In Genesis 22:1-14, Abraham is asked by God to sacrifice his son Isaac as proof of his faith and obedience. Abraham had waited many years for God's promise to make his descendants as numerous as the stars. He was 100 years old when Isaac was born.
Yes, Abraham still had his son Ishmael, but the older son had been cast out because Sarah did not want the older boy competing for an inheritance with her son Isaac. So, in a way, it was almost as if Isaac was Abraham's first son.
Abraham was willing to sacrifice his precious son because he loved God more than Isaac. He brought Isaac up to the altar to slaughter him, but God provided a ram to be killed in Isaac's place, and therefore, spared the life of the son and spared the grief of the father.
May I always be so obedient that I am willing to surrender all to Jesus out of my great love for Him above everyone and everything else. May I always believe that if it is within His will, God can provide a way out of a seemingly impossible situation.
(Genesis 22:1-18) And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, "Abraham:" and he said, "Behold, here I am."
And he said, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest... and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."
And Abraham rose up early in the morning... and went unto the place of which God had told him.... And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, "My father:" and he said, "Here am I, my son." And he said, "Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:" so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, "Abraham, Abraham:" and he said, "Here am I."
And he said, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me."
And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."
Here is a second blog I wrote in November 2025 with the same title.
I Surrender All
Whether in dreams or audibly, usually when God speaks to me it is early in the morning just before or after I wake up. I think it is because my mind runs 100 miles per hour and this is about the only time my brain is still enough to really listen to God. I like to think I have a "convention song brain" where there are several melodies and lyrics happening at once but somehow still all makes sense! Several mornings ago, shortly after waking, I clearly heard the Lord ask, "What are the three most important words?" Before I could even contemplate an answer, I then heard, "I surrender all."
As it is in my nature to do so, God knew I would over analyze this, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized these three words are the foundation for two other very important three-word phrases we need to say to God: "I love You" and "Please forgive me."
First, I will explore the phrase given: "I surrender all."
After I told my husband about my experience, we had a discussion about what it means to surrender your all to Jesus and how this is even possible. It may seem like an obvious point, but it is very true that to surrender all is to say to Jesus, "Take my life and do with as you will. I give you full control." This is a very important first step. The best way to do this is by praying that God will shut all doors in your life He wants shut and open all the door He wants opened. And then to not fight His decisions but trust His sovereign will.
I am guilty of praying that the Lord's will be done and when He has shut the door, I stubbornly have forced it back open and suffered the consequences. For example, in 2017, before a scheduled job interview I prayed that if the job was not within His will that He would somehow find a way to cancel the interview. The morning of the interview the boss called and cancelled because his wife was sick. I praised God for answering my prayer, but a year later, still unemployed and desperate, I reapplied and was hired on the spot. Going after a job God had initially shut down had its consequences. I became very sick due to the chemicals used at the facility. God knew there were dangerous chemicals there that would affect me, and I should have surrendered my will and not pursued that job a second time.
(Isaiah 55:8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
So many people try to open God's closed doors to relationships that are just as harmful as toxic chemicals. These people may physically, emotionally, or spiritually harm you and God is gracious enough to send you warning signs (and even dreams) that tell you to walk away. Out of loyalty to the person, instead of loyalty to God, you stay and get hurt deeper and even risk your walk with God. Listen to God when He tells you someone is harmful. Being lonely is better than risking your life or soul. Besides, we are never alone as God will always bring us comfort even in the hard times (see also 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
(1 Corinthians 14:33-34) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not.
Whether in dreams or audibly, usually when God speaks to me it is early in the morning just before or after I wake up. I think it is because my mind runs 100 miles per hour and this is about the only time my brain is still enough to really listen to God. I like to think I have a "convention song brain" where there are several melodies and lyrics happening at once but somehow still all makes sense! Several mornings ago, shortly after waking, I clearly heard the Lord ask, "What are the three most important words?" Before I could even contemplate an answer, I then heard, "I surrender all."
As it is in my nature to do so, God knew I would over analyze this, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized these three words are the foundation for two other very important three-word phrases we need to say to God: "I love You" and "Please forgive me."
