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Have you ever wanted to go “all in” for Jesus—fully devoted, holding nothing back? If so, you’re not alone. Every true follower of Christ wrestles with the desire to live completely for Him while struggling against the pull of sin, distractions, and the demands of everyday life.
The tension is real. On one hand, we have a new nature in Christ that longs to follow Him completely (2 Corinthians 5:17). On the other, our old nature still tugs at us, making obedience a daily battle (Galatians 5:17). The Apostle Paul himself described this inner conflict: “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15) If even Paul struggled, then we shouldn’t be surprised when we feel the same tension. But here’s the truth: following Jesus fully is possible—not because of our strength, but because of His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit. 1. Surrender Completely to Jesus – Every Day The first step is total surrender. Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) Notice the word daily. It’s not a one-time decision; it’s a lifestyle. Some days, surrendering is easy—our hearts feel full of love for Jesus. Other days, our flesh fights back. We might resist His will because it’s uncomfortable, inconvenient, or costly. But here’s the key: every day, we must choose Jesus over ourselves. Even when it’s hard. Even when we don’t feel like it. Even when the world tells us to do otherwise. Practical step: Start your day with a prayer of surrender. Say, “Lord, not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). 2. Pursue a Deep Relationship with God – Even When It’s Hard If we’re honest, reading the Bible and spending time in prayer isn’t always easy. There are mornings when we’d rather sleep in or scroll through our phones. But if we truly want to go all in for Jesus, we need to prioritize our relationship with Him above all else. Jesus calls us to abide in Him: “Abide in me, and I in you… apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5) Some days, spending time with God will feel amazing. Other days, it will feel like a chore. But we don’t seek Him for the 'feelings'—we seek Him because He is worthy and because we desperately need Him. Practical step: Schedule time with God every day, just as you would with a close friend. Even if you don’t 'feel' anything, stay consistent. 3. Share the Gospel Boldly – Even When You’re Afraid I’ll admit—there have been times I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to share Jesus with someone, and I hesitated. Why? Because of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of saying the wrong thing, fear of looking foolish. But Jesus calls us to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). The gospel isn’t just good news—it’s the best news. And if we truly believe that, how can we keep it to ourselves? Yes, sharing our faith can be uncomfortable. But our love for Christ and for others should outweigh our fear. Practical step: Pray for boldness (Acts 4:29). Then, step out in faith and start small—share your testimony, invite someone to church, or simply start a conversation about Jesus. 4. Choose Holiness Over Comfort Living for Jesus isn’t just about what we do—it’s also about what we avoid. In a world that celebrates sin, choosing holiness is hard. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). That means we reject sin, even when it’s tempting. We guard our minds, our words, and our actions. But here’s the struggle: sin still feels appealing at times. Our old nature fights against holiness. We might justify small compromises. We might think, 'Just this once.' This is why we need the Holy Spirit. On our own, we fail. But when we rely on His strength, He helps us live in a way that honors Christ (Galatians 5:16). Practical step: Ask God to reveal areas of compromise in your life. Then, take action to remove temptation. 5. Be Ready to Sacrifice – Even When It Costs You Jesus made it clear: following Him comes at a cost. He said, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27) For some, that cost is financial. For others, it’s giving up a dream, a relationship, or even personal safety. I once heard a pastor say, 'If your faith doesn’t cost you anything, you’re not doing it right.' That hit me hard. Am I willing to give up everything for Christ if He asks? Some days, my heart says, 'Yes!' Other days, I hesitate. That’s why we must keep our eyes on eternity. The sacrifices we make now pale in comparison to the glory of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). Practical step: Ask God what He’s calling you to surrender. Then, take a step of faith and obey. 6. Keep Going – Even When You Fail Let’s be honest: we’re going to mess up. We’re going to have days where we fall short, where we struggle, where we feel distant from God. But failure isn’t final. Jesus didn’t choose perfect disciples—He chose people who would fail and get back up. Peter denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus restored him and used him mightily (John 21:15-19). The key to going all in isn’t never failing—it’s never giving up. Keep pursuing Jesus. Keep repenting. Keep pressing forward. Practical step: When you fail, don’t run from God—run to Him. Confess your sin, receive His grace, and start fresh. Final Thought Going all in for Jesus is a daily decision. It’s not always easy. In fact, it’s often a struggle. But it’s worth it. Jesus is worth it. The world will try to pull us away. Our flesh will resist. But if we keep our eyes on Christ, if we abide in Him, if we rely on His strength—we can live fully for Him, one day at a time. And one day, when we stand before Him, we’ll hear the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23).
