: steadfastness and being quickened in Christ.
1. Steadfastness
Allowing God to take control enables believers to remain steadfast. “The steps of the righteous are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in their way” (Psalm 37:23). Even when challenges arise and they stumble, God upholds His people. His eyes continually move to and fro across the earth, seeking those whose hearts are perfect toward Him, so that He may show Himself strong on their behalf (2 Chronicles 16:9). Surrendering to God empowers believers to remain steadfast, as He orders the steps of the righteous and upholds them in times of challenge. If your heart is perfect towards God, He is able to renew your strength.
Peter also encouraged believers to stay alert, promising that God will strengthen and establish them in due time (1 Peter 5:8, 10). Through steadfastness, believers can endure trials while staying rooted in God’s promises.
You need to understand that God already knows whether you should choose that partner, business investment, career path, or take the next step in ministry. His desire is to perfect and strengthen you, enabling you to avoid any trap or snare the enemy has set before you. God wants you to stay on a specific course in life, a course that only He knows. The key to accessing His guidance is the state of your heart—humbling yourself before Him allows you to receive the answers you need.
2. Quickened in Christ
Surrendering to Christ transforms believers by quickening their spirit. When we submit our lives to Him, we abandon fleshly desires and the burdens of worldly concerns. This frees us from anxiety, fear, and the endless noise of modern media. We also free our minds from the constant political and economic turmoil that dominates world news. Instead, we invest in prayer, studying God’s Word, and waiting upon the Lord. Such input helps to build intimacy with God and paves way for being quickened in Christ.
To be quickened in Christ means being made alive in Him (Colossians 2:13). As the last Adam, Christ is a life-giving spirit who empowers us to achieve what would otherwise seem impossible (1 Corinthians 15:45). Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is able to quicken us in all the things that we do. For example, tasks that might take years can be completed swiftly through the Holy Spirit’s quickening power.
Intimacy with God, built through worship, prayer, and Bible study, is the foundation for being quickened. In the spiritual realm, speed or quickening is attained through waiting. Unlike the worldly wisdom that emphasizes hard work to achieve goals, spiritual quickening comes from cultivating intimacy with God. Intimacy involves learning to dwell in the presence of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1). Abiding in His presence is closely tied to waiting upon the Lord. This process of abiding—through prayer, worship, and studying the Word of God—opens the door for God to speak to us. As we listen, the Holy Spirit provides guidance, revealing the actions or decisions we need to make in every aspect of life.
As prophet Isaiah says, “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, run and not grow weary” (Isaiah 40:31). We are able to soar on wings like eagles, gaining a broader perspective and viewing situations from every angle. This higher vision allows us to approach life’s challenges with renewed clarity and understanding. Ultimately, we never grow tired or weary in our work or personal lives. Through waiting upon the Lord, these benefits highlight the power of being quickened in Christ. This quickening further enables us to successfully complete whatever we set out to do.
Conclusion
True success lies in surrendering to God’s will. By submitting our plans to Him, we gain steadfastness and divine quickening, enabling us to accomplish His purposes. Prophet Jeremiah reminds us that “it is not for man to direct his own steps,” and Isaiah assures us that the Lord, our Redeemer, teaches us what is best for us. Without His guidance, we risk falling into destruction, but by surrendering to Him, we receive the direction necessary to walk the path of life with wisdom and purpose.
Through intimacy with God, we experience renewed strength and elevated perspectives, empowering us to fulfill our destinies. This renewed strength allows believers to overcome challenges, maintain perspective, and persevere in their careers and families. True spiritual quickening is found in waiting upon the Lord, cultivating intimacy through prayer, worship, and the Word. As we abide in His presence, the Holy Spirit guides us, providing direction and wisdom for every decision we face in life. The ultimate plan for success is simple: submit to the Lord, abide in His presence, and allow Him to lead every step of the way.
The most important elaborated point for me Is that contrast between the world’s standards of waiting and God’s standards .Wow…Thanks man of God.In you we are being blessed.
Yes. Speed in the spirit is gained in waiting. Contrary to the world’s wisdom. Thanks.!!