— DAY 13 —

SATURDAY 15 AUGUST, 2026

 

THE POWER OF SURRENDER

 


SETTING THE SCENE
When God called Moses from the burning bush, Moses didn't boldly accept the mission. He protested. But forty years prior, Moses was a very different leader. As a young prince in Egypt, he was highly educated, powerful, and overly confident. He tried to deliver the Israelites in his own strength by murdering an Egyptian taskmaster. His self-reliance was so loud there was no space for God to move, and it resulted in exile. It took forty years in the wilderness for God to strip away Moses' self-reliance so he could actually become a vessel God could use. Now, at the burning bush, Moses has swung to the other extreme, he is completely paralysed by his inadequacies.

 

SCRIPTURE PASSAGES

Exodus 4:10-13 (NLT)
"But Moses pleaded with the Lord, 'O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.' Then the Lord asked Moses, 'Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.' But Moses again pleaded, 'Lord, please! Send anyone else.'"

John 15:5 (NLT)
"Yes, I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

 

COMMENT
How a leader perceives their own abilities determines how much room God has to work. An overly confident leader will inevitably rely on their own charisma, intellect, or experience. This limits God, because self-reliance creates a crowded heart with no space for the Holy Spirit. Over the journey of leadership, God will lovingly but firmly work on us to remove that self-reliance. He will allow us to face situations that outpace our talents, purely to teach us that we cannot lead in our own strength.

This brings us to a crucial leadership truth, inadequacies are not a liability, they are a gift. Recognizing where we fall short is the very thing that drives us to our knees in prayer. It creates a holy desperation because we realize, as Jesus said, "apart from me you can do nothing." However, there is a trap here. Some leaders know they are inadequate, but they let those inadequacies paralyse them. Like Moses pleading, "Send anyone else," they allow their weaknesses to get in the way because they are still focusing on themselves rather than relying on Him. True biblical leadership happens when we view our inadequacies as the exact space where God's power gets to shine, and we step forward in total surrender.

 

WHAT CHANGES WHEN YOU REDEFINE YOUR ABILITIES

  • New Space for God: You stop trying to fill every gap with your own talent and effort. You leave room for the Holy Spirit to do the heavy lifting, leading to supernatural results rather than just manufactured success.

  • More Prayer: Your inadequacies become the fuel for a vibrant, desperate prayer life. You seek Him constantly because you know you cannot do the job without Him.

  • A Living Example: You model authentic leadership. When your team sees that you don't have it all together but are deeply reliant on God, it gives them permission to bring their own weaknesses to Him.

  • Less Pressure: You realize it is not your job to be perfect, eloquent, or infinitely wise. Your only job is to be available and obedient, God will provide the rest.

  • His Power: God’s strength is made perfect in weakness. When you stop fighting your inadequacies and start surrendering them, God's capability completely overrides your inability.

 

THE SURRENDER SELF ASSESSMENT
Pick the number that best describes where you feel you’re at right now. Wherever you are, pray about what might be your next step to move forward.

  1. Overly Confident & Self-Reliant: I rarely feel inadequate. I rely heavily on my natural talents, my experience, and my logic to lead. I only really pray when I hit a major crisis I can't solve myself.

  2. Paralyzed by Inadequacy: I am deeply aware of my weaknesses, but instead of driving me to God, they drive me to hide. I let my insecurities stop me from stepping up because I am still relying on my own strength to feel "ready."

  3. Shifting Perspective: I am starting to see my weaknesses as a reason to lean on God rather than a reason to quit. God is actively breaking down my self-reliance, and it is uncomfortable but necessary.

  4. Surrendered & Dependent: I view my inadequacies as a gift that creates space for God to move. I step into leadership boldly, not because I am capable, but because I know that apart from Him I can do nothing.

 

ACTION POINTS

  • The First Five: Give God the first five minutes of your day in silence before checking your phone, intentionally surrendering your hidden motives and your desire for personal weaknesses.

  • The Capability Audit: Think about the area of leadership where you feel the most confident. Ask God to show you if you have accidentally crowded Him out of that space with your self-reliance.

  • Pray the Gap: Identify one specific inadequacy you feel in your leadership right now. Instead of trying to fix it or hide it today, pray and thank God for it, asking Him to fill the gap with His presence.

 

MAIN QUESTIONS
(Self Reflection)

Let’s Talk in the Chat
(on the Boot Camp group in Planning Center)

One of the best parts of this journey is that we aren’t doing it alone. We’d love for our chat to be a place of real connection. As you go through each day, please jump in and share:

  1. Self Reflection: What did the test reveal to you today?

  2. God’s Voice: What is one specific thing you feel the Holy Spirit is whispering to your heart?

  3. The Wins: Did you do the First Five minutes of silence? Tell us about it!

  4. Redefining Abilities: Are you more prone to being overly confident and self-reliant, or paralysed by your inadequacies? How does understanding John 15:5 change your perspective?


Please Read:
Don't worry about sounding 'spiritual' The most encouraging thing you can share is your honest process. This is a self-reflection about what God is speaking directly to you about in YOUR life. Words like “I” and “Me” are encouraged, “we” and “us” less so.

 

PERSONAL PRAYER STARTER
"Lord, I’ll be honest, I swing between being too confident in my own abilities and being completely paralyzed by my weaknesses. Forgive me for the times my self-reliance has left no room for You to move. Help me to see my inadequacies not as a reason to hide, but as the perfect space for Your power to be revealed. Strip away my pride and teach me to lead from a posture of total dependence on You. Amen."

 
REGISTER COMPLETION OF DAY 13