God’s plan for the believer is found in Galatians 5:22-23. This describes for us the character and attitude that Christ desires to produce in and through us.

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

23 meekness, and self-control; against such, there is no law. 

Ephesians 5:18c “be filled (controlled) with the Spirit.”

Self always stands in defiance of surrender.

What does a heart of surrender require?

The heart of a surrendered life is a denying of your flesh.

The word “deny” means “to deny utterly, to disown, to reject.”

“The flesh” speaks of the part of us that desires to live independent of God and it seeks self-gratification, rather than seeking to please Christ.

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly desires, we should live soberly, righteously, and in godliness in this present world,

Self (the flesh) says – “I deserve this. Everybody else is doing it. It makes me happy. There is nothing in the Bible that directly forbids it.”

The Spirit says – “Does it please Christ? Does it help me to run the race for Christ? Does it draw me closer to Christ?”

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 - Do you not know that all those who run in a race run, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain it. 25 Everyone who strives for the prize exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one. 26 So, therefore, I run, not with uncertainty. So I fight, not as one who beats the air. 27 But I bring and keep my body under subjection, lest when preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Paul gladly denied himself of his own preferences and rights when it meant pleasing the Lord, furthering His work, and reaching souls. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

To come to the place where you truly desire to surrender to Christ and deny the flesh, you must: 

Never be satisfied with where you are in your development and growth as a follower of Christ.

Have a true, deep yearning for Christ. Luke 9:23 - “If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

Decide to do whatever it takes to experience Christ’s life-giving power in and through you.

At key times in your life, you will be faced with a decision – will I follow after my flesh or Christ?

What does a heart of surrender require?

The heart of a surrendered life is death to the mindset of, “I’m going to live my life my way”.

Jesus was clearly teaching that if you want to follow Him, you must die to your way and follow My way – die to your way and realize that I am life, I am your only life source, and My way is life.

Our biggest problem is that we want our own way, which is in opposition to God’s way. This has always been man’s biggest struggle. Judges 17:6; Psalm 81:12; Proverbs 12:15; 28:26; Isaiah 5:21; 53:6; 2 Timothy 3:2-4

Judges 17:6 - In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Psalm 81:12 - So I gave them up to their stubborn hearts, to walk in their own counsels.

2 Timothy 3:2-4 - Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,