RELINQUISH AND RENOUNCE
God’s Wish List for You (Part 3)
By, Randy Loescher
In this article, the dare to go deeper with God continues. With this invitation, God calls us to live completely for him, holding absolutely nothing back. Now we look inward and ask ourselves, “To what extent have I become a true disciple of Christ, and to what extent have I allowed God’s kingdom to expand in my heart?”
We pray, “Lord, let your kingdom come and let your will be done, here in my life as it is in heaven. Reign and rule in me as the King, and do all you want to do to transform the kingdom of my heart.”
Recalibration Requirement 3 on God’s wish list challenges us to relinquish total control of our lives to God, and to renounce all those issues in our lives that would inhibit the expansion of his kingdom in and through us. If you are ready to accept the dare, then read on and work through the “Make It Personal” section at the end.
RR 3: Relinquish and Renounce
Jesus raised the bar for being a disciple extremely high. He never made it comfortable and convenient. If one wanted to be a disciple, that person would have to do it on Jesus’ terms. So what were Jesus’ terms? Consider these passages from Jesus’ teaching. What message do they communicate about the gospel of the kingdom and the cost of discipleship?
Immediately after his baptism by John the Baptist and temptation in the wilderness by the devil, “Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17). To those cities which would not respond with repentance as a result of his preaching and miracles, Jesus proclaimed, “Woe to you…” (Matthew 11:20-24).
When preparing to send out his disciples by twos to minister in surrounding towns, Jesus explained to them, “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37-39).
To emphasize the cost of discipleship, Luke records these three incidents back to back. First, he tells of a man who said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Rather than give him a decision card, Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:57-58). His response implied, “Are you sure?”
To another man, Jesus called, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go bury my father.” Jesus’ seemingly heartless answer was, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God “ (Luke 9:59-60).
A third man approached Jesus and promised, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Again Jesus responds seriously, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:61-62).
On a separate occasion, when speaking to a crowd, Jesus stated, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).
Clearly, Jesus expected self-denial and absolute surrender in order to be his follower. Regarding sin, he admonished his disciples to deal severely with those things that caused them to sin. Using hyperbole to make his point, Jesus declared, “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut them off. If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better to enter heaven maimed, crippled and blind than to be thrown into hell” (Mark 9:42-47). On the night before he was crucified, Jesus shared intimately with his disciples, “If you love me, you will obey my commands” (John 14:15-24).
Paul wrote just as strongly about a disciple’s stance towards sin. “We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God” (2 Cor. 4:2). James claimed that faith without works is dead (James 4:17). John put it plainly, “If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth” (1 John 1:6).
Time to Recalibrate: Making it Personal
We can only “scratch the surface here.” I recommend you get a copy of Neil T. Anderson’s Steps to Freedom in Christ workbook and work through it. This tool effectively takes individuals through the process of personal deliverance from past non-Christian spiritual involvements, from generational curses, from various forms of deception, from bitterness and unforgiveness, from rebellion, from pride, from sexual sin and more.
The prayer I am including here is adapted from a prayer written by Dr. Joe Allbright, a man who has spent more than thirty years helping people receive deliverance, healing and wholeness in their lives (www.liberating-the-bruised.com). Feel free to make this prayer your own by adding issues that are specific to your life.
PRAYER OF RELINQUISHMENT
Lord Jesus, I give you my will, my rights, my life, my family, my ministry, my finances, my needs, my desires, my direction, my flesh and my control. Search me and try me, see if there be any wicked way in me. Remove those things that need to be removed, and bring into my life what needs to be brought in. I confess that you are all I have, you are all I want, and you are all I need.
Lord Jesus, by the power of your shed blood, I cancel, renounce and sever from my life, my family, my ministry, my job, and all my possessions any and all words of witchcraft, sorceries, incantations, divinations, Voo-Doo, Masonry, New Age and any other curses that have been sent against me. I want everything sent back to the sender one hundred fold, not out of anger or bitterness, but that they may see and know the power of God with hopes of their accepting, loving and following Him.
As I move into this day, I choose to renounce selfishness and pride.
I renounce lying and deception.
I renounce worry and fear; they are not in charge of me.
I renounce impurity of thought and speech.
I renounce lustful thoughts and perverse thinking/actions.
I renounce controlling, manipulative behavior, and the need to have my way to be happy.
I renounce unforgiveness and bitterness. Anger and past offenses are not in charge of me, nor do they define me.
I renounce all ungodliness.
I declare today, that by the power of your Holy Spirit living in me, I will make godly decisions and act in a godly way. Truth, integrity and purity will be reflected in my speech and behavior.
I relinquish total control of my life, will, emotions, intellect, and body to you, Lord Jesus. Be glorified in and through my life. As the absolute Lord of my life, you are in charge of me!
Amen!
Suggested Resource: Decree
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Randy Loescher serves as an adjunct professor at Oral Roberts University and Southwestern Christian University. He also acts as Director for the TEXOMA District of Open Bible Churches. Randy and his wife Kerry live with their five children in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
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