P.R.A.Y.E.R. - Y for Yield

To yield is to give way, surrender, and submit. One of the ways that we “yield” to God is through prayer. Learning to yield is a crucial aspect of a vibrant prayer life and one of the keys to our spiritual growth.    

 We “give way.” We pause from our earthly agenda and give priority to our relationship with God through prayer. We quiet our hearts as we humbly and expectantly approach our Heavenly Father.

 Yielding can be a challenge for us because we are so easily distracted. There is much to compete for our time with God. Our desire to be busy can be our enemy. However, prayer is never a passive response. Prayer is an active conversation with God who knows us and wants what is best for us. Prayer is where we should always begin. 

 “We can always do more than pray after we have prayed but not until we have prayed.” S.D. Gordon

 We “surrender.”  We all have a choice to make. Do we choose to surrender to culture, opinions of others, our selfish desires, or the God of the universe?

 Jesus prayed in Matthew 6:10“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven…”

 Surrender is the one word that best explains our desire to yield our imperfect plans to God’s perfect will. We no longer live for ourselves but choose to live for Him. We willingly surrender to Him because He knows what is best for us. Prayer helps us sort through our earthly agenda and directs us to God’s will for our lives.

 “God does great things through surrendered people.”  Jennie Allen

 We “submit.” Submission means that we willingly put ourselves under God’s authority. We open our hands to let go of our control and take hold of a life of faith. Submitting to God also helps us resist opposing forces – our enemy and all the forces of evil.

 James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

 To submit to God’s plans, we need to trust in God’s character. As we are exposed to His goodness, our hearts are bent toward His. We trust Him and willingly pray “Not my will, but His be done.”

 Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps

 As we yield our control and plans to God in prayer, we are reminded that the Creator of the universe sees us, knows us, and wants what is best for us. His throne is in control of all things. We find new opportunities to rest in His presence, peace, and purpose for our lives.

Stay Hungry,

Big E

Matt. 5:6