The benefits and promises of submission are not easily understood in a world where submission has become a ‘dirty word’. However, looking at submission spiritually reveals a totally different concept.
World View
Submission has become one of the must-be-ignored concepts in our human thinking. Submission does require being under the control of another, but Satan has twisted this to make it an act of oppression and suppression.
The word submission is a military term in the Greek. It means one group, or person, yielding to a superior force, will or authority of another. This is usually achieved through force.
Legally, it is the act of giving something over for a decision to be made by another. Spiritually, it is the act of freely submitting an individual’s will to a Superior Power.
As a condition, it refers to being humble, or obedient to the will of God, through a covenantal relationship that was planned before the foundation of the world. Jesus said, Blessed are the humble, or gentle one, for they shall inherit the earth, Matthew 5:5.
Ownership
Spiritually, submission needs to be looked at from the point of view of ownership. The bible says, All things were created through Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him all things hold together, Colossians 1:16,17. This is referring to Jesus Christ, who is the Word, John 1:1. The earth is Yahweh’s, as well as its fulness. The world, and those who dwell in it, Psalm 24:1.
This world belongs to Jesus Christ and when it was created it was good with all things in harmony, until sin entered, Genesis 1. Creation anxiously longs to be released from its slavery to corruption, which God imposed on it following Adam’s disobedience, Romans 8:18-22.
God is omniscient and knows the end from the beginning, Isaiah 46:10. He was not caught unawares when Adam sinned and for God’s own purpose, Satan has been permitted to be the prince of the power of the air for a season, Ephesians 2:2.
In the Image of God
Man was created in the image of God, Genesis 1:17, for God’s own pleasure, Revelation 4:12. Man was created to reflect the glory of God, to worship Him and be in an eternal relationship with God.
This is fulfilled by those who accept Christ as their lord and Saviour. Redeemed man is not his own, for he was purchased with a price, the sinless blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 7:19,20. Through Christ man returns to a right relationship with the great I Am That I Am, Exodus 3:3.
Sacrifice
While we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us, Romans 5:8, for He is the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, Revelation 13:8. Jesus, who is God, left His home in glory, willingly obeying the Father. To the point He laid down His life and paid the penalty for all of mankind’s sin.
What a small thing it is for us to present our body as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service of worship, Romans 12:1,2.
Responsibility
When you willingly submit to another, it places all the responsibility of your well-being on them. They stand accountable to God for how they treat you, Hebrews 13:17. When you submit your life to God, He cares for you in every aspect of your life.
True submission is placing your faith in another and Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith, Hebrews 12:1. Trusting God is taking our rightful, foreordained place in God’s Kingdom as a chosen race. A royal priesthood. A holy nation. A people for God’s own possession, 1 Peter 2:9.
God desires more for us than we can imagine, for He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, Ephesians 3:20. As a redeemed saint of God we are heirs of God and fellow-heirs with Christ, Romans 8:17, sharing everything Christ is.
Respect and Honour
When we elect to submit to God, to His will, His way and His word, God promises to bless us, Matthew 6:33. Humble yourself and submit under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 1 Peter 5:6,7.
The way down is the way up for the true follower of Christ. The benefits cannot be comprehended when we are prepared to lay everything down, our desires, our ministry, our family, our position in the society we live in.
In submitting to God we show that we respect and honor our Heavenly Father. We appreciate what the Lord Jesus Christ did on our behalf at Calvary, and welcome the leading of the Holy Spirit. It is not about us, but all about God.
Man’s Failure
To be human is to know hard times. When we reach for things for ourself we always fall short of the mark. When you cast all your anxiety on God, because He cares for you, He will take you to places you have no comprehension of.
Anything is possible when you let go and let God have total control. He will take care of you, just to let you know how much He truly loves you.
Power – Benefits and Promises of Submission
When you submit yourself to God and resist the devil, the devil will flee from you, James 4:7. Just as Christ had the victory at Calvary, we have the same victory in the spiritual realm. Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord, Zechariah 4:6-9
Submission to God means you gain a powerful friend for the bible says, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you, James 4:8. Man, in his humanity, wants to believe that he is the great ‘I Am’ himself, just as Satan did so long ago, Isaiah 14:12-15. Natural man wants to determine his own destination, yet those who do not accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, will end up in the same place as Satan. It will be eternal separation from their Creator, the true I Am That I Am, Exodus 3:3.
Free Will
God created man with a free will, able to choose between good and evil. When a person decides to submit to God, God does not take away the free will of the individual. Daily it becomes a choice of whether or not to follow one’s own will or get in tune with the will of a loving Heavenly Father.
Pride, ego and everything self is the enemy of a true follower of Christ. God is a God whose name is Jealous, Exodus 34:14, and will have no other god before Him. We either let our own selfish desires rule our heart, or we submit to the Way and the Will of the One who created us. Choosing to follow Christ instead of self, is a cross we all bear, Luke 9:23.
Benefits and Promises of Submission
To submit to God is to acknowledge His sovereignty over your entire life. We only have limited understanding, no matter how clever we think we are. Why not trust the perfect wisdom of the all-knowing, all-powerful God?
By relinquishing our own control, we open ourselves up to His divine plans. They are always for our ultimate good, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, Romans 8:28.
The key is to not renege on that submission, once you have made the decision. God will always hand control back over to you if that is what you desire. He will let you stumble your way through life making all sorts of mistakes. We truly are the dumbest of creatures if we think we are in control of everything, for no matter how clever we consider ourself to be, we only have limited understanding. When you discover that you have had enough,
God is happy to welcome you back into His will for you and exalts over you with great joy, Zephaniah 3:17. Submission to God is a blessing and a privilege.
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