Galatians 2:20 (NKJV) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
The consecrated life is the real test of whether Jesus is truly the Lord of our lives, or whether we are merely happy that He has saved us from damnation. When we consecrate our lives to Christ, we live intentionally and purposefully for the Lord. We will never fully experience God unless we fully surrender our lives to Him.
It takes faith to believe that God has a good plan for our lives, because often, we would rather achieve success by our own strength. We refuse to let God lead us because we want to be in the driver’s seat of our lives. We dislike being told what to do or not do because we only want God to bless our plans!
Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
As we seek God’s will in our lives, we need to build our faith on the foundation that God loves us and has a good, acceptable and perfect will for us. His plan is to prosper us and not to harm us (Jeremiah 29:11). Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17).
Understanding that God loves us and has a will for each of us helps us to live by faith. We may have to make choices with nothing in front of us, acknowledging that we can’t see around the corner and don’t know how things will turn out. It might not be an easy journey, and our flesh may resist because we do not want to submit. That’s when we need to die to ourselves and fully surrender to God. Otherwise, we will reap what we sow in the decisions we make apart from God (Galatians 6:7-8).
Matthew 26:39 (NKJV) He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Jesus agonised in prayer about the will of God in the Garden of Gethsemane. Although it may seem like agony sometimes, if we purpose to accomplish God’s will, we will have to say, “Not as I will, but as You will.”
The prayer of consecration, as modelled by Jesus, is about surrendering our lives to God and allowing His will to be done in our lives. It can be prayed repeatedly over a period until we know God’s will for the decision we need to make.
Reflection: What is your usual heart posture when you come before God in prayer? What obstacles stand in the way of your full surrender to God?
Sermon Series： Surrendering Your Will to God
祂的计划是使我们丰盛
加拉太书 2:20 我已经与基督同钉十字架，现在活着的不再是我，乃是基督在我里面活着；并且我如今在肉身活着，是因信神的儿子而活；祂是爱我，为我舍己。
分别为圣的生命是真正检验耶稣是否确实是我们生命之主的标准，而不是仅仅满足于祂拯救我们脱离永远的灭亡。当我们将生命分别为圣给基督时，我们会有意识地、带着目标地为主而活。除非我们完全将生命交托给神，否则我们永远无法完全经历神。
相信神在我们生命中有美好的计划，需要信心。因为很多时候，我们更希望靠自己的力量获得成功。我们拒绝让神带领我们，因为我们想要坐在自己生命的驾驶座上。我们不喜欢被告诉该做什么或不该做什么，因为我们只是希望神祝福我们的计划！
罗马书 12:2 不要效法这个世界，只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。
当我们寻求神在我们生命中的旨意时，我们需要建立这样的信心根基：神爱我们，并且祂为我们预备了美好、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。祂的计划是使我们丰盛，而不是降灾祸给我们（耶利米书 29:11）。各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的；在祂并没有改变，也没有转动的影儿（雅各书 1:17）。
明白神爱我们，并且祂为每一个人都有旨意，帮助我们凭信心生活。我们可能需要在眼前没有任何明确方向时作出选择，承认我们无法看见转角之后的道路，也不知道事情最终会如何发展。这可能不是一段容易的旅程，我们的肉体也可能会抗拒，因为我们不愿意顺服。但这正是我们需要向自己死，并完全降服于神的时候。否则，我们将在那些离开神所作出的决定中，收取自己所种下的结果（加拉太书 6:7-8）。
马太福音 26:39 祂就稍往前走，俯伏在地，祷告说：‘我父啊，倘若可行，求祢叫这杯离开我；然而，不要照我的意思，只要照祢的意思。’
耶稣在客西马尼园中为神的旨意经历了极大的挣扎和祷告。虽然有时候寻求神的旨意似乎会带来痛苦和挣扎，但如果我们立定心志要成就神的旨意，我们就必须说：“不要照我的意思，只要照祢的意思。”
耶稣所示范的分别为圣的祷告，是将我们的生命交托给神，并让祂的旨意在我们生命中成就。我们可以在一段时间内不断重复这样的祷告，直到我们明白神对于所面对决定的旨意。
默想：你通常以怎样的心态来到神面前祷告？有哪些障碍阻碍你完全降服于神？
讲章系列：交托主权，全然顺服