“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it
be afraid.” –John 14:27
As humans, it is embedded in our system
to want control. Especially when it
involves our own well-being or the well-being of those we love. The majority of us crave control, and the carnality
that is seeded within us believes we have it.
The devil would deceive us into
thinking that we are in control, and that we are better than God at directing
our own lives. The world, the flesh, and
the devil call us to take control; Christ calls us to yield. To “let go and let God.” As it has been said. The cross is “not my will but thine be done.” The sanctified life is a life of surrender,
and great peace is found in surrendering.
When you ask the question: “why
did Jesus Christ die on the cross?” No
doubt many would say: “He died for our sins.”
This is true. However, our sins
already had a remedy before Christ. The
law could provide absolution. Therefore,
Christ purpose was not simply absolution, but restitution. A reconciliation between fallen man, and a
holy God. How then are we
reconciled? Through conversion and
sanctification. Often, repentance is
preached synonymous with confession and forgiveness. Repentance is confession, and it produces
forgiveness, but that is merely a part of the whole. The Bible preaches conversion and
sanctification. Repentance is a
confession of sins, forsaking of sin/self, and a plea for forgiveness; which
produces conversion. Sanctification,
which follows conversation, is a complete sacrifice of self and a plea for the
Holy Spirit. It has been said:
“Conversion takes care of the past, and Sanctification takes care of the
future.” They are equal parts to the
whole plan of salvation, you cannot have one without the other, and you cannot
have any without Jesus. When a person
arrives at a point where the conviction from the Holy Spirit is more powerful
than the fear of letting go. They have
arrived at the point of conversion. When
the unction from God is so profound that if you do not act or move according His
will; you know your soul is condemned to hell.
The righteousness of Christ exposes the unrighteousness of your
rebellion, and you are met with the unmistakable revelation that you cannot be
the master of your own life. You are at
a point of conversation. Although fear, doubt
and uncertainty are alive and well inside, it is irrelevant to the decision,
because God’s will is now the only thing that matters. A man or women may pray, show remorse, ask
forgiveness, but unless they come to this place, where they truly “let go,” believing
that God’s will is better for them than anything they could drum up for
themselves; they will never be converted.
This crisis moment of faith is paramount and predecessor to
sanctification, because God will not sanctify a heart that is not sacrificed,
no more than he would send fire to an alter without an ox. When you truly believe that God’s will is
more perfect for you than your own, then you truly “let go.” Thereafter, all decisions are subject to his
will and all glorying is yielded to him.
You maintain that God’s will is a
“must” in your life, and because you are completely trusting in him: all fear,
doubt and worrying is now God’s problem and not yours. Such a peace can come from living this way,
even in the midst of terrible tribulation.
The peace that Jesus brought to
us, is the selfsame peace that He enjoyed.
A peace that passes all
understanding. Christ was living in
perfect fellowship with the Father; he had yielded everything to Him. At peace within God’s providence, even to His
brutal death on the cross. To the
unconverted this seems contrary, but to the Christian it is pure. The purest example of a sanctified life, of
perfect peace, of one who was totally surrendered to the will of God. Do you long for the same peace? Then repent, be converted, and ask God to
sanctify your soul; embark on a life of peaceful surrender.
