The Danger of Living Un-Surrendered
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Good morning.
I gotta tell you—I’m coming in this morning full of faith, joy, and confidence.
Alyssa and I took a small team up to the ARC Conference this past week, and man, we got ministered to. God poured into us. We came back with both spiritual encouragement and practical tools, and I’m excited and expectant for what the future holds for Anchor City Church.
I’m also excited to be back preaching this morning. I want to thank my wife for giving me a break last week and for teaching so well on the importance of discipleship. Love you, babe—I’m grateful for you.
Now, let me be straight with you: You’re not going to like this message.
And the reason I know that is because—I don’t like this message.
This isn’t one I wanted to preach. This isn’t something I was excited about delivering. And to be honest with you, it’s a message I still struggle to live out.
But I believe—outside of the simple gospel—this might be the single most important message I’ve ever preached.
So my ask today is this: just lean in. Let the Holy Spirit speak.
Chapter 19 opens with Paul arriving in Ephesus. And he runs into something pretty similar to what Priscilla and Aquila dealt with back in chapter 18—some people who believed, but didn’t have the full picture.
So Paul asks them:
2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
These guys were sincere. They believed. But they had never experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
You can know about God but never know the power of God.
They knew the right things.
They showed up.
They maybe even tried to live a good life.
But they had never really encountered the Holy Spirit.
And let me just say this—the Holy Spirit isn’t the weird part of Christianity.
He’s not some spooky force.
He’s not the wild card of the Trinity.
He is God. Fully God. With all the power, glory, and authority of God.
But here’s where a lot of us get stuck. We tend to put the Holy Spirit in one of two boxes:
Weird.
My little helper.
We either keep our distance out of fear…Or we reduce Him to a sidekick who’s just there to give us a good feeling during worship.
But in John 14, Jesus makes a powerful promise about the Holy Spirit.
He says:
“I will send you another Comforter.”
Now in the original Greek, there are two important words here:
“Another” – the word is allos (pronounced AH-loss).
“Comforter” – the word is paraklétos (pronounced pah-rah-KLAY-toss).
Let’s break this down.
The word allos means identical—as in, the same kind.
So Jesus wasn’t saying, “I’ll send someone completely different.”
He was saying, “I’m sending someone just like me.”
Then there’s paraklétos.
This was actually a legal term.
It referred to someone who would stand beside you in court, someone who would advocate for you, speak on your behalf—like a legal counselor or attorney.
So when Jesus said, “I’ll send you another Comforter,” He was saying:
“I’m sending you someone just like me—who will walk with you, advocate for you, guide you, and speak to you.”
Not spooky. Not a sidekick.
But the very presence of God—living inside you.
These believers—who knew about God—now actually know God, because they received the Holy Spirit.
Now, quick side note—some of you have mentioned that I preach too long.
And I get it. I’ve gone long once or twice.
But let’s be honest… I’ve got nothing on Paul.
8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
Three months.
Not three hours. Not three Sundays in a row.
Three months. Same message.
So if I go a little over today… just remember: it could be worse.
Let’s keep reading
9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
Spoiler alert—this has been the running theme all throughout Acts.
The power of God shows up… and people either surrender to it, or fight against it.
And the reality is—People are fine with the idea of God…until His presence starts to confront their way of life.
That’s when things get uncomfortable.
That’s when resistance shows up.
So…that was my intro….
This morning I’ve titled this message:
The Danger of Living Un-Surrendered.
Pray
Normally, this is the part where I’d tell a funny story—give you something to laugh at, lighten the mood a bit, let you forget for a second that we’re talking about the Bible…And then I’d bring it back around.
But not today. There’s too much we need to walk through this morning.
lets pick up back in verse 11
11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
That’s not normal. That’s God’s power on full display.
And Paul didn’t manufacture that.
He wasn’t chasing signs. He wasn’t hyping a show.
He was just completely surrendered to Christ.
So surrendered that even the things that touched him carried the power and presence of God.
Can I ask you something?
Are you surrendered?
Not just showing up.
Not just saying the right things.
Not just looking the part.
Because there’s a real danger in role-playing surrender.