First, I will explore the phrase given: "I surrender all."
After I told my husband about my experience, we had a discussion about what it means to surrender your all to Jesus and how this is even possible. It may seem like an obvious point, but it is very true that to surrender all is to say to Jesus, "Take my life and do with as you will. I give you full control." This is a very important first step. The best way to do this is by praying that God will shut all doors in your life He wants shut and open all the door He wants opened. And then to not fight His decisions but trust His sovereign will.
I am guilty of praying that the Lord's will be done and when He has shut the door, I stubbornly have forced it back open and suffered the consequences. For example, in 2017, before a scheduled job interview I prayed that if the job was not within His will that He would somehow find a way to cancel the interview. The morning of the interview the boss called and cancelled because his wife was sick. I praised God for answering my prayer, but a year later, still unemployed and desperate, I reapplied and was hired on the spot. Going after a job God had initially shut down had its consequences. I became very sick due to the chemicals used at the facility. God knew there were dangerous chemicals there that would affect me, and I should have surrendered my will and not pursued that job a second time.
(Isaiah 55:8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
So many people try to open God's closed doors to relationships that are just as harmful as toxic chemicals. These people may physically, emotionally, or spiritually harm you and God is gracious enough to send you warning signs (and even dreams) that tell you to walk away. Out of loyalty to the person, instead of loyalty to God, you stay and get hurt deeper and even risk your walk with God. Listen to God when He tells you someone is harmful. Being lonely is better than risking your life or soul. Besides, we are never alone as God will always bring us comfort even in the hard times (see also 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
(1 Corinthians 14:33-34) Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not.
Another area I have had to learn to surrender has been allowing God to heal me from past pains. Once, when I was listening to the song, "I Surrender All," and really praising God, not just mindlessly singing, I heard the Lord ask me, "Have you surrendered ALL?" At first, I thought I had, but I knew God was asking me because He wanted me to really examine my heart. I realized that there were past griefs in my life of which I had not let go. I wept and prayed and asked God to help me heal the wounds I knew I could never heal on my own.
Another way to surrender all to God is by following what the Bible says we need to do. In my opinion, this is even more important because when we choose to do the moral thing, God is more likely to protect us, and we also become more sensitive to the voice of His Holy Spirit. When we know what the Bible says about sin and chase after it anyway, like I chased after a toxic job, we suffer the consequences. The rules of Jesus are not put in place to harm us, but to protect us (see also Matthew 19:16-19 & Revelation 21:8).
(Galatians 5:19-21) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
This brings me to the next phrase, "I love You." I am not referring to a generic human "you," but God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When we truly love the Holy Trinity, it makes it so much easier to surrender.
When I was single, I used to believe I could never fully love someone because it is impossible for me to trust people. You cannot love someone you do not trust. Because God sent me the perfect man, I fall was able love and trust the man I married. He is the only person I can trust.
My trust issues applied to God as well. Yet, the more I learned about the character of Jesus (by reading my Bible and praying), the more I love Him and can trust He wants only the best for His children. If we cannot trust Him enough to lead our lives, we cannot ever fully love Him.
(1 John 2:3-5) And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.
And the more we love God and see how kind and gracious He truly is, the more we want to do the right things.
(Romans 2:4) The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.
If you are interested, you can read more about trust in my blog here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/07/trust.html
Maybe love comes first and then surrender, but they definitely go together. As does this last phrase: "Please forgive me."
When we make mistakes, which we will all do, and usually daily, don't give up and say being a Christian is hopeless because you will never be perfect. You don't have to be, but you do need to strive to do your best!
(Luke 13:23-24) Then said one unto him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" And He said unto them, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
Jesus shed His blood and gave us the free gift of salvation we do not have to earn. It would truly be impossible for us to earn such an amazing gift as our righteousness is as filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6). This absolutely does not mean we use God's precious grace as an excuse to shrug it off when we sin. We confess our sins to Him and ask for His forgiveness, and He will always forgive.
