This morning during my prayer time, I found myself tearfully asking God to help me surrender my whole self to Him. The act of surrender is something I have been learning for about three years now. I am convinced this one act is what enabled me to live through cancer diagnosis and treatment. That was surely something good that came from something so despicable. However, even though I am on the other side of treatment, my life has radically changed because of cancer and how it changed me-both for the better and the lack thereof. So, as I plink along life trying to recoup, recover, and figure out how my life is now, I am constantly reminded that I have to stay in a constant motion of surrender to Him. That must be what guides me and drives me.

While praying for help in surrendering my whole self to God, the Holy Spirit began to speak to me.

Crucifying the flesh means surrendering your senses to Me.

It became clear to me that our five earthly senses are where heaven and earth meet. When we surrender the flesh part of our senses, we become encompassed in the presence and embrace of our heavenly Father.

TASTE

O taste and see that the Lord (our God) is good! Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man who trusts and takes refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8 AMP

HEAR

The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

John 10:27 AMP

SEE

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we (actually) saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son recieves from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.

John 1:14 AMP

TOUCH

Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

Jeremiah 1:9 AMP

SMELL

Therefore, be imitators of God (copy Him and follow His example), as well-beloved children (imitate their father). And walk in love, (esteeming and delighting in one another) as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God (for you, so that it became) a sweet fragrance.

Ephesians 5:1-2

I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will show Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations

Ezekiel 20:41

There are other instances in scripture that back up the thought of offering your senses up to God to exchange our flesh for His holiness. So, what do we do with this revelation now? I plan to continue to research scripture like the ones I shared and memorize them so that I can continually meditate on it (Joshua 1:8). I tend to overthink, overanalyze, and over plan everything, so I have found it suites me best to think about the things of the Kingdom to not give the negative self-talk, doubts, and fleshly thinking control of the room in my brain (Romans 8:5). I really do want to continue to learn more about surrendering myself to God so that I can continue to live in Him. Sacrificing our flesh must be paired with surrendering our flesh. While God gave us our senses, we tend to turn our senses towards things that are not of the Kingdom of God in our humanity. Colossians 3:5 tells us to put those things to death because it becomes something we end up making an idol out of!

Lord, forgive me when I have put my own worldly desires above abiding in you. I’m sorry for not letting you take control of the things you have given me, like my senses. I surrender them to you because I honor you. Let the things that are pleasing to you be the things that are pleasing to me. Thank you for your Word and for your revelation. Help me be like you, love like you, and use my senses to be completely in love and present with You. …