The Hidden Power Of Complete Surrender

People recognize God in various ways—seeing Him as the Eternal One, Miracle Worker, Giver of Hope, Light of the World, Healer, Deliverer, and Sovereign Lord. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is known as the Comforter, the Deliverer, the source of hope for the hopeless, the One who pours out God’s love into our hearts, and the seal of our salvation. Yet, our focus on the Holy Spirit often centers primarily on His power. This emphasis may stem from Jesus’ words to His disciples:

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8 (NIV)

While we believe that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are one, we tend to distinguish Them by highlighting certain attributes more in one than the others. This imbalance can prevent us from fully understanding the person and work of the Holy Spirit. When our view is incomplete, the enemy takes advantage of our limited understanding—causing us to downplay the works of God and lean instead on our own strength, which can easily conform to the patterns of this world and fall into the devil’s schemes.

An Urge To Receive Power

Many believers seek the Holy Spirit’s power to serve God, thinking it’s necessary for healing and helping others. They often see this power as a way to define their ministry. However, these efforts can be guided by human understanding and limited knowledge, which prevents them from realizing the full authority of the Holy Spirit. Paul highlights this truth in the following verse:

For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. — 1 Corinthians 2:11 (NIV)

Human shortsightedness prevents many from embracing what Paul points to—knowing the thoughts of God through His Spirit. Instead, they remain confined within the scope of their own spirit, understanding God through human characteristics rather than perceiving Him in His Godly nature.

Driven by a limited understanding, they seek the power of the Holy Spirit to do great things for God, but they ignore the Spirit who convicts them of sin and reveals the truth. Their judgments cloud their view of God’s ways, preventing them from seeing the Spirit’s work in their lives. They do not realize how serious it is to ignore the Holy Spirit’s warnings—the One who protects their salvation—and in doing so, they risk trading the eternal gift of salvation for temporary worldly pleasures.

Receiving The Power Of The Holy Spirit

In their pursuit of power, many believers engage in extended fasting, intense prayer, and frequent attendance at anointing services—believing that such efforts and desires qualify them to receive empowerment from the Holy Spirit. This often leads to the mistaken belief that the Holy Spirit empowers them specifically to perform healings and miracles. As a result, they begin to think they are the ones accomplishing great things for God.

This misconception causes them to take personal credit for the outcomes, assuming that the Holy Spirit has delegated His power to them so they can operate independently in a mighty way. Moreover, certain scriptures may appear to suggest that the works of the Spirit are distributed to individuals based on their capabilities, further reinforcing this misunderstanding.

To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
– 1 Corinthians 12:8–10 (NIV)

When they think that it is their own hands that heal and deliver people from the grip of the enemy, they begin to speak more about themselves and their ministries. While the glory and power of God, who is truly at work through them, is often hidden behind their self-promotion.

The Delegated Power

To understand this, we must first grasp the concept of delegated authority. Delegated power is typically granted to a subordinate in the absence of a higher authority. It is limited in scope, temporary in nature, and confined within specific boundaries. While the person may function within that given scope, they cannot act beyond or expand it on their own.

Many believers, while eager to receive power from the Holy Spirit, are reluctant to pursue a deeper relationship marked by surrender and responsibility. They prefer to operate within a safe, familiar zone of delegated authority—functioning with limited spiritual responsibility and remaining unwilling to embrace the full cost of obedience. Within this limited space, they often take credit for what is accomplished, yet they call upon God when matters escalate beyond their control.

Consider law enforcement officers: they wear uniforms as a visible sign of the authority delegated to them. Once off duty, they return to civilian life—changing into regular clothes, spending time with family, and taking leave to rest and recharge. In a similar way, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit clothing His followers with power—granting them spiritual authority for the purpose of serving God.

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” — Luke 24:49 (NIV)

Just as uniforms are worn only during active service, some believers treat the power of the Holy Spirit as something to be worn only during ministerial moments. In essence, they do not fully surrender to the Spirit; instead, they rely on Him selectively—reserving spiritual engagement for specific tasks while keeping the rest of their lives detached from His influence.

The Inherent Power

Top government officials often operate with inherent authority, enabling them to carry out their responsibilities with greater depth and discretion. Unlike delegated power, which is given to subordinates in formal, written terms, inherent power is not always documented—it is exercised through position, trust, and personal accountability. These officials frequently go beyond regular duty hours, formulating policies and making critical decisions to govern their jurisdictions with justice and excellence.

In the same way, God calls us not merely to receive delegated spiritual power for specific tasks, but to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit through baptism. John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). This baptism is far greater than an external display of empowerment—it represents complete surrender and immersion into the Holy Spirit, allowing His nature to transform and govern every area of our lives. Just as top officials live out their calling with inherent authority, we are invited to live out our faith under the continual influence of the Spirit.

The apostle Paul efficiently articulated the necessity of a mindset among believers that is essential for their transformation into the likeness of Jesus.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” — Philippians 3:20–21 (NIV)

John the Baptist echoed this same posture of submission when he said, “He must become greater; I must become less”(John 3:30). This is the attitude we are called to embrace—yielding completely to the Spirit’s authority in every part of our lives. When we minister from this place of surrender, it is not we who work, but the Holy Spirit working through us. Therefore, we must not take credit for the results, as the power belongs to Him alone.

It is important to recognize the difference between those who serve through delegated authority from the Holy Spirit and those who minister by allowing the Spirit to work inherently within them. The distinction is significant: those operating in inherent power live in constant communion with the Spirit. Their lives are marked by full obedience and continual surrender. They are not dependent on external signs or rituals because the Spirit dwells within them and works freely through them.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
– Jude 1:24-25 (NIV)

May the Spirit of God remain with us until our final breath—so that, just as He raised Christ from the dead, He will also bring our mortal bodies to life (Romans 8:11).