Faith or Fantasy? Why Belief Alone in Jesus Isn’t Enough to Save You

Surrender: The Key to Truly Following Jesus Christ

Many people claim to follow Jesus, but, as we know, not everyone truly does. True faith… true recovery… true freedom… all begin with one thing: surrender. Not partial surrender. Not occasional surrender. Total, lifelong surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord. This means following His commandments as he asked us to.

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

It’s not enough to believe in Jesus with our minds. Even demons believe. James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”. The real question is this: Have we actually given our will to Him? Have we laid down our lives at His feet? Have we told Him I’m all Yours… do as You will?

Jesus Wants ALL of us… our Minds…. our Bodies… our Spirits… our Souls

Jesus didn’t call people to be casual believers. He didn’t ask for an hour of our week or for a quick prayer. He called people to die to self. He said in Luke 9:23, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” That’s what it means to follow Christ. It’s not just to agree with Him, but to lay down our will, our desires, and our sin and submit to Him fully. That’s surrender.

You cannot cling to your old life and follow Jesus. You cannot keep sin on the throne of your heart and expect Christ to dwell there too. It’s one or the other.

Surrender Breaks the Chains

Sin is slavery. Addiction is slavery. Pride, lust, anger, greed… they are all chains that bind the soul. Many people try to fix themselves, to clean themselves up, but it never works. Why? Because only Jesus can break the chains, and He only does that when we stop fighting Him and surrender everything.

In Romans 6:16, Paul writes: “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?”

🛑 There are only two choices: Surrender to sin and die, or surrender to Christ and live.

No Room for Half-Hearted Followers

Jesus had strong words for those who wanted to follow Him with divided hearts. In Luke 14:33, He said, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

Surrender is not optional. It is the very essence of what it means to be a Christian. Jesus doesn’t want a piece of your life… He wants ALL of it. Your thoughts, your desires, your time, your relationships, your habits, your future… it all belongs to Him.

He is not just Savior. He is Lord of ALL.

Surrender Brings Life

Satan wants you to believe that surrendering to Christ will cost you too much… that you’ll lose freedom, pleasure, or control. But Jesus tells the truth: surrender is the only path to real life that leads to ETERNITY in Heaven with Jesus and our Father. Remember that our life is like a vapor – here today, gone tomorrow. Real life begins at death… that’s when we enter our real eternity.

In Matthew 16:25, He says, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

The life we think we want – the life we try to control – is a dead end. The power and life come when we surrender to Jesus, He gives us new life. He fills us with His Spirit. He gives us peace, strength, purpose, hope, and, best of all, ETERNITY without pain… without disease… without sickness… without tears… without death.

Daily, Total Surrender

Surrender is not something you do once. It is daily obedience. Every day, you must choose to put Jesus on the throne and crucify the flesh. Every day, you must say, “Not my will, Lord, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)

If you’re called and chosen, this is not a burden… it’s a blessing; however, you must make this happen by CHOICE, as we have the gift of free will. When you surrender, you are no longer alone. You don’t have to carry the weight of life by yourself. Jesus fights for you. He strengthens you. He walks with and within you.

How Do We Become Motivated to Surrender?

Motivation comes from GRATITUDE! Just imagine… the GOD of all creation created you and me! He spent time and effort to create us just the way we are. He created us for His purpose and His pleasure. Look around and behold His creation and know that you are an integral part of it . Our Creator created you to be His child. He created you to be eternal!

Who’s on the Throne?

Look at your life objectively. Who’s really in charge? You? Your sin and the enemy? Or Jesus Christ? You cannot serve two masters. You must choose.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24)

If you want real freedom, real healing, and real transformation, then bow before Jesus today. Lay it all down… your will, your sin, your pride, your plans… and surrender it all to the King of Kings… Jesus our Redeemer. Only then will you find what you’ve been searching for.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

🛑 Call to Action: Lay It All Down Today

Today is the day to stop straddling the fence. You cannot walk in freedom while holding on to bondage. You cannot serve Christ while clinging to your sin and personal desires. Jesus is calling you… right now… to surrender.

Examine your heart. What are you still holding back from God? Is it a hidden sin? A desire for control? Fear of what surrender might cost? Bring it into the light. Confess it. Repent of it. Lay it at the foot of the cross.

Pray with honesty and urgency:

“Lord Jesus, I surrender all. Not just my words, but my whole life. Take my heart, my mind, my will, my body, my words, my actions, my thoughts, and my future. I give You full control. Help me walk in obedience and trust You every step of the way. I am grateful for You, my purpose, and Your provision. In Your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.”

Don’t wait! We don’t control our next breath. Right now is the time. Open your Bible. Get on your knees. Speak with God. Let Him break the chains. Let Him lead.

True freedom, true life, and true healing… all begin at the moment of full surrender. Then, start thanking Him and show Him how grateful you are!

Have a blessed rest of your day. My prayer for you is that you surrender right now… before you leave this page. Will you lay it all down today?