Sweet Surrender

Encouraging prayer God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything urgent prayer.

Dr. James Banks fall through the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly biblical insight help you learn to love and now today of encouraging surrender James a, sounds like a romance novel and really let go there. You could say it's from the best book about love and the lover of art so all it really is. So let's get to the point because there's a lot in this topic you mean you want to talk about surrendering ourselves to God.

When we pray and what that looks like and feels like right because I believe this is a really powerful way to pray. But it's also tricky.

It's not easy to pray this way. I just click we feel like we've surrendered everything to God. He has a way of gently reminding us that we still have room to grow done.

It's really true, were always growing what work were always learning. I think that's what sanctification it is all about and where the battle is when were praying about something we really want so that's where the idea of sweet surrender comes, if you will. If we can do that when we pray, I think it really pleases God. I think about the way Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane right fathers father, not what I want, but what you mean. That's not an easy way to pray know it isn't robbery, but let let's think about this Jesus obeyed God in everything you did, and in that moment he gave himself up to God for whatever the father 100 and he setting an example for us in this. I really believe that makes me think of Galatians 220 which says I've been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Great verse because it points out that our lives really aren't our own anymore. That's the challenge that we face every day coming again think that's what I no longer live, but Christ lives in me will what is that mean you know if I no longer live, but that that's a challenge is especially for praying about something we really want to see exactly exactly and in the interesting things that wanting something so badly, our own self will can can sometimes stand in the way of our prayers being answered because you even what may be a good thing were praying for were insisting on our own way.

James let me push back when Jesus prayed for the pickup to pass from him. That is, that he wouldn't want you know that he would have to go to the cross.

He surrendered as well but his prayer wasn't answered in one sense he still had to go. He did, but but again he sets the example it doesn't mean we don't ask and don't pray passionately. But the question is do I want what I want so badly that I'm going to put it in front of my relationship with God and and this can be really tough, especially when were praying for something like a sick child or for help. For example, see you not saying that if we surrender our prayers will be answered.

The way we want, but it's still a better way to pray because it helps us take closer to God. That's it. But I would also add that some interesting things have happened when people pray this way. This past week I was reading about Catherine Marshall who was the wife of the Senate chaplain Peter Marshall and she wrote about being bedridden with a lung infection for six months, and medicine was unable to help her and she prayed and prayed with as much faith that she could muster that that she would get well and then she she read about a missionary who had been bedridden for eight years and prayed constantly.

She would get better. Then one day she prayed Lord. This missionary prayed Lord, if you want me to stay this way.

It's in your hands. I want you even more than I want help you decide what happened was that in two weeks. The woman was out of bed and and this didn't make sense at all.

The Catherine Marshall but one morning she recalls it exactly it was a September 14 sheet she prayed something similar.

She prayed and I'm tired of asking him I'm so defeated. I'm beaten, you decide what you want for me and she wrote about this this prayer. She said I had no faith. As I understood faith expected nothing that the gift of my sick self was made with no trace of graciousness, but then she added. Within a few hours. I'd experience the presence of the living Christ in the way that we would like to wait out and revolutionized my life from that moment my recovery began, so she was healed yet. She wants while that's challenging but beautiful. I mean, I guess that's where the sweet part comes in just wanting to be close to God no matter what giving yourself up to, you know, I think that's right he makes us when we do in the and even though that takes time, sometimes for us to understand what's going on.

We have to remember that all of the gifts he gives us the best gift is himself and this is an easy lesson but it's one I think about often. I guess you could say I want to pray like that when I grow up I think that's a good way to put it everyone not you wrap things up for the very first day that we all could do the same. That's pray Lord help us help us to give ourselves to you because you have given yourself completely for us. Lord help us to pray what you want thank you that we can trust you because you, and you are loving you, Jesus, hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray