Surrender.

I surrender. Have you ever said those words?

To surrender means to yield (something) to the possession or power of another. It is either demanded of you and you give it freely, or it is given up by force.

Whatever the motivation… it means you lose.

There was a mass surrender of German Troops to the 347th Infantry Regiment on May 6, 1945. That was the day before the unconditional surrender of all German forces was signed on May 7th. The day before…

They knew it was over. Sometimes you just know it’s over. You play a game with someone that is better than you at the game… or maybe you just make a mistake and it really costs you in the long run. And then you are at a point where you think, ‘I’ve had it. There’s no way out of this.’

It’s a bad feeling. When you know you are not going to win. Don’t you always want to win? Sure.

Being beaten is one thing… but to surrender carries the understanding that you could postpone your defeat, but there’s no point… it’s over. So you give in to the inevitable conclusion.

So in effect you are saying to your opponent, “Look. I’m beat. I could delay this… but allow me to bow to your superior ability or position.”

Surrender also does something else. Something special. Surrender engenders peace.
It takes a conflict situation and brings about unity. Maybe it is rather begrudgingly… but the conflict is taken away.

If it is accepted fully. Sometimes it’s not. Sometimes compromises are made. Remember Pharaoh. (we’re doing Moses this year in VBS). Pharaoh made compromises, didn’t he? He was a master at compromises. Pharaoh was beaten. Over and over and over again.

When Pharaoh wanted Moses to go out and make supplication for him before God, and Moses said he had to go 3 days journey into the wilderness… Pharaoh said:
Well, okay… but… Don’t go too far…
Well, okay… but… only the men…
Well, okay… but… leave your flocks and herds behind…
Compromise, compromise, compromise.

That’s why unconditional surrender is so handy. You either surrender or we will wipe you out. Your choice.

Pharaoh was beat. In fact, he was beat several times over. He just refused to believe it. It’s funny how we will submit to ANY terms rather than yield to complete submission… we want some power… no matter what it is.

James tells us to Submit. To God.

It’s a surrender. An unconditional surrender. Anything less is not Submitting. It is holding back what you are unwilling to give up.

You wake up and your house is burning down… you are going to lose that house. If you run back in for something it is because you feel that you are not willing to let it go. What would you run back in for? Jewelry? Photos? T.V.?

Green Lantern Comics? ---- oh… wait… I’m thinking… hang on… (kidding)

You are gonna lose your house. You are surrendering it to the fire. You are powerless to stop it. Do you stay and fight against the inevitable or do you give up and live another day to build a new house?

Your life is up for grabs… a battle is being fought and you are the prize. Before the end comes… you can say, “Okay… I yield. To you.”

Who is the “You”? Is it God?

Romans 8: 6For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,
8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Right now… if you need to… Just give up.
Submit to God.