Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles..."
Sometimes we become so accustomed to living with our struggles that we learn how to walk around them instead of bringing them to God.
We adjust, we compensate, and we figure out ways to keep moving forward while carrying burdens that God never intended for us to carry alone.
And before long, what was supposed to be surrendered becomes something we've simply learned to manage.
**But God never called us to become experts at managing what He has asked us to surrender!**
At the Courageous Ladies Conference, some of our church ladies attended this week, we were reminded of three powerful truths that challenge us to examine how much we are truly trusting God.
1. Bring Him the Need You Cannot Meet.
**Isaiah 40:30–31**
There will be situations in life that are beyond our ability to fix. There will be needs we cannot meet, circumstances we cannot change, and battles we cannot win through human strength alone.
But sometimes we become so comfortable working around our problems that we stop believing God can do something about them.
We learn to function while hurting. We learn to smile while struggling. We learn to carry the weight because we've carried it for so long.
**But just because you've learned how to carry something doesn't mean God intended for you to keep carrying it!**
Isaiah reminds us that even the young and strong grow weary, but those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.
There is a strength that only comes from depending on Him.
God is not asking us to have all the answers. He is asking us to bring our needs to Him and trust Him with what we cannot accomplish ourselves.
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2. Yield What You've Been Trying to Control.
**Ephesians 3:20 (KJV)**
"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think..."
One of the greatest hindrances to surrender is our desire to remain in control.
We pray for God to move, but sometimes we already have a plan for how we think He should do it.
We ask Him to take over, yet we continue trying to direct the outcome.
We say we trust Him, but we struggle to release our grip on the very thing we've placed in His hands.
And sometimes we need to stop and ask ourselves a very personal question:
"Holy Spirit, how am I resisting You?"
• Am I holding on to something God is asking me to release?
• Am I trying to control a situation that requires faith?
• Am I resisting His direction because it doesn't line up with my own plans?
• Am I asking for His power while refusing to yield to His will?
**We cannot experience the fullness of what God desires to do in our lives while continually resisting what He is asking us to surrender.**
Sometimes the greatest obstacle isn't the situation we're facing. It's our unwillingness to release control.
And sometimes the breakthrough we need begins with a simple prayer:
"Lord, not my will, but Thine be done."
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3. Receive His Power When the Holy Spirit Comes Upon You.
**Acts 1:8 (KJV)**
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you..."
God never intended for us to live the Christian life in our own strength!
Jesus knew His disciples would face opposition, difficulties, and situations beyond their natural abilities. That's why He instructed them to wait for the promise of the Holy Ghost.
They needed more than good intentions, determination, or religious knowledge.
**They needed power from on high!**
And we need that same dependence upon the Holy Spirit today.
We cannot accomplish spiritual things through human effort alone.
We need the Holy Spirit to empower us to stand when others compromise, remain faithful when life becomes difficult, overcome the enemy's attacks, and boldly walk in the calling God has placed upon our lives.
But here's something worth remembering:
**The Holy Spirit was not given simply to make us feel something. He was given to empower us to live differently!**
His power is not limited to what happens during a church service. We need His guidance in our daily decisions, His strength in our struggles, His conviction when we need correction, and His boldness to fulfill God's purpose.
The same Spirit who empowers us in worship also empowers us to walk in obedience when the service is over.
**We cannot always change our circumstances, but we can change how we respond to them by yielding ourselves to the Holy Spirit.**
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What a powerful reminder that we don't have to keep managing what God wants us to surrender!
We don't have to keep walking around the same burdens, trying to control every outcome, or relying on our own strength to accomplish what requires the power of God.
**Bring Him the need you cannot meet.**
**Yield what you've been trying to control.**
**Receive the power of the Holy Spirit to live boldly and walk in His purpose!**
God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us!
But we must be willing to trust Him, yield to His leading, and walk in obedience.
BRING IT. YIELD IT. RECEIVE HIS POWER. 🙌❤️
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