There is danger when you pretend to be surrendered.
Look at verse 13
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
This is what the danger of living un-surrendered looks like.
These seven sons decided to cosplay as followers of Jesus.
They weren’t surrendered.
They were just using the name of Jesus like a magic word.
And what happened?
They didn’t just fail.
They got exposed.
Not Just Spiritually—but also physically.
They ran out of that house naked and bleeding.
That’s what happens when you try to imitate spiritual power without having spiritual surrender.
I want to ask you again:
Are you surrendered?
Not… “Do you believe in God?”
Not… “Do you go to church?”
But are you surrendered?
Because the danger of living un-surrendered isn’t just something that happened to them—
it’s something we all wrestle with.
And the truth is, for most of us, surrender doesn’t fall apart all at once.
It breaks down one area at a time.
So this morning, I want to walk us through seven areas where we often refuse to surrender to God
Each one gets harder. Each one gets closer to the heart.
Here’s the first one:
Time
“I’ll serve, but only when it’s convenient.”
Following Jesus means surrendering your time.
You can’t follow Jesus without giving Him your time. It’s not possible.
And no—I’m not just talking about showing up to church events or services.
Now don’t get me wrong—those things matter.
You should be here on Sundays.
You should be here for prayer on Saturday mornings at 9:30am…
(shameless plug, I know…)
But for a lot of us, Sunday is the only time we give to God. And from Monday to Saturday, He barely gets a thought.
We say we don’t have time…But the truth is—we’re just not surrendering it.
Because time is never about availability. It’s about priority.
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
God’s Word is clear:
How we spend our time is a spiritual issue.
And when we don’t give Him our time, what we’re really doing is holding back our heart.
Does your time belong to God?
Because if it doesn’t, you are not Surrendered.
Here is the second area we refuse to surrender:
2. Control
“God can guide me, but I still want final say.”
We’re fine with taking directions from God…As long as He’s just the navigator—not the one behind the wheel.
We want God to inspire our decisions, but not interrupt them.
We’ll pray for wisdom,
then do whatever we were already planning to do.
Because surrendering control means we’re no longer the one calling the shots.
And that’s hard.
But here’s the truth:
If God isn’t in control of your decisions, He’s not Lord of your life.
We love the idea of guidance.
We just hate the idea of giving up the steering wheel.
9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
We might map out the whole route.
But only God knows the road ahead.
Only He sees what’s around the corner.
Only He knows what we actually need—not just what we think we want.
We make plans. We guess. We assume.
But He sees the whole picture.
And here’s the hard truth: We were never meant to be in control.
It’s not just that we’re bad at it…It’s that it was never our role to begin with.
You’ve heard me say this before:
If we’re not being led by the Holy Spirit, we’re not being led anywhere of value.
So… who’s really in control?
Because if it’s not Him, you’re not surrendered.
Heres number three:
3. Image –
“I’ll follow Jesus, but don’t let me look foolish.”
You know what’s ironic about trying to protect your image as a Christian?
You’re trying to protect an image that didn’t even come from God.
Genesis 1:26 says we were made in the image of God—But we’re out here trying to live in the image of culture, of comfort, of what other people think.
We don’t want the image of the Creator—We want the image of the created.
We want to follow Jesus without looking radical.
We want to stand for truth without losing approval.
We want to carry our cross… without it costing us our reputation.
We’ve become more concerned with our reputation than our reflection of Christ.
10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
If you were made in His image, why are you working so hard to look like someone else?
Following Jesus was never meant to look “normal.”
It was meant to look set apart.
So ask yourself:
Are you living for the image of God?
Or the image of approval?
Because if it’s not His image…you’re not surrendered.
Number 4:
4. Comfort
“I want God’s power without risking my comfort.”
We want breakthrough without disruption.
We want God to move—as long as we don’t have to.
We idolize control, predictability, and personal peace more than we value obedience.
But:
God didn’t call you to be comfortable. He called you to be obedient.
Obedience means stepping out when it’s inconvenient.
It means trusting when it’s uncomfortable.
It means saying “yes” even when everything in you wants to say “safe.”
