January 15, 2022

Surrender Your Words

Lord’s Prayer Focus: Surrender to the Father’s Kingdom

When we talk to God, we must remember who we’re talking to. We’re talking to the King! God’s kingdom is an awesome kingdom and our desires should be the same as the desires of our King! Jesus taught us to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). As we continue to use the Lord’s Prayer as our guide through these 40 days, let’s focus now on what it means to pray for God’s kingdom and what it means to surrender to His will.

Matthew 10:16-20 (CSB) “Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Beware of them, because they will hand you over to local courts and flog you in their synagogues. You will even be brought before governors and kings because of me, to bear witness to them and to the Gentiles. But when they hand you over, don’t worry about how or what you are to speak. For you will be given what to say at that hour, because it isn’t you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father is speaking through you.” (CSB)

Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out and share the Gospel in the surrounding towns. Before he sent them, he gave them instructions and words of warning. One of his instructions was that in the face of persecution, they should not worry about what they are going to say. Instead, they were to trust that the Spirit would speak through them and through Him, they would speak the words of God.

Witnessing can be a terrifying prospect. If you’ve ever taken an evangelism class, you’ve probably been taught different arguments for the faith. Sometimes we replace our confidence in the Bible and the Spirit in verbal techniques and proofs for the faith. While being prepared to give a defense of the Gospel is good and necessary (1 Peter 3:15), we must also remember that it is the Spirit who gives us the words to speak. We will never argue or persuade someone into the kingdom through facts and reasons. Spiritual work is only done as God wills and effective witnessing as the Spirit moves.

Consider:
  • What times in your life have you relied on your words instead of the Spirit?
  • What future conversations should you be actively surrendering your words to God?

Prayer Points:
  • In prayer, surrender all of the words that you speak to God.
  • Ask that he would give you the words to speak when sharing the Gospel and having spiritual conversations with others.