Every individual grapples with the tension between self-seeking impulses and the noble call to self-denial and self-surrender. A Christian's journey is marked by both self-surrender and self-development, for only through surrendering self-will can one unlock true human potential. This surrender involves relinquishing what the carnal nature cherishes to embrace something greater, spiritual, and eternal. From the earliest times, humanity has been called to surrender. Abraham abandons friends and homeland at God's command, venturing into the unknown, and even offers his cherished son, Isaac, in obedience. Moses surrenders self at God's call, leading the Israelites and willing to sacrifice his place in God's Book of Life for their sake. Israel, as a nation, is set apart as a surrendered people, with their sacrificial system and laws reflecting complete devotion to God through offerings and consecration. Self-surrender also means giving oneself fully. Nehemiah forsakes his position to aid the exiles in Jerusalem, while Esther risks her life for her people's safety. The early disciples share all possessions for the common good, and Paul joyfully surrenders himself to God's purpose, facing unknown perils. Ultimately, self-surrender requires dying to self, allowing Christ to live within, making a living sacrifice daily. This includes yielding for the welfare of others and submitting to authority for God's sake. Christ's teaching and example underscore self-surrender as essential to discipleship. His followers leave everything to follow Him, prioritizing God above family and even their own lives. Jesus Himself embodies this virtue, submitting to His parents as a child, enduring privation, and doing the Father's will throughout His life. He refuses to use His power for personal gain, and with His final breath, surrenders His spirit to the Father. Through His work in us, we are enabled to respond to His call, finding that the reward of self-surrender—eternal life and joy in God's Kingdom—is well worth the cost.

Surrendering to God requires us to relinquish control and allow Him to direct our lives without constant interference or resistance. This act of self-surrender goes against our natural inclinations, yet it is only when we cede sovereignty to the Almighty that things begin to move positively and work out far better than anything we could achieve with our limited vision. The crucial first step of surrendering is often the hardest, as it demands that we let God govern not just through obedience to His laws, but by fully accepting His rule over our lives. The story of Jonah illustrates a man who is nominally obedient but never truly surrenders to God's will. Despite complying with God's commands at times, Jonah resists full submission, fleeing from His presence, and later despairing when outcomes differ from his expectations. In stark contrast, Jesus Christ exemplifies perfect surrender, always seeking the Father's will over His own, even in the face of immense personal sacrifice. His ultimate surrender, expressed in words like "Not as I will, but as You will," opened the way for the restoration of the relationship between God and humanity. When a person truly yields control to God, declaring, "Father, I surrender. Not my will, but Yours, be done," they signal readiness for Him to act. This surrender, mirrored by the church as the Body of Christ, reflects a continual and sincere submission to God's rule in all its implications, far beyond mere obedience.

Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves, as He teaches in Matthew 16:24, urging them to reject the natural human inclination toward self. The first step is to submit and surrender to God our will, affections, bodies, and lives, making our own pleasures and happiness no longer primary goals. Instead, we must be willing to renounce all and lay down our lives if required, forsaking everything to no longer pursue wrong desires. Christ calls us to take up our cross and follow His example, a command to deny self or crucify the flesh, even to the point of death. We must be prepared to die if that is where events lead, though often it is about having an attitude of self-denial willing to give up all. His disciples live to serve God, not self, putting off former conduct and putting to death sinful actions. When tempted, we must immediately deny ourselves the wrong desire, practicing self-denial in our actions even before committing them. Temptations vary according to individual weaknesses, with appetite, material goods, worldly ambitions, personal prestige, and sexual desires often being tough areas for many to resist. Jesus Himself exemplifies self-denial, teaching it not only with words but by His actions, especially as His call to self-denial follows predictions of His own sacrificial death. He is the supreme model of self-denial, even denying Himself any urge to avenge or threaten His persecutors, committing Himself to God who judges rightly. Self-denial is central to submission to God, as we have died with Christ and must sacrifice our lives for Him. It requires genuine humility, or it becomes merely a counterfeit. God's grace trains us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, denying what the self desires. In a unique sense, God cannot deny Himself, for in His perfect goodness, He can only affirm His character and promises. We, however, are called to deny ourselves but never to deny Jesus or the Father, and if we deny ourselves and even family for the sake of the Kingdom of God, we will be rewarded many times over.