And for some of us—comfort doesn’t even look like peace…it looks like pain.
We’ve lived with the hurt, the bitterness, the fear—so long—that we’ve started to feel safe in it.
We’ve become so comfortable with our pain that healing feels like a threat.
But Jesus didn’t die to leave you stuck in what’s familiar.
He came to lead you into freedom.
And freedom requires obedience—especially when it’s uncomfortable.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Jesus left the comfort of heaven for the discomfort of the cross.
He gave up perfection, glory, and ease—and stepped into pain, rejection, and death… for us.
And yet some of us won’t even leave our comfort in worship—to lift our hands…to sing out loud…to kneel in His presence.
We say we want to follow Jesus, but only if it’s easy.
Only if it’s safe.
Only if it’s on our terms.
Comfort never changed the world. Obedience did.
So ask yourself:
Are you choosing comfort… or obedience?
Because if it’s not obedience—you’re not surrendered.
Number 5:
5. Habits/Sin
“I’ll follow Christ, just don’t touch this area.”
Now let’s be real—this is the one we’d never say out loud.
There are sins, habits, and hidden patterns we refuse to surrender.
Not because we’re confused about whether they’re wrong…
but because we like the way they make us feel.
We don’t want to let go of what gives us temporary comfort.
We don’t want to kill what still gives us pleasure.
We want to follow Jesus—but only if it doesn’t cost us that.
The danger?
What you won’t surrender, will eventually control you.
What you won’t lay down, will eventually take you down.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Sin clings.
Habits hook themselves deep.
But the life Christ calls us to isn’t one of hidden compromise.
It’s one of holy surrender.
11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible,
So here’s the question:
Are you dragging your sin into the light—or keeping it tucked in the shadows?
Because what stays hidden doesn’t get healed.
What stays secret doesn’t get surrendered.
And Jesus isn’t in the business of negotiating with darkness.
He calls it out. He brings it into the light.
Not to shame you—but to free you.
So ask yourself:
Is there a habit you’re holding onto?
A sin you’ve made peace with?
A part of your life you’ve blocked off from His Lordship?
Because what you keep in the dark will eventually define you.
But what you surrender to the light—He can redeem.
And if you’re still holding on to it…you’re not surrendered.
Number 6:
6. Identity
“I’ll be who God wants me to be—as long as it fits how I see myself.”
This might be the most deceptive one—because it hides behind personal authenticity.
It sounds like freedom, but it’s actually resistance in disguise.
Many struggle to surrender their self-image, their cultural identity, or their personal autonomy to God’s call.
And let’s be clear—this isn’t just a culture issue.
It’s a church issue.
We’re quick to point fingers at people walking through gender and sexual confusion…while quietly ignoring our own identity confusion
We say Jesus is Lord—but we keep editing who we are based on what’s popular, acceptable, or personally comfortable.
We label, filter, and curate our lives to look the part—instead of letting the Spirit shape who we really are.
You can’t follow Jesus fully while holding on to a false version of yourself.
Take a second.
Let that sink in.
Write it down if you need to.
Because until that truth hits your heart, surrender will always feel optional.
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Following Jesus means surrendering who you were
for who He’s calling you to become.
It means letting go of how you define yourself
and embracing how He’s already redefined you.
So ask yourself:
Are you following Jesus as your Lord—or just as a consultant to your personality?
Because if your identity is still yours to control…you’re not surrendered.
Number 7.
And this one—none of us want to talk about.
It’s become a taboo topic in the Church.
Not because God has been unclear about it…but because we’ve let opinions, pressure, and bad leadership distort it.
We’ve seen it abused.
We’ve seen it weaponized.
We’ve seen people hurt, manipulated, and turned off by the way this has been handled.
So now, we stay quiet.
We get uncomfortable.
We spiritualize everything else… except this.
But Jesus didn’t avoid it.
He didn’t water it down.
He went straight at it.
And so should we.
And if you still feel uncomfortable—let me take you back to where we started… Acts 19.
17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.
They didn’t just talk about surrender.
They didn’t sing about it.
They lived it.
They burned the very things that tied them to their old life.
And they didn’t do it in secret.
