Personal Abandonment and Absolute Trust

Rocky Fleming reminds us in his book “Journey to the Inner Chamber” that to enter into God’s presence, we must enter with personal abandonment and absolute trust. Jesus said, “he who loses his life for my sake will save it.” Jesus Christ is the exclusive way. He is the narrow gate and the narrow path. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father except by me.” Every Christian has a testimony. We’re all living epistles known and read of all men and women. Despite where we were in our lives when God nudged us to approach His throne of grace, He had beforehand prepared our hearts to receive Him.  

What does “personal abandonment” mean? The narrow gate is Jesus Christ himself. The gate is like a turnstile; it lets only one person in at a time. Each individual must come in leaving his or her worldly possessions and desires behind. This personal abandonment means to give up control of ourselves and relinquish control to the Lord. To come to Jesus Christ, we must leave our selfish pride at the door. The intent of abandonment is to forsake that which we have left behind, never to reclaim control. When you bury the hatchet, you do not leave the handle sticking out.

According to Oswald Chambers, any fool can claim his rights and any devil will make sure he gets them. Human rights are often godly wrongs. Chambers said, the self is heavily defended territory. Repentance starts with willingness to exchange my life for his life. According to Romans 12:1-2, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Unless we have someone worth dying for, there is nothing worth living for. To come Christ we must conduct our own “white funeral. “For I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live. Yet not I but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” 

We’re sanctified, set apart unto Christ. To sanctify is to set apart for the purpose for which God designed us. He’s called us as individual fittings within the body of Christ, fit for the specific purpose for which He designed us. When we walk in the light as He is in the light, we’re in the process of sanctification ... working out our own salvation with awe, respect and reverence. In abandoning our lives according to His purpose, God will work in us to will and to do of His good pleasure. God allows trials and tribulations in our lives. There can be no testimony without a test. The purpose is so that we can understand what God revealed to the apostle Paul after Paul had prayed the third time to remove his thorn in the flesh ... “My strength is made perfect in your weakness, my grace is sufficient for you.”  

God’s admonishment to Israel at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem still holds true for God’s people today: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Walking in the light as He is in the light is a moment by moment decision. According to 1 John 1, if we walk in the light as he is in the light, the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The cleansing is in the walking in the light of Christ.

We have to abandon everything in service to God. Anything we do not abandon in service to God will become our god. Again, without a test there is no testimony. Therefore, glory in tribulation. For tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope makes not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us. Apart from Christ’s heart behind our heart, we cannot live the Christian life. With His heart behind our heart, we can understand God’s promise to Israel ... fear not for I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

The lyrics to the song “I Surrender All” reveal the truth of personal abandonment and absolute trust: 
All to Jesus I surrender, All to him I freely give; I will ever love and trust him, In his presence daily live.
I surrender all, I surrender all, All to thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.
All to Jesus I surrender, Humbly at his feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken, Take me, Jesus, take me now. All to Jesus I surrender; Make me, Savior, wholly thine; Let me feel the Holy Spirit, Truly know that thou art mine.
All to Jesus I surrender, Lord, I give myself to thee, Fill me with thy love and power, Let thy blessing fall on me. All to Jesus I surrender; Now I feel the sacred flame. Oh, the joy of full salvation! Glory, glory, to his name! Amen!

For of him are we in Christ Jesus who was made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption that we should be to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ, Michael