The Power of a Yielded Vessel
Elder Gary Nelson
July 27, 2025
Key Scripture
Galatians 5:16 (NLT) So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
Sermon in a Sentence
As disciples of Christ, our Kingdom impact is directly tied to the degree to which we surrender to The Spirit of God.
Key Terms
Power (n)
➢ the right or means to command or control others,
➢ the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task
Yield (v)
➢ to surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another
➢ hand over possession of
➢ to surrender or submit (oneself) to another
➢ to give up and cease resistance or contention : submit, succumb to give way to pressure or influence
Vessel (n)
➢ a usually circular utensil for holding something
➢ something into which a liquid or smaller objects can be put for storage or transportation
➢ pot, bowl, jug, jar, pitcher
Lord (n)
➢ a person of rank, power, or influence in a particular field
➢ the being worshipped as the creator and ruler of the universe (Master)
Conflict – The Christian believers need and willingness to submit completely to God should never stop. When it does, we become useless, powerless vessels that have no purpose or value.
I. Examples of Yielded Vessels in our Daily lives
1) Parents & Children – Ephesians 6:1-3 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
2) Christian Marriage – Ephesians 5:21-24 21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.
3) Military
4) Civil Government & citizens – Romans 13:1-2Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.
II. Biblical examples of Yielded Vessels
1) Esther (Youth) – Esther 7
2) Jonah – Jonah 1, 3:3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.
3) Saul/Paul – Damascus road experience – Acts 9:1-6
4) Jesus – Garden of Gethsemane - Luke 22:42 - “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
III. Obstacles to Being a Yielded Vessel
1) Pride – Thinking of ourselves more highly than we should Romans 12:3
2) Ignorance – Failing to be students of the Word– 2 Timothy 2:15 - Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.
3) Abuse of authority / position – Matthew 20:25 - But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them.
4) Deviate from God’s plan / timing – Proverbs 16:25 - There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
5) Wrong motives & priorities – Philippians 2:5 - You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Matthew 6:33 - Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
IV. Keys to Becoming a Yielded Vessel
1) Get to know God more intimately Proverbs 8:17b - Those that seek me early shall find me
2) Grow our faith – Hebrews 11:1, 6 - Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. 6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
3) Follow God’s plan – Proverbs 3:6 - Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
V. Benefits of Being a Yielded Vessel
1) God will accomplish great things through us - John 14:11-12 (NLT) 11 Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. 12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.
2) We will please God – Matthew 3:17 – The Father is pleased with the Son
3) We will find favor with both God and man – Luke 1:28 – Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!
Luke 2:52 - Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.
4) We will bring glory to God and advance his Kingdom – John 15:8 - When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.
Life Application – Pray and ask God to make me over like the potter does the clay.
Jeremiah 18:2-6 (NLT)
2 “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” 3 So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 4 But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. 5 Then the Lord gave me this message: 6 “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.
Disclaimer: Everyone is entitled to their opinion. We believe and teach that the Bible is God’s Word — His opinion — and provides His instruction for how to live life under His rule (i.e., the Kingdom of God).
