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THE PROVISION OF RESURRENDER: JESUS

The million-dollar question that we all want to know is: if I am giving up everything for God, then what am I getting back? Although this may seem like a selfish question, it is not a bad question to ask. In all honesty, the reason why we ask this question is to understand what we are giving our lives to. What is the bigger picture? What is the greater purpose?

One of the greatest stories of resurrender we find in the Bible is the story of Abraham and his son, Isaac. Abraham was promised by God that he would have land as far as the eye can see and ancestors more numerous than the stars in the sky and the sand on the shore. In other words, Abraham would be BLESSED. I am talking seriously cashed up, more money and resources than he would ever need for several lifetimes. The only problem was that Abraham and his wife Sarah could not fall pregnant. After many years of waiting, trying other solutions, and desperately praying for a miracle, Abraham finally received a son at the tender age of 100.

Abraham was finally living in the promise! After all those years of waiting, he finally got to reap joy from his tears of mourning. Until one day God asked for Abraham's son. Now let's get one thing straight: God was not wanting to kill Isaac; God wanted to gauge how willing Abraham was to resurrender. God was looking at his heart.

So Abraham, with a heavy heart, took his son to the place of sacrifice, ready and willing to surrender to God whatever He asked. Abraham was not just willing to surrender his child, he was willing to surrender the promise, surrender the dream, and surrender his destiny completely to God.

As Abraham laid his son on the altar, immediately they saw a ram caught in a bush nearby and realized that God had provided the sacrifice. But this ram was the most important part of this story because this ram is a representation of Jesus.

Jesus is the provision of resurrender. Jesus is what we get when we surrender our lives to God. And the truth is: JESUS IS ALL WE NEED.

When God sees a heart that is willing to surrender, God will always provide. The main thing God provides more than money, more than clothes, more than food, is JESUS. And the reason He provides Jesus is because in Jesus is everything we need. We used to sing a song in church called "Christ is enough for me." These are beautiful songs with well-meaning lyrics, but the power of the songs doesn’t lie in the lyrics, but rather in the revelation that the only thing we will ever need is Christ.

If you took everything away from me—my money, my car, my house, my family, my church—the question is, is Christ still enough for me? I mean, look at the life of Job. Everything gets stripped away from him, and after all the pain he endures, Job still recognizes that God is over everything, and Job still blesses the name of the Lord. Even in the midst of great loss, Job was still able to have a heart that was surrendered to God.

The truth is that JESUS IS ENOUGH. He is everything that we need. If you are looking for peace, Jesus is the prince of peace. If you’re feeling depressed, then Jesus is your joy. If you’re scared, He is your protection. And if you are sick, He is your healer. If you are an addict, Jesus is your freedom, and if you are hurting, Jesus is your comfort. If you’re lonely Jesus is a friend, and if you are drowning, He is your Savior. Whatever you need, you can find it in Him. God already has, and always will give you everything you ever need. The question is: are you willing to resurrender everything to Him?

QUESTIONS:

1. What are some of the things that you have been praying that God will provide for you?
2. What has God already provided for you that you can be grateful for?