Becoming a Wholehearted Follower of Jesus
- Eljoh Hartzer, MTh
- Jan 20
- 5 min read
Dear aspiring wholehearted follower, God loves you. He cares deeply about your whole life.
He is able to redeem and restore all brokenness and suffering that you face and offer you the fullness of life. The reward of wholehearted surrender is to be fully known by God. From there, a well springs up that cannot run dry. It will spill over into every single area of your life until it is all drenched in the golden glory of the King. To a certain degree, you can experience the Kingdom of Heaven on this side of eternity.
John 10:10 - "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
But how? How can you possibly touch the Kingdom here and now? The message of this book, captured in 5 words, is this: The way is through surrender.
Before you read further, think about that word sur-ren-der. What does it mean to you? What impact does it have on your faith-walk and daily life? Do you think about it often or not that much?
Wholehearted Followers Surrender to God
Perhaps the best example of true surrender is found in the first book of the Bible. In Genesis 11, we meet Abram, a Gentile man who is called by the Lord. The following chapters sketch the story of how Abram turned into Abraham, the receiver of God’s promises, and His friend.
Abraham is often called the Father of the Israelites, and the Father of Faith. He is the character that receives the most attention in the famous Hebrews 11 Hall of Faith section as well. So, what was it about Abraham that made his faith so significant?
The Bible tells us that Abram and his wife Sarai struggled to conceive. When, in a true act of divine provision, God enabled them to bring a son into the world when they were both already well on in their years.
The birth of their son, Isaac, meant that the desire in their hearts was fulfilled, but it also meant that they could now see how God would fulfil His promises made to Abraham. Everything was lining up.
But then, in a bizarre twist of events, God asks Abraham to put Isaac on the altar. And Abraham does it. We can imagine how he must have felt, walking up to that altar with his beloved boy, but for some reason, Abraham was going to obey the command.
Abraham knew that whatever God had for him would be better than the future that he saw for himself. So - with trembling hands - he went on, preparing the offering… When, at the last second, he hears a ram bleating nearby, his heart must have skipped a beat.
God provided the alternative sacrifice. Some have said that the provision of this ram foreshadowed Jesus, the spotless lamb, who was sacrificed in our place when He took our sins onto Himself on the cross.
But the thing I want you to notice here is how Abraham came to be known as a hero of faith. It was not by his awesome long prayers, his leadership abilities, or even the kind of father he was.
Our noble pursuits - often in the name of God - do not show our hearts.
As the famous saying goes, we can be busy with the things of God and forget about the God of the things.
None of those ‘amazing’ things made Abraham a man of faith. It was his act of surrender! Abraham knew that his future was safer in God’s hands than in his own, and this truth led his heart.
What is the truth that is leading your heart, friend?
Are you living with your fists clenched closed or palms wide open in surrender to the Father?
Are you living on the altar? Or holding something back?
What does it mean to follow Jesus wholeheartedly?
The opposite of being wholehearted is to be halfhearted - Kind of one foot in, one foot out. It’s leaving the backup plan as an option in case this situation doesn’t work out.
Yet the Bible is very clear about lukewarmness. Revelation 3:16 actually says, “Because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.”
Consider 1 Chronicles 28:9, which says, “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.”
Nothing that we can do can determine “how saved” we are. It’s all grace.
However, it is precisely this realization that births something in us: The will to change. The desire to live out of our newness. The idea that we could be… more.
The major message of the Gospel is that we are changed. We are no longer the same, a new creation, something different. So, how can we go on living the same way?
How can you live as a wholehearted follower of Jesus in everything you do?
Go even deeper with this idea by using my CONTEMPLATIVE GUIDE: $6 = R100
Wholehearted Follower Surrender Prayer
Dear God, I’ve approached You in many ways.When I’ve been downtrodden, You came as Comforter.In my deepest fears, You’ve been Victorious Warrior.You have been the Lion and the Lamb, my Father and my Friend,the Saviour and the Spirit.And now, I want to get to know You in a new way.LORD,You deserve full access to every area of my life.No holding back. Not anymore.Here, right now, I unclench my fists.I lay my palms open and surrenderwholeheartedly.Be LORD of every second of my day,LORD of how I do this journey of faith,LORD over my relationships,LORD in my home,LORD over my finances,LORD in my workplace,LORD of this body.
LORD over all, Amen
Wholeheartedly surrender all life areas to God
In the Wholehearted Follower Contemplative Guide, we will look at 4 areas of life to help you reflect on how far you’ve come in terms of completely surrendering to God’s ways.
Identity & Walking With God Who you believe you are determines how you live, so we have to begin with the truth about who God says you are. Tied to this is the thing of spending time with God. How can you live in-step with the Spirit at all times?
Relationships & Loving People Your social connections are not something separate or secular, in contrast with your own relationship with Jesus. More often than not, the relationships in your life are the primary place where you can live out your faith.
Finances, Work & Profession The Bible has a different money-mindset than the world. It also has a different view about work, calling, and purpose. For you to surrender this area of life to the Father, you need to rewire your thoughts about these things.
Healthy Lifestyle & Rest Your body is a Temple of God - the place where He chooses to dwell. Health is important for practical reasons, but it is also not a secular thing. God cares about the health of your body, how you rest, and how you live.
Being a wholehearted follower of Jesus is more about your lifestyle than your words.
This article is an excerpt from: Go deeper by using the practical Guide yourself
$6 = R100
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