“Yield now and be at peace with Him (God); thereby good will come to you.”
Job 22:21 (NASB)
| December 1975 I read this verse for the very first time. It hit me like a lightning bolt out of the sky! I mean it just knocked me to the floor. This is what God had been trying to get through to me for so many months previously. God had been taking me through one seriously frightening experience after another, trying to get my attention and break through my cold, stubborn heart. Time after time I would not yield, I would not submit to God. Finally, one cold winter night, God broke me, completely broke me. I surrendered all to Him.
For the first time, I had this profound, divine epiphany! “Mark, if you yield to God, if you stop resisting, if you yield to God’s will, you will experience peace and good things will come to you!!” You have no idea how that shattered my notions of following God’s will, submitting to God’s plans, yielding to God’s word. The word yield means: to surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another; hand over possession of, to surrender or submit (oneself) to another, to give up and cease resistance or contention. For several years I genuinely believed the exact opposite was true. I believed that living my way, doing my own thing would make me happy and give me fulfillment. My truth was, “I want to do what I want to do!” My truth was resist God and find true life! All I found was frustration, turmoil, and disappointment. Oh, how wrong and mistaken I was! I can tell you firsthand, after choosing to yield to God and God’s will for the last 45 years in all aspects of my life, God has kept His word, He has brought me peace and serenity, and good things have indeed come. Of course, my life has also had painful trials, tribulations and sufferings as I took up my cross to follow Him, but God has used them all for good. In my marriage, God has brought such good! In my fathering, God has brought such good! In my faith, God has brought such good! In my relationship with God, I have experienced such a wonderful, rich fellowship and deep connection with God. As I have believed what God’s word says, God has brought me such confidence, hope and encouragement of heart! Have you ever asked yourself the question “Am I willing to do what God asks me to do in my marriage? “ Wives, let me ask you, are you yielding and submitting to God in your marriage? Here is one clear way to know. Are you yielding and submitting to your husband in marriage as you would if you were married to Jesus? If not, then you are not fully yielding to God in your marriage. Wives, God will honor you for honoring your husbands and good will come to you! Ladies, this message would be a real help and blessing to you. It is titled “How Should a Woman Really Love Her Husband,” taken from my series “How Should a Man Really Love His Wife.” This was the last message of that series directed to the wives specifically. Men and women, let me ask you honestly, in what ways have you been resisting God? Are you resisting God in your finances? Are you resisting God in your intimacy with your spouse? Are there things you know God is asking you to do in your marriage that you are unwilling to do? What are you holding back in? Think very carefully and ask yourself, “Lord, what areas of my marriage, my parenting, and my life are you asking me to yield and submit to You in that I am resisting Your will and Your word in?” I promise this: When you honor God, and yield to Him, submitting to what He wants you to do, good will always eventually come to you, along with real peace. Please listen to these two messages. They will be a tremendous help and encouragement to you. https://strongdisciple.com/gods-will/the-safest-place-on-earth |
