Submission To God

Introduction:

Today people just do not like being under authority.God tells us that we must submit to him.James 4:7“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

I. Submission to God requires humility

A.Humble followers are blessed II Chronicles 7:14“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

1.Those that humble themselves are in a good place Matthew 18:4“Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

a.The humble are exalted Matthew 23:12 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”

B.The humble are lifted up James 4:10“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

C.Before honor come humility Proverbs 15:33“The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.”Proverbs 18:12“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.”

D.The humble are the saved Job 22:29 “When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There Is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.”

1.The humble receive Grace James 4:6“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

2.God resists the proud I Peter 5:5“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”

E.The difference between humility and pride Luke 18:9-14

F.Our greatest example of humility Hebrews 2:9 “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

G.Jesus showed humility by washing the disciples feet John 13:3-17

II. Submission to God requires change

A.Before those on the day of Pentecost were converted they had to change (repent) Acts 2:38“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

1.Repentance is change Acts 26:20“But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.”

2.Repentance is prior to conversion Acts 3:19“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.”

B.Repentance requires honesty.The type of honesty we see in Simon Acts 8:13-24

1.Two further examples of true repentance and the results Luke 15:11-24 and Luke 7:37-48

III. Submission to God requires more than “a little faith”

A.More than a “little faith” or your ‘SUB’mission will sink Matthew 14:22-33

B.Not faith in man II Corinthians 2:4-5“4. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.5. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.”

1.Misplaced faith in men is ditched bound Matthew 15:14“Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

C.Our faith must be unwavering Hebrews 10:23“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”

Conclusion:

For us to submit to God we must love Him and want to obey Him Deuteronomy 30:19-20“19. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20. That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the Lord sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”