They did it publicly.
And it wasn’t symbolic—it was sacrificial.
Fifty thousand pieces of silver.
The estimated value of what they burned?
Roughly $50 million in today’s terms.
Just—let that sink in.
They didn’t try to sell it.
They didn’t try to get a tax write-off.
They didn’t rationalize keeping “just a little.”
They set it on fire.
Because when Jesus becomes Lord, nothing is off limits.
And with that in mind…
7. Money
“God can have my heart, but not my wallet.”
Jesus said it plainly:
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
So let me ask you—Where is your heart?
Because if your heart truly belongs to Christ…your money will follow.
As a pastor, my job isn’t to pressure you for money.
It’s to point you to surrender.
And money—our money—is often the one thing we try the hardest to keep off the altar.
We’ll trust Jesus with our eternity We say, “God can have my heart…”
But when it hits our finances,
we hesitate.
We pull back.
We get theological.
We start asking:
“Do I have to tithe?”
“Isn’t that Old Testament law?”
“Can’t I just give when I feel led?”
Let’s be honest—We don’t ask those questions to be theological or get clarity.
We ask them to find a loophole.
Because what we’re really asking is: “What’s the least I can give and still feel obedient?”
But why are we negotiating with the One who gave everything?
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus didn’t tithe His blood.
He poured out all of it.
He didn’t give us a percentage.
He gave us Himself.
And now we debate whether 10% is too much?
Let me be clear:
The tithe isn’t the ceiling of generosity—it’s the floor.
It was never meant to be a finish line, just the starting point for surrendered living.
You can give 10% and still not be surrendered.
You can give more than that and still be in control.
Because God’s not after your percentage—He’s after your heart.
And let’s be honest:
The tithe is what keeps the Church alive…
But the Church isn’t meant to just stay alive—it is meant to thrive.
It is meant to be bold.
It is meant to reach people.
It is meant to be a light in the darkest places.
And that kind of mission doesn’t run on leftover generosity.
It runs on surrendered people.
And here’s something most of us don’t like to admit:
One of the biggest reasons we struggle to give
isn’t because we don’t have the means—
it’s because we don’t know how to manage what we already have.
We live overextended.
We don’t budget.
We spend first and pray later.
And then we wonder why generosity feels impossible.
But giving money you’ll never miss…isn’t surrender.
That’s convenience.
That’s tipping.
That’s what we do when we want to feel good about ourself without trusting being completely surrendered and submitted to God.
So ask yourself:
Do I trust more in my ability to hold onto money…or in God’s faithfulness to provide?
Do I believe He’s my source?
Or just someone I turn to when my own system fails?
Let me ask one more question—
How much of your spending is shaped by eternity?
How much of your budget reflects His mission instead of just your comfort?
Because let’s be clear:
We are not called to “give money to a church.”
We are called to surrender our lives to Christ.
And when your life is surrendered, your money follows.
Because if He’s not Lord over your money…you’re not surrendered.
Before we close, I want to ask you a question:
What would full surrender actually look like for you?
Not in general.
Not someday.
Right now.
We’ve walked through seven areas today. Which one is it for you?
Time
Control
Image
Comfort
Habits/Sin
Identity
Money
For some of us—it’s one.
For others—it’s a few.
And for some—it might be all seven.
From the very beginning, when we got this building,
I knew I wanted a cross on this stage.
Not as a decoration.
But for a moment like this.
A moment where we stop talking about surrender—and actually do it.
In just a second, we’re going to sing “I Surrender All.”
And as we do, here’s what I want to invite you to do:
There are pieces of paper and pens up here.
Write down the area—or areas—you’ve been struggling to surrender.
Name it. Own it. Bring it into the light.
And as a physical act of surrender—pin it to the cross.
Write that area down.
And don’t be insecure about it.
Be bold in your surrender.
Let this moment be real.
Let it be holy.
Let it cost something.
But hear me—This moment means nothing if you don’t actually surrender when you leave.
Pinning it to the cross is powerful, but living it out is where the real surrender begins.
Because Jesus didn’t halfway die for you. So don’t halfway follow Him.
