Never Surrender

We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender …

Sir Winston Churchill

The date was June 4, 1940. A man in his 60’s had just become the Prime Minister of Great Britain after the failed and disastrous term of his predecessor. Winston Churchill would assume power during one of the most tumultuous times in his country’s history. Approximately, 200,000 British Expeditionary Forces, along with 150,000 French and Belgian allies, were forced to retreat at Dunkirk at the hands of the Nazis. Homeland morale was dangerously low. Within a few short weeks, France would be forced to surrender. On the horizon, starting in July of that same year, Churchill’s resolve would ultimately be tested when Nazi bombing raids, known as the Blitz, would inflict heavy casualties on the homeland, in what what become known as the Battle of Britain. The “Empire beyond the seas,” as he would call it in this famous speech, would not “awaken” until they too were bombed on that infamous day on December 7, 1941.

On this date, Churchill delivered the second of three speeches that he would eventually give to the House of Commons of the Parliament. Churchill knew the dire straits that his country was in. He recognized the rise of Nazism as early as 1933 and tried to raise the alarm to his own countryman to no avail. Churchill had also served in his country’s military. He was very much aware of what the nationalistic fervor had created in Germany and what an imposing foe that she had become under Hitler’s tyrannical rule. Never known as a great orator, Churchill knew that he had to appeal to the hearts of his fellow countrymen if there was ever any chance for them to be victorious in the face of the overwhelming odds against them. In his first speech, Churchill laid out a plain objective when he stated,

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land, and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be.

Churchill, May 13, 1940

Churchill’s resolve was plain and simple … Victory! However, he was smart enough to know that before victory could be achieved, he had to win the hearts of his fellow countrymen (and women). The task was not easy seeing that his predecessor, Neville Chamberlain, had already signaled to Hitler his willingness not to resist. Chamberlain’s willingness to pacify gave Hilter and his forces the green light to conquer much of Eastern Europe. Churchill had to stem the tide and in a hurry so that his country would not falter under the same hand of defeat. His June 4th speech was an attempt to arouse his nation into action. No longer would they cower under the impending doom. On the contrary, he would awaken them with the resolve to fight at all cost and to “never surrender.” When the bombs started falling in London in September, it was that resolve that would keep his country from surrendering and would eventually help to usher in eventual victory (the original aim) 5 years later.

Christian Call to Victory

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8: 35-39

Over two thousand years ago, Paul wrote these words to encourage the hearts of his “countrymen” much like Churchill attempted to encourage the hearts of his countryman. Paul knew that the people of his day would face a mighty foe. In fact the scriptures are very plain when stating,

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: …

1 Peter 5: 8

Paul also knew that in order for them to obtain and maintain victory in their lives, he had to encourage “his countrymen” to never surrender. His admonishment was centered, however, in never being separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. There would be trials, tribulations and battles. There would be hardships and struggles that would challenge beyond measure. Death may come and even “angels” may try to persuade. However, Paul’s admonishment then and even unto this day is to never surrender; never be separated from the One that can bring true victory.

The Battle is not your’s …

And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not your’s, but God’s.

II Chronicles 20: 15

In modern warfare, a main objective of any army is to never lose ground, never retreat and never surrender. In our Christian warfare that is definitely a main objective in the battles that each and everyone of us face. However, unlike our modern warfare, there IS a place for surrender in the life of a child of God. Whereas we should NEVER surrender to our enemy, the devil. We should ALWAYS surrender to God through Jesus Christ. Why? Because the battle is not ours, but God’s. This type of surrender does not make us a failure. On the contrary, if we surrender fully to Him who created us, we will be VICTORIOUS. This type of surrender requires us to relinquish our ways, our thoughts, our ideas, our plans and yes even our will to God…at all costs! In exchange, He brings us victory in the midst of the battle. To some, this might seem to be a cop out. It may feel like we are giving up. … And yes we are giving up! However, God wants us to “give up” these things in order to “show himself strong upon our behalf.” It’s actually harder to surrender ourselves to God in the midst of the battle than for us to try to retain our will. The struggle, however, will work on our minds, body and soul until we learn to let go. This is where faith comes to the forefront and we have to learn to trust Him who we don’t see.

Remember, in the midst of the battle, never, never, never surrender … unless it’s into the loving hands of Jesus. HE WILL NEVER FAIL US.