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 And For the record, the Fight for Joy! Journal is my personal spiritual journal that I don't journal in all that often but when I do it's usually worth sharing. I'm going to start doing that here from time to time. My prayer is God will use it to further sanctify and bless you.
DISCLAIMER: Although I am sharing from my journal I am also adding some textual notes, Greek word studies, and other helps to further magnify and clarify what God's Word says and how we might apply it to our lives in sanctification (the process of becoming more like Jesus)--see Romans 8:28, "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love [Him]." From 10/2/2014: God conceived The Law, revealed The Law, interprets The Law, and applies The Law, and through the sacrifice of His Son, ALL the demands of The Law have been met for those who trust in Him. Paul wrote, "He who did not spare His own Son (same verb used for the offering of Isaac in Genesis 22:16) but delivered (gave) Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely (graciously) give us all things" (Romans 8:32). If there is a greatest verse in all the Bible, this is it. There is much to ponder and meditate upon here. There is much to consider. In the Greek there is an intensive particle (ge) which magnifies God's deed of not sparing His own Son but delivering Him over for us ("us," of course being all those who, by God's gracious choice, "are beloved of God, called as saints" (Romans 1:6). They are those who, because they are are "in Christ," are not condemened (Romans 8:1). So, God has given us the greatest gift of all--His Son, whom He "did not spare, but delivered Him over for us all." Delivered speaks of God's active participation in the judicial condemnation of Christ. Luke writes, "This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death" (Acts 2:23). Jesus--the God-Man--was "delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God." By delivering His own Son "over for us all," is an example of a Jewish argument from the greater to the lesser. Here it is from God to us. The supreme gift of God's Son guarantees the subsequent gift of everything else we need for our full and final glory. Furthermore, the gift of "His own son," according to the late A.T. Robertson, "is the promise and the pledge of the all things for good of verse 28. Christ is all and carries all with Him." This is heavy, or to put it another way, weighty. It is much to take in, to absorb, to ponder, to meditate upon. "With Christ," and because He has been "delivered over for us all," Paul writes, God will now "also with Him freely give us all things." Paul often uses this phrase (freely give us) to denote forgiveness and may mean that here. If this is true, and I have no reason to doubt this is Paul's meaning here, then every sin a believer commits has been forgiven--every single one--past, present, and future. And it's not just our sins that have been forgiven. We have also been "freely [given] all things." This is similar language to what we find in Ephesians, where Paul writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing" (Ephesians 1:3). God has freely given us all things--every spiritual blessing--everything we need for forgiveness of sins, the life He calls us to live here and now, and future grace--all that God promises to be for us in Jesus Christ from this time forth and forevermore! It is whatever is necessary to complete the purpose He had in choosing you and me. APPLICATION: I believe that in order to begin to apply these truths we must think about what God's Word says here. This is called biblical meditaiton. Allow the words of Romans 8:32 (and the supporting passages) to sink into your thinking and into your heart. As you do, sanctification and transformation will occur. Here are some practical suggestions for meditating on this passage. Think about these things: 1. God delivered His own Son over to death for you. He died a judicial death in your place. 2. God has through His act of delivering His own Son over for you, now freely given you all things--every spiritual blessing--everything you need for sanctification and transformation--your so called Christian life. Here's another way of thinking about that: Jesus Christ is your life! (Read the whole book of Colossians for more of God's Word on that!). 3. God has, through His supreme gift, guaranteed the subsequent gift of everything else you need for your full and final glory. In other words, the Gospel will bring you all the way to glory. There is no such thing as a defective salvation. You have been saved, you are being saved, and you will be saved. You've got God's Word on that! 4. Because of the supreme gift of His Son, God is going to provide you with and do everything necessary to complete the purpose He had in choosing you. So make your life's goals to Treasure Christ, Live the Word, Make Disciples, and Finish Well! 5. Finally, think about this...Because of the pledge of His Son, God promises to fulfill all things for good in your life (Romans 8:28). |
Comments PolicyYou are welcome to leave comments and you don't have to necessarily agree with me. However, I expect a civil tone and charitable spirit. We can disagree with one another without being disagreeable. "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt." (Colossians 4:6) Archives
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