(Romans 6:1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
(1 John 1:5-10) This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light... and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Admitting we have done wrong is surrendering our ego by asking for forgiveness and then doing our very best not to repeat the same mistakes. Just as we cannot save ourselves, we also cannot conquer sin on our own. We must surrender our sinful desires to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give us the strength to walk away from what we know He hates.
(John 15:4-5)[Jesus said,] "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
(1 Corinthians 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
As I mentioned above, part of this blog is based on a conversation I had with my husband as we discussed how to surrender. One of the things we talked about, and I have done in the past, is to write a list of things you are having difficulty surrendering to God. This can be a situation such as future plans or a past hurt as well as sins you are having difficulty conquering. For me this was private and I didn't even share it with Mel, but it is up to you if you want to share it with a loved one or not. After you very honestly search your heart and write this list, pray over it and surrender it to God and then let these issues go by either ripping up the list or safely burning it. Trust me, this symbolic act will make your heart feel freer.
Claim the victory in Jesus' powerful name that He has and will help you make the right decisions, help you heal from past wounds, and help you conquer your sins.
Another way to surrender all to God is by following what the Bible says we need to do. In my opinion, this is even more important because when we choose to do the moral thing, God is more likely to protect us, and we also become more sensitive to the voice of His Holy Spirit. When we know what the Bible says about sin and chase after it anyway, like I chased after a toxic job, we suffer the consequences. The rules of Jesus are not put in place to harm us, but to protect us (see also Matthew 19:16-19 & Revelation 21:8).
(Galatians 5:19-21) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
This brings me to the next phrase, "I love You." I am not referring to a generic human "you," but God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. When we truly love the Holy Trinity, it makes it so much easier to surrender.
When I was single, I used to believe I could never fully love someone because it is impossible for me to trust people. You cannot love someone you do not trust. Because God sent me the perfect man, I fall was able love and trust the man I married. He is the only person I can trust.
My trust issues applied to God as well. Yet, the more I learned about the character of Jesus (by reading my Bible and praying), the more I love Him and can trust He wants only the best for His children. If we cannot trust Him enough to lead our lives, we cannot ever fully love Him.
(1 John 2:3-5) And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.
And the more we love God and see how kind and gracious He truly is, the more we want to do the right things.
(Romans 2:4) The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.
If you are interested, you can read more about trust in my blog here: https://thankful-julie.blogspot.com/2025/07/trust.html
Maybe love comes first and then surrender, but they definitely go together. As does this last phrase: "Please forgive me."
When we make mistakes, which we will all do, and usually daily, don't give up and say being a Christian is hopeless because you will never be perfect. You don't have to be, but you do need to strive to do your best!
(Luke 13:23-24) Then said one unto him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" And He said unto them, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."
Jesus shed His blood and gave us the free gift of salvation we do not have to earn. It would truly be impossible for us to earn such an amazing gift as our righteousness is as filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6). This absolutely does not mean we use God's precious grace as an excuse to shrug it off when we sin. We confess our sins to Him and ask for His forgiveness, and He will always forgive.
(Romans 6:1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
(1 John 1:5-10) This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light... and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Admitting we have done wrong is surrendering our ego by asking for forgiveness and then doing our very best not to repeat the same mistakes. Just as we cannot save ourselves, we also cannot conquer sin on our own. We must surrender our sinful desires to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give us the strength to walk away from what we know He hates.
(John 15:4-5)[Jesus said,] "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
(1 Corinthians 10:13) There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
As I mentioned above, part of this blog is based on a conversation I had with my husband as we discussed how to surrender. One of the things we talked about, and I have done in the past, is to write a list of things you are having difficulty surrendering to God. This can be a situation such as future plans or a past hurt as well as sins you are having difficulty conquering. For me this was private and I didn't even share it with Mel, but it is up to you if you want to share it with a loved one or not. After you very honestly search your heart and write this list, pray over it and surrender it to God and then let these issues go by either ripping up the list or safely burning it. Trust me, this symbolic act will make your heart feel freer.
Claim the victory in Jesus' powerful name that He has and will help you make the right decisions, help you heal from past wounds, and help you conquer your sins.
There are a lot of beautiful versions of the song, "I Surrender All," and here is one of my picks:
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