Our guest today on the Everyday Faith Podcast is Ben Utecht, a former NFL football player and Super Bowl Champion who is a proud father, loving husband, and dedicated follower of Jesus. In this exciting episode of the podcast, Ben shares his story of how he fully surrendered to God from college to his NFL career to today. Stir your faith and listen to Ben’s wisdom on how to fully surrender to God today!
The Journey of Surrendering to God
While Ben was pursuing a pro-football career, he was living out a life that was contrary to God. In a surprising turn of events, a female trainer pulled him aside, prayed for his situation, and Ben’s life was changed forever. The Holy Spirit encountered Ben through this moment in a profound way. After this experience, Ben began his journey of surrendering to God, embracing his mission as a Christian, and committing to obedience.
Have you received Jesus into your heart yet? If not, today is your day! Learn how to surrender your life to Jesus and receive the hope that He offers in our blog: This is For You!
How to Surrender to God & Commit to Obedience
Whether or not you’ve had a Spirit-filled interruption like Ben’s, choosing to surrender to God and commit to obedience is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make in your life. Jesus is worthy of your whole life, your whole heart, and your whole “Yes!” Here are four easy ways to fully surrender to God and begin to live your life as a disciple of Jesus:
1. Read the Bible Daily: The Bible is more than just a collection of historical documents and ancient, Godly poetry: it’s living and active (Hebrews 4:12), and it’s the primary way that God communicates with us. As you read the Bible, you’ll find yourself being formed and transformed by the Bible (Romans 12:2). When you read stories of how Saul became Paul (Acts 9) or how Jesus surrendered to the will of the Father (Luke 22:42), you will grow in courage, faith, hope, and surrender to God.
As you continue your journey of surrendering to God, the Bible will be your anchor. Discover how to study the Bible in our blog: The Beginner's Guide to Reading the Bible
2. Join a Community of Believers: One of the best ways to surrender to God and commit to obedience is to let someone around you know that you have decided to follow Jesus! Accountability through community is one of the easiest ways to surrender to God.
Pro-tip: When you intentionally surround yourself with people who have been following Jesus longer than you have, you’re setting yourself up for instant success as a Christian! Learn more about how to connect to a Christian community in part two of our interview with Ben Utecht:
3. Choose Surrender Over Self: During our interview with Ben Utecht, we talked about the fall of man. Since Adam and Eve chose to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden and chose not to surrender to God, humanity has been on a downward spiral of choosing self over surrender. When you choose to fully surrender to God and commit to obedience, you’re actually signing up for a lifetime of “No’s” to the world and “Yes’!” to God. Thankfully, Jesus promises to walk with us, and He gave us the Holy Spirit to live inside of us as we journey towards a lifestyle of surrender (John 14:26).
On your journey of choosing to surrender to God, you’ll meet other people who have given everything to follow Jesus. Get inspired in our blog: From Addict to Evangelist: How a Near-Death Experience Changed Everything
4. Remember Who You’re Saying “Yes” To: When you choose to surrender to God, you’ll find yourself saying “No” to certain people, places, events, music, movies, and old habits. If you don’t remember who you’re saying “Yes” to and why you’re surrendering to God, you can easily grow disheartened. Remember that you said “Yes!” to Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith (Hebrews 12:2) and the one who promises to wipe every tear from your eye (Revelation 21:4).
Discover more about self-control and how to be sure in your “Yes” and your “No” in our blog: What Does the Bible Actually Say About Self-Control?
Conclusion
Ben Utecht’s stories, insight, and honesty show us that living a life of surrender to God is possible and that when we choose to commit to obedience, we are on track to change the world. From NFL championships to marriage, to becoming an author and traveling as a speaker, Ben has prioritized surrendering to God, and with these helpful tips, you can surrender to God too. We can’t wait to hear about how God is changing your life as you commit to obedience and surrender to God. Let us know on social media @askaboutmyfaith or leave us a message on the contact form below!
