All In: The Biblical Call to Total Surrender

What does it mean to truly follow Jesus? Not just on Sundays, not just when it’s convenient or popular—but every day, in every area of our life. The answer lies in a concept many hear about but few truly live out: Total Surrender. This isn’t about religious asceticism or self-imposed suffering; it’s about putting Christ at the center of everything and letting His will override our own. Total surrender is the call to deny self, count the cost, and live wholeheartedly for the One who gave it all for us.

Seeking God With All Your Heart

Jeremiah 29:13 declares, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”  This is where surrender begins—with a heart that longs for God more than anything else. Half-hearted Christianity has no place in true discipleship. The Lord promises that if we genuinely pursue Him, we will find Him.

You Can’t Serve Two Masters

Jesus made it plain in Matthew 6:24: “No man can serve two masters... Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Total surrender means making a choice. We can’t follow Christ and chase financial success at the same time. God doesn’t want part-time followers. He wants all of us—our time, our treasures, our ambitions—all of it yielded to His lordship.

Counting the Cost of Discipleship

In Luke 14:26–28, 33, Jesus confronts us with sobering words: “If any man come to me, and hate [love less] not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and yea even his own life... he cannot be my disciple... For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost... So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple..” Following Christ isn’t a hobby. Before we take up the name of Christ, we must sit down and count the cost. Are we willing to forsake all for Jesus?

Deny Yourself, Take Up Your Cross

Jesus gives the formula for discipleship in Matthew 16:24–25: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”  The cross is not a symbol of comfort—it’s a symbol of death. You can't cling to self and follow Jesus at the same time. Surrender begins when self dies.

The Power of Dying to Live

In John 12:24–25, Jesus uses the image of a grain of wheat: “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone...”  The surrendered life is fruitful because it dies to personal ambition and lives for eternal purpose. Are we willing to die for Christ, even on the mission field, if that's what God calls us to?

Crucified With Christ

Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…”  This is the heart cry of total surrender. It’s no longer about our plans, our preferences, or our agenda. Christ lives in us, and His will becomes our new compass.

Dead to Sin, Alive to God

Romans 6:6 reminds us: “That our old man is crucified with him… that henceforth we should not serve sin.”  Total surrender means we no longer live as a slave to sin. Grace doesn’t give us permission to sin—it gives us the power to overcome it.

Living Sacrifices

Romans 12:1–2 calls us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” God doesn’t just want our heart—He wants our whole life. And that’s not extreme; it’s reasonable. In light of His mercy, surrender is the only fitting response.

No Longer Living for Self

2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them…”  The cross not only saves us—it changes us. We now live for Him, not for our own pleasures or plans.

All Things Counted Loss for Christ

Paul said in Philippians 3:7–8: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ...”  There is no earthly treasure worth clinging to if it costs you intimacy with Jesus. Surrender means valuing Him above all else.

Crucify the Flesh

Galatians 5:24 says, “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”  The flesh doesn’t get a seat at the table in a surrendered life. It has to die—along with all its sinful cravings.

Hidden With Christ in God

Colossians 3:3 speaks to the security and identity found in surrender: “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”  To lose your life for His sake is to find a deeper, richer life that cannot be shaken.

Dying to Live With Christ

2 Timothy 2:11 reminds us: “If we be dead with him, we shall also live with him.”  Death to self is not the end—it’s the beginning of real life.

Suffering Leads to Sanctification

1 Peter 4:1–2 exhorts us: “He that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin…” Surrender will cost you comfort. But it’s worth it, because it leads to a life lived not for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

Entering the Narrow Way

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:13–14: “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”  Total surrender walks the narrow path. It’s not crowded. It’s not easy. But it leads to life. Therefore, we should “strive to enter in at the strait gate…” (Luk 13:24).

Beware of Lukewarm Faith

Revelation 3:15–16 warns: “Thou art neither cold nor hot... I will spue thee out of my mouth.” Lukewarmness is the enemy of surrender. God is not impressed with half-hearted devotion. He wants fire in our bones and passion in our walk.

What Is Total Surrender, Really?

Total surrender is the difference between superficial faith and sacrificial love. It’s not just going to church or calling ourselves Christian—it’s living as though Jesus is our King in every area of life. It’s praying like Jesus did in Gethsemane: “Not my will, but thine be done.”

It means loving our enemies, forgiving those who hurt us, walking humbly, and allowing God to shape our character. It means letting Him lead in how we spend our money, what we watch, how we speak, what we wear, and even what we post to social media. Do our lives point to Jesus or to ourselves?

Let’s be clear: Total surrender doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy life. 1 Timothy 6:17 says that God “giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” God delights in our joy. But He must come first. The question is: Are we living for Him, or are we just fitting Him in?

Conclusion:

Jesus didn’t die to be part of your life. He died to be your life. Every breath you take, every decision you make, every step you walk—He deserves it all. The road is narrow, the cost is high, but the reward is eternal.

So ask yourself: Am I fully surrendered?Is there anything I'm still holding back? Lord, what do You want me to do with my life? How can I better glorify You so others can see You through me?

It’s time to go all in. Total surrender isn’t just a command—it’s the only way to truly live.