A life surrendered to God means prioritizing the Lord, rather than our own desires. A surrendered life is one opposed to the values of the world and committed to the Lord.
The Bible teaches that becoming God’s children means living our lives for the Lord, rather than for the world. Old Testament figures, such as Joshua and the Israelites (Joshua 24:15), as well as New Testament saints, chose surrender to God over surrender to the world (Matthew 16:24–25; Romans 12:1; Galatians 2:20). Genesis shows this world was given over to the devil at the fall of mankind (Genesis 3:17–19). That made Satan the "god of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4) and caused all people to be born under the power of sin because of Adam's sin (Romans 5:12). But Christ overcame the power of the world (John 16:33). Those who place their trust in Him receive the Holy Spirit, who provides the strength to surrender our lives to Him (Acts 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:7). The Bible explains that until Jesus returns and takes His rightful place as the final authority and ruler over all, we must surrender our minds, wills, and actions to Him (Romans 8:20–22; 12:1–2). Scripture demonstrates that the first stage of surrender is accepting Christ as Savior (Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9). When we choose to submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we become God's children (John 1:12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). We are new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). A surrendered life is one in which the believer lives for Christ, rather than for self.
Although surrendering is often considered to be defeat to many people, to Christians, surrendering to Christ is the ultimate victory. It’s the triumph over sin and death. It’s the opportunity to have what the world can never give us: a new life, one that is purpose-driven and meaningful. But what does surrender to Christ mean, practically? In a battle, surrender means living according to the terms set by the victor. Laying down our arms in the battle between our worldly life and our life in Christ means agreeing to the terms the Lord has laid out in His Word. For instance, the world tells us to devote our time to pursuing a lucrative career, but Christ tells us to lay up treasures in heaven by seeking first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:19–21). The world tells us to “do what feels good,” but a life in Christ may mean doing what’s uncomfortable for the sake of the Kingdom (Luke 9:23; 2 Timothy 3:12)—maybe telling your neighbor about Christ at the risk of him thinking you’re “weird.” Those who lead a life surrendered to Christ put Christ first. A surrendered life is one in which the believer lives for Christ, rather than for self.