There was a man once. He had a beloved son. Ever since the son's childhood, an unclean spirit would torment the son, causing him pain and bodily injury. The father took his son to some of Jesus' disciples to cast the unclean spirit out but they were not able. Then Jesus showed up and things changed. The man said to Jesus, "if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." Jesus replied, "'If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
It is when what we love most is in danger of being taken from us that we then move to seek out help to prevent the loss of this treasure which is most precious to us. If we ever reach this point in life, it is due to a work of providence, a work of the grace of God. Once reached, we look for consolation in others first. The man went to the disciples. Only when the arm of flesh had failed him, did he turn to Jesus. Arriving at a place of total disillusionment in the abilities of man to save is another work of grace. A most blessed and pure gift. Jesus asks the man how long his son had been under the influence of the unclean spirit. "From childhood", came the reply. The man has borne the threat of losing his son for so long, that he is compelled to shamelessly ask Jesus for help all the while knowing that he still harbors unbelief in his heart. He wants so bad for his son to be set free that he lays it all on the table before Jesus and asks Jesus to help him where he needs it most. He needs help with his unbelief and has finally come to the place where he no longer has his reputation, or his pride, or the opinions of man foremost in his mind. He just wants his son to be well. He wants that which he treasures most in life to be saved. He comes to Jesus with nothing to offer but weakness, fear, and trembling and a confession of unbelief, but does not stop there. He wants to change. He wants to believe. He wants no longer to live in fear of the future. He wants to be changed, he wants to be helped, and has finally come to the place where he can truly be helped.
Jesus heals his son that very day.
We hear nothing more about the man. The encounter took all of maybe a couple of minutes. But his life was changed forever because of that encounter he had with Jesus.
You ask me how do you surrender.
It is not something you can do on your own. Surrender is the fruit of a work that God works in a man's heart. Without that prevenient grace, that prevenient drawing, without that anguish of soul and that utter desolation and despair present in the heart, one's heart can never despair of ever being fulfilled and satisfied by anything the world has to offer. It will always look to "the disciples". It will always look to created things, whether they be people, substances, possessions, etc.
So actually what you are asking me is, "How do I become desolate, how do I become so despairing of all that the world has to offer, how do I become debased and shamelessly honest about my utter helplessness and hopelessness that I run to Jesus and ask Him for help?"
Me personally, it took me sitting alone in a prison cell late one night and early into the morning. It took me taking an inventory of my life, my choices, my actions, the people I had hurt. It took me owning up to all of it. Laying it all out on the table. It took me coming to a place where I could no longer run, or put it off, or file it away in the back of my mind. I wanted to think about it. I wanted to atone for my sins. But they were so great. I knew I could never make it all right. And then I thought of all the people that were in similar situations as mine that met Jesus in the gospels. I had no hope in myself any longer. So I asked Jesus to have mercy on me, a sinner.
That moment, I was born again
It is when what we love most is in danger of being taken from us that we then move to seek out help to prevent the loss of this treasure which is most precious to us. If we ever reach this point in life, it is due to a work of providence, a work of the grace of God. Once reached, we look for consolation in others first. The man went to the disciples. Only when the arm of flesh had failed him, did he turn to Jesus. Arriving at a place of total disillusionment in the abilities of man to save is another work of grace. A most blessed and pure gift. Jesus asks the man how long his son had been under the influence of the unclean spirit. "From childhood", came the reply. The man has borne the threat of losing his son for so long, that he is compelled to shamelessly ask Jesus for help all the while knowing that he still harbors unbelief in his heart. He wants so bad for his son to be set free that he lays it all on the table before Jesus and asks Jesus to help him where he needs it most. He needs help with his unbelief and has finally come to the place where he no longer has his reputation, or his pride, or the opinions of man foremost in his mind. He just wants his son to be well. He wants that which he treasures most in life to be saved. He comes to Jesus with nothing to offer but weakness, fear, and trembling and a confession of unbelief, but does not stop there. He wants to change. He wants to believe. He wants no longer to live in fear of the future. He wants to be changed, he wants to be helped, and has finally come to the place where he can truly be helped.
Jesus heals his son that very day.
We hear nothing more about the man. The encounter took all of maybe a couple of minutes. But his life was changed forever because of that encounter he had with Jesus.
You ask me how do you surrender.
It is not something you can do on your own. Surrender is the fruit of a work that God works in a man's heart. Without that prevenient grace, that prevenient drawing, without that anguish of soul and that utter desolation and despair present in the heart, one's heart can never despair of ever being fulfilled and satisfied by anything the world has to offer. It will always look to "the disciples". It will always look to created things, whether they be people, substances, possessions, etc.
So actually what you are asking me is, "How do I become desolate, how do I become so despairing of all that the world has to offer, how do I become debased and shamelessly honest about my utter helplessness and hopelessness that I run to Jesus and ask Him for help?"
Me personally, it took me sitting alone in a prison cell late one night and early into the morning. It took me taking an inventory of my life, my choices, my actions, the people I had hurt. It took me owning up to all of it. Laying it all out on the table. It took me coming to a place where I could no longer run, or put it off, or file it away in the back of my mind. I wanted to think about it. I wanted to atone for my sins. But they were so great. I knew I could never make it all right. And then I thought of all the people that were in similar situations as mine that met Jesus in the gospels. I had no hope in myself any longer. So I asked Jesus to have mercy on me, a sinner.
That moment, I was born again