Chosen to Know, Chosen to Yield
Yielding isn’t about figuring it out—it’s about plugging in and trusting the Source.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More by Ray Stedman
Photo Credit: Unsplash
In this scene from Acts 22, Paul recounts the moment everything changed for him. Speaking to a hostile crowd, he doesn't defend himself or fight for survival—he bears witness. He shares how God met him through Ananias, restoring his sight and revealing a divine commission that was unforgettable even three decades later.
Paul wasn't simply called to preach or travel. He was chosen first and foremost to know God’s will. But this wasn’t a roadmap or to-do list—it was a relationship. Knowing the will of God, as the devotional explains, isn't about discovering our next task, but about depending on Christ Himself. The will of God is a Person—Jesus. As we walk in yielded trust to Him, His indwelling presence becomes our power and direction.
Today’s devotional from Ray Stedman goes on to reflect on the unique authority of Paul as an apostle—he saw the risen Christ and heard His words directly. Yet the very same truths he received are the ones we now possess. Paul’s calling to declare the words of Jesus is extended to us—not because we saw Christ physically, but because His Spirit lives within us, guiding and speaking through us.
So today, whether we face applause or anger, safety or uncertainty, our calling remains: to know Christ, to yield to His life within, and to share His words. Just as Paul found the will of God in a Person, we too are invited into a relationship, not a rigid itinerary.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I have chosen you to know My will—yet My will is not a task list to be accomplished, but a Life to be received. I have drawn you into union with My Son, who is the radiance of My glory and the exact representation of My being. The One who lives in you now is My will for you.
When you abide in Him, trusting His life in you, you are not waiting for instructions—you are living in divine fellowship. My Spirit leads you in peace, corrects you in truth, and speaks to your heart in alignment with My Word.
You have been chosen to see the Righteous One—not with physical eyes, but with spiritual clarity. As your eyes were opened by grace, so now your understanding is enlightened by the Spirit who dwells in you. Every time you gaze upon Christ through My Word, every moment you rest in Him, you are seeing My Son.
And you’ve been chosen to hear My words—not as an echo from Mount Sinai, but as the living voice within your spirit. The words of Christ are Spirit and life, and I bring them to remembrance, whispering them into your soul. You are My witness—not by trying harder but by trusting more deeply.
Do not wait for a sign or a schedule. Walk in Me. Yield to Me. Trust Me to speak through you, act through you, and love through you. For I have already made you My dwelling place, and I delight to reveal My will through My life in you.
Scripture References:
Acts 22:12–16; Romans 12:2; Colossians 1:27; John 14:20, 26; John 6:63; Romans 8:9–14; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Ephesians 1:17–18; Galatians 2:20; Philippians 2:13; 1 John 2:27
Real-Life Analogy
Think of plugging in a lamp. It doesn’t need to figure out how to shine. It simply connects to the power source and allows the current to flow. The bulb doesn’t strain—it just abides in the circuit.
Today, you can yield your body like that lamp—resting in the certainty that the Light of the world dwells in you. You don’t need to strain to find God's will. Instead, say, “Lord, I trust You to express Your light through me in this conversation, this task, this waiting room.” Let your expectancy be rooted not in outcomes, but in the indwelling Christ who is your life.
Prayer of Confidence
Father,
Thank You for choosing me—not to chase a plan, but to know a Person. You’ve given me Christ as my life, my direction, and my peace. I’m not lost. I’m not without purpose. Your Spirit dwells in me, and I trust You to speak, to move, and to love through me today.
I rest in the relationship that is Your will. I don’t need a sign—I have a Savior. I don’t need a list—I have Your life.
I walk forward confident that, unless You check me, I am in Your will—because I am in Christ, and He is in me.
Thank You that I have everything I need. And thank You that I’m never alone in any moment of obedience, because it’s You doing the work in me and through me.
Amen.