When I was a child, I remember being in church and singing, “I Surrender All,” without thinking much about the words flowing easily from my lips:
“All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give.”
The hymn from the late 1800s is a simple tune with simple lyrics. But I’ve learned over the years that while singing about surrender is easy; actually doing it is not.
Surrender is not something we’re eager to embrace. After all, it implies a giving up of our rights, desires, hopes, and/or dreams. Surrender involves relinquishing control and submitting, a process that’s usually painful, which is why we resist it. But surrendering to God is 100% for our benefit. The following is an excerpt from gotquestions.org in answer to the question, “What does it mean to surrender to God?”
“God has a plan for our lives, and surrendering to Him means we set aside our own plans and eagerly seek His. The good news is that God’s plan for us is always in our best interest (Jeremiah 29:11), unlike our own plans that often lead to destruction (Proverbs 14:12). Our Lord is a wise and beneficent victor; He conquers us to bless us.”
He conquers us to bless us. Just let that thought sink in for a minute. Typically, a conquering situation involves something or someone being overcome by force, usually by an enemy. However, biblical surrender isn’t like that at all. When we come to the Lord voluntarily—broken and empty—he gently takes the reins and rescues us. We stop striving, and he fills us with his power and peace.
One of the best ways to place yourself in a posture of surrender is through prayer and fasting. Through the discipline of the Daniel Fast, you set aside your desires for certain foods for 21 days (see Daniel Fast Food List) and accept a limited menu as you seek the Lord.
“I Surrender All” is the theme for the 2024 Daniel Fast. When you commit to the fast, you can access to the following to encourage you on your journey:
- Daily videos and Bible verses
- 21 Attributes of God list for use in your prayer time
- Daily prayer points to guide you in interceding for others
You can also take advantage of more free resources on my website (see below).
Surrender is scary, so if you feel hesitant to commit to a three-week fast, you’re not alone. Many people feel the same way before a time of fasting (myself included). However, let me encourage you to trust God to help you one day at a time. He is faithful, and he will provide all you need.
I think this encouragement from Hannah Whitall Smith sums up the theme and the 2024 fast perfectly:
“What you need to do is to put your will over completely into the hands of your Lord, surrendering to Him the entire control of it. Say, “Yes, Lord, YES!” to everything, and trust Him to work in you to will, as to bring your whole wishes and affections into conformity with His own sweet, and lovable, and most lovely will.”
If you’ve been blessed by the resources on this website and would like to give to the Ultimate Daniel Fast ministry, click on the button below. Thank you!
