Stronger through Surrender

"Your salvation requires you to turn back to me and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves. Your strength will come from settling down in complete dependence on me."  Isaiah 30:15 (MSG)

---

God spoke a word over me this year that was unconventional to my understanding and logic. He told me that I would be stronger but not in the way that I understand strength. My increase in strength would not be from doing more on my own but instead would be from letting go and surrendering more to God. I must become less and less, and God must become greater and greater, (John 3:30, emphasis mine). 

Oftentimes I think of strength in a physical sense; the definition of strength is the quality or state of being physically strong. However, I know from Ephesians 6:12 that the battles and struggles I fight are not against flesh and blood (physical) but against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (spiritual). Therefore it is more important for me to be spiritually strong than physically strong. So then that raises the question: how do we become spiritually strong?

To be spiritually strong is to be weak in my flesh. 2 Corinthians 12:9 makes it very plain and applicable for me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” For God’s power and strength to be made perfect I must be weak. This weakness does not mean that I am frail; this weakness takes the shape and form of surrender, submission, and dependency. Isaiah 30:15 tells me that my strength comes from settling down in complete dependence on God. When I am completely submitted and surrendered to God I am dependent on Him to fight my battles and provide me with a heavenly strength that does not come from this world. This heavenly strength comes from our Creator and Savior, without His strength we are not properly positioned to fight the spiritual battles that come our way.

This word that God spoke over me went against my natural inclination to control everything and to be completely independent. With this revelation, I have taken small steps of obedience to release my control and be more dependent on God. My partnership and agreement with God’s word and will has led me into a life with greater spiritual strength and capacity.

---

Written By: Caitlin S. Lambert

---