Waving the White Flag to Experience Joy
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
Everyone loves a fresh start. A new beginning. A second chance. A mulligan.
We say words we don’t mean to say. The conversation doesn’t go where we intended it to go. We study the wrong material for a test. We travel down the wrong path, or we make a choice that turns out to be a not-so-good one.
Our sin nature, traced back and rooted in the apple of Eve, hits us right in the face and we fall hard.
Rest assured, God gives us a second change. We all get a re-do.
Whether it’s a new year, or a new day, Christ gives us a chance to make all things new, because in Christ all things are made new.
When we understand sin, confess it, and turn from it to follow Him, He places a new Spirit within us.
From the very beginning of your sweet life there has been a battle waging for your soul.
When we chose our selfish ways, we win.
When we choose to follow God’s way, we wave our white flag, and He wins.
You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalm 16:11
A lack of surrender hinders God’s will in your life.
Everything has to be given up to its special definite purpose and service. Andrew Murray
In the New Testament, there was a woman who recognized the fullness of the sin in her life, and when her heart saw it she turned towards Jesus and raised her white flag.
Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. Luke 7:38
She melted down to cleanse the feet of Jesus with her tears, wipe them with her hair, and anoint them with her oil.
She surrendered it all to the lover of her soul.
God loves your soul completely.
The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven’t yet come to the end of themselves. We’re still trying to give orders, and interfering with God’s work within us. A.W. Tozer
God loves your soul and He will continue to fight on the front lines for it – minute by minute, day by day.
He loves you just as you are, right where you are.
Faith allows our souls to trust and trust allows our hearts to surrender.
When we surrender to Him He wins, and the renewed Spirit He places within can’t help but produce fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. Galatians 5:22
After the white flag comes the fullness of joy and a peace which transcends all understanding.
Heavenly Father,
I praise you for loving our souls more than we can imagine. I praise you for continuing to fight for me, even when I kept winning. I am grateful beyond words that You do not give up. Lord please open the eyes of our hearts to see the depth of our sin and understand the greatness of Your sacrificial redemption. You love us so much that You bought us back with the blood of Your Son. May we trust You enough to surrender completely to Your love and Your will for our lives. May You keep us in Your care and fill us with the fullness of JOY which can only come from You.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen
Reflect & Respond:
~ Are you able to see God’s fingerprints on your life? Can you see Him fighting for you?
~ Is something holding you back from complete surrender? Remember, He makes all things new.
Additional Scripture:
“Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19
Basking in His Light
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Comments are closed.
Kelly Balarie
January 8, 2015 at 5:04 pmLet me just wave my white flag, entirely. Let me just let it all go. Thank you for sharing your heart and encouraging us to give it all. I loved to read this truth.
Mindy Lee Hopman
January 9, 2015 at 6:31 amAbsolutely! Then He gives you a sword…to fight for Him. Many blessings to you and your ministry! Thanks for stopping by!
Pursuing Joy - Basking in His Light
March 9, 2015 at 6:03 am[…] God has been in a battle for you the entire time. […]