Surrender When Surrounded

by Micah Messer

Now that I’m living in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area, I noticed how the mountains surround the city. It reminded me of Psalms 125:2, where David wrote, As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. In that verse, the Hebrew word for round is “saw-beeb,” which means to encircle or compass on every side. Have you ever felt surrounded on every side? Sometimes we feel surrounded by negative things in life. The Bible says we can be surrounded by enemies, fears, sorrows, words of hatred, and troubles.

Have you ever been surrounded by your enemies? In the Old Testament Israel was often surrounded by their enemies. Judges 8:34 says, And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side, and 1 Sam 14:47 says, So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side.

Have you ever felt surrounded by your fears? The prophet Jeremiah spoke about being surrounded by fear on every side. He said, Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side. For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall take to themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels; and they shall cry unto them, Fear is on every side. (Jer 6:25; 20:10; 49:29).

Have you ever felt surrounded by your sorrows? The psalmist David wrote how he felt surrounded by his sorrows. He wrote, The sorrows of hell surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me (Ps 18:5). Have you ever felt surrounded by the wounding words of another? David also wrote about how he felt when surrounded by words of hatred. He said, And they surrounded me with words of hatred (Ps 109:03).

Have you ever felt surrounded by your troubles? The apostle Paul told the Corinth church twice how he felt troubled on every side. He confessed, We are troubled on every side. For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. (2 Cor 4:8; 7:5).

When surrounded by enemies you feel defeated. When surrounded by fears we feel afraid. When surrounded by sorrows we feel hopeless. When surrounded by hateful words we feel hurt. When surrounded by troubles we feel anxious. When surrounded, we feel like giving up. We feel like quitting. We say we can’t take it anymore and we throw in the towel. When we’re surrounded, we want to surrender. The police advise the criminals, “You’re surrounded, come out with your hands up!” And that’s exactly what we should do.

When we are surrounded, we should surrender. Surrender to the One who truly has us surrounded. David wrote about being surrounded by God on every side. He said, You have hedged me behind and before, and laid your hand upon me (Psalm 139:5). Jehovah God has literally positioned us where He is behind me, before me, and beside me. God the Father is behind us; God the Son is before us; and God the Holy Spirit is beside us. We are completely and totally surrounded by God. In Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). What does it mean to be surrounded by God?

He surrounds us with His protection when we’re surrounded by our enemies. In Job 1:10 we read, Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

He surrounds us with His guidance when we’re surrounded by our fears. In 2 Ch 32:22 we learn, Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of all [other], and guided them on every side.

He surrounds us with His comfort when we’re surrounded by our sorrows. In Psalm 71:21 David declared, Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

He surrounds us with His favor when we’re surrounded by hateful words. In Psalm 5:12 David sings, For You; O Jehovah, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

He surrounds us with His rest when we’re surrounded by our troubles. King Solomon said, But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side. Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he not given you rest on every side? (1 Kg 5:4; 1 Ch 32:22).

When you feel surrounded, surrender to the One who truly has you surrounded.