What Does The Pursuit of God Teach About Surrender?

Short answer: The Pursuit of God teaches surrender as the willing release of every rival claim to God’s rightful place in the believer’s heart. Surrender does not necessarily mean giving away every possession, abandoning responsibility, or becoming passive. It means that possessions, relationships, ambitions, gifts, reputation, comfort, and plans are held under God’s authority rather than treated as untouchable rights.

Surrender begins with God’s rightful place

Tozer’s view of surrender flows from his view of God.

If God is Creator, Lord, and the believer’s true treasure, then every created gift must remain secondary. Trouble begins when a good gift becomes necessary in a way that competes with God.

That is why surrender is not simply about losing things. It is about order.

God first.

Everything else received, loved, stewarded, and enjoyed under Him.

Abraham and Isaac are Tozer’s central picture

Chapter 2 uses Genesis 22 as a dramatic illustration. Isaac is not presented as evil. He is God’s promised gift to Abraham.

That is precisely why the story is powerful.

Surrender is often hardest with good things because they can become deeply intertwined with identity, security, and hope.

Tozer interprets Abraham’s test as the exposure and cleansing of possessive love. Abraham is ultimately allowed to return with Isaac, but his relationship to the gift has changed.

The lesson is not that love for family is wrong. The lesson is that no gift can occupy God’s place.

Surrender is inward before it is outward

Tozer distinguishes owning something externally from being owned by it internally.

A wealthy person can hold possessions loosely. A poor person can be consumed by the desire to possess. A parent can love a child faithfully without making the child an idol. A minister can use gifts humbly or build identity upon them.

Therefore surrender cannot be measured simply by what someone gives up visibly.

The deeper questions are:

What do I believe I cannot live without?
What am I unwilling to place under God’s authority?
What loss would make me believe God is no longer enough?
What plan must succeed for me to feel secure?

Surrender is not passivity

Surrender does not mean refusing to plan, make decisions, work hard, protect family, steward money, or pursue legitimate goals.

Biblical faith is active.

A surrendered Christian may still save money, build a business, pursue education, seek treatment, prepare carefully, and work toward a goal. The difference is that these things are not ultimate.

Surrender says, “I will obey God even if my preferred outcome changes.”

Passivity says, “I will do nothing because God is in control.”

Those are not the same.

Surrender is not earning grace

Another danger is treating surrender as spiritual payment.

We do not surrender enough things to make God accept us. Salvation is grounded in Christ and received by grace through faith.

Surrender is the response of someone who belongs to Christ.

Grace does not eliminate obedience; it changes its foundation. We obey because we have been loved and redeemed, not to force God to love us.

The cross exposes self-rule

Luke 9:23 is central to Tozer’s framework: deny self, take up the cross, and follow Christ.

Self-denial is not the hatred of one’s existence. It is the rejection of self as ultimate authority.

That shows up in ordinary choices:

forgiving when pride wants revenge;
telling the truth when reputation is threatened;
giving when greed wants security;
serving when there is no applause;
obeying when God’s command conflicts with preference;
receiving correction without constant self-defense.

Surrender becomes concrete when obedience costs something.

A practical surrender inventory

Use these categories:

Possessions

What do I own that has become essential to my identity or peace?

Relationships

Whose approval or presence has become more important than faithfulness to God?

Reputation

What am I willing to do to preserve the image others have of me?

Future plans

Can I pursue a goal faithfully while accepting that God may redirect it?

Gifts and ministry

Would I still be content in Christ if my role became smaller or another person received recognition?

Comfort

What obedience do I delay because it is inconvenient?

Put It Into Practice

Identify one area where surrender is presently difficult. Pray specifically rather than generally. Then take one act of faithful obedience that demonstrates trust. Do not create dramatic sacrifices God has not commanded; obey what Scripture already makes clear.