Unconditional Surrender

God’s Spiritual Ark

Dr. Lawrence Stanfield - 01/16/2010

In 2008 God quickened my spirit to the need for His people to enter HIS Spiritual Ark during these end-time days that are now upon us. Those of us who have even casually studied the book of Revelation know that the last days upon earth are going to be horrible in terms of suffering, death, and the release of evil upon the planet.
Personally I see little evidence that the church was promised to be immune to suffering, trials, and tribulations in this life. In fact, Jesus warned that we, as true followers, must count the cost of following Him as Lord and Savior. In fact, we are told to expect persecution and suffering for righteousness sake. He cautions those who accept the holy way of life via the cross that such a life will be marked by enduring hardship as soldiers of the cross. So then, why must those who surrender their lives to God’s will experience suffering and hardship?
“If you were of this world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of this world, but I choose you out of the world, therefore, the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19)
In 1 Peter, chapter 4, we are told about this matter of suffering for believers. Peter exhorts us to not think it is strange that we are suffering for our faith in Christ Jesus and that our suffering should glorify God in the matter in which we are suffering. We are even told to rejoice that we are allowed to be partakers in Christ’s suffering.
We have now passed the two thousand year mark since the resurrection of our Lord and the Church seems to be more difficult to distinguish from the world than ever before.  The power promised to His followers by Jesus has rarely been evident throughout church history except in isolated cases. There have been periods of revival throughout history in which many have found the Lord and when His Spirit has been poured out; however, apathy and stagnation permeate the body of Christ. If the Lord asks “will he find faith upon the earth when He returns”, is there not adequate ground to be gravely concerned that the Church will possibly become sterile and apostate?
Have we not read and heard “greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world”? Does not the Scripture enjoin us to “walk by the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh”? Where is the evidence of this among the Church today? The message of Jesus is a paradox to us is it not? It tells us that in order to live we must first die! We are urged to surrender everything in order to gain everything. God’s way for walking in victory is to die first. God’s way is foreign to each of us as sons and daughters of Adam. He demands holiness (total consecrated lives to Him) in order to be saturated with His Presence.
“Do you expect that in your immortal being, in the divine nature that you received by regeneration, God can work His work, every day and every hour, unless you are entirely given up to Him? God cannot!” Andrew Murray
To become consumed with God’s Presence requires that we first surrender our desires, our goals, our wants, and our entitlements to God. In ourselves we cannot do this; however, as we allow and yield our entire being to His will, He will work in us and through us to conform unto His image.
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