Jesus as Saviour and Lord: Lessons from 1 Samuel 4:3 to Renew Your Mindset

Introduction: Jesus as Saviour and Lord

Is it possible to acknowledge and know Jesus as Saviour yet fail to live with Him as Lord? Sadly, yes , and many of us fall into this trap without realising it.

In 1 Samuel 4:3, the Israelites made this very mistake. They carried the Ark of the Covenant into battle against the Philistines, hoping its presence alone would guarantee victory. They said:

“Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

But they lost the battle. Why? Because they wanted God’s rescue without repentance. They wanted His blessing without obedience. They treated the Ark like a symbol of salvation instead of a call to surrender. They expected Jericho’s miracle to repeat (Joshua 6:6-8), but instead of repentance, they turned the Ark into a ‘lucky charm‘.

Instead of attempting to get right with God, these Israelites set about devising superstitious means of securing the victory over their foes – Spurgeon

This same mindset creeps into our lives today. We pray for deliverance in crisis but resist His authority in daily decisions. We want His blessings but avoid His boundaries. Yet the Bible makes it clear: Jesus is not just Saviour – He is Lord. And when we truly embrace Him as both, it renews our mindset and transforms the way we live.

This post unpacks how we can move from a rescue-only faith to a surrendered, life-giving one. And how making Jesus Lord over every area of our life brings peace, clarity, and freedom.

The Danger of Partial Surrender (1 Samuel 4:3)

The Israelites brought the Ark of the Covenant into battle, thinking its presence guaranteed victory. The Ark represented God’s holiness and presence, yet they reduced it to a ritual, ignoring the lifestyle of repentance and trust that went with it. And in doing so, they lost both the battle and the Ark.

This is the danger of partial surrender: wanting the benefits of God without submitting to His authority.

Today it looks like this:

• Attending church but never inviting God into your daily choices.
• Quoting Scripture in crisis but ignoring it in routine.
• Praying for rescue while refusing to repent or change course.

It’s a mindset of convenience faith: treating Jesus as a “back-up plan” – someone to call when things go wrong, instead of daily as Lord. That’s partial surrender.

God calls us to daily obedience, not just crisis prayers.

Mindset Principle: Partial surrender leads to partial strength. Only full obedience brings full victory.

Life Application: This week, pause and ask: “Am I treating God like a last resort, or am I inviting Him into my decisions before the crisis?” One small shift in surrender today could be the strength you need tomorrow.

Practical Step: Instead of waiting for a battle to pray, build daily habits of intimacy – prayer, worship, studying and meditating on the Word.

Let obedience prepare you before the storm comes.

Saviour vs. Lord: What it Really Means

Jesus as Saviour rescues us from sin and death (John 3:16). Jesus as Lord leads every area of our lives (Galatians 2:20). The Israelites wanted God as rescuer in battle, but they didn’t live with Him as ruler in their daily choices.

Mindset Principle: Many of us stop at salvation. We want forgiveness, but resist surrender.

Practical Step: Ask: Is Jesus leading my decisions, priorities, and thoughts, or am I? Move beyond “rescue-only” faith to daily Lordship.

Believe this Book of God, every letter of it, or else reject it. There is no logical standing-place between the two – Spurgeon.

Making Jesus Lord in Daily Life

James 1:22 reminds us, “Do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says.”

Lordship isn’t just believing in God; it’s obeying Him in the ordinary. 

“If you want to return to the Lord with all your hearts… obey Him alone; then He will rescue you.” 1 Samuel 7:3

Ruth gleaned faithfully in hidden fields before God opened big doors. Obedience always begins small.

Mindset Principle: Compartmentalising faith – giving God Sundays but running the rest of the week ourselves – leads to shallow, fragile faith.

Practical Step: Surrender one area today that you’ve been holding back (finances, relationships, decisions). Make it a daily rhythm, not a one-time act.

How Jesus as Saviour and Lord Brings Freedom.

Some see Christianity as a set of rules. But surrender isn’t restriction, His boundaries are protection, not punishment. True freedom is found when He is Lord – not when we’re in control. 

With Jesus as Saviour and Lord, you’re no longer driven by fear, pride, or performance. Instead, you walk in His peace and purpose.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

Mindset Principle: Fear whispers that surrender will mean losing control or joy, but the opposite is true – God’s Lordship brings peace.

Practical Step: When making choices, ask: Does this align with God’s Word? Does it bring peace or confusion? Trust His “no” as much as His “yes.”

Make Jesus Lord Over Your Thoughts

The battleground of faith is often your thought life. Paul writes, “Take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Left unchecked, lies like “I’m unworthy” or “I’m a failure” take root as strongholds. But when Jesus rules our minds, His truth rewrites our identity.

Mindset Principle: If Jesus isn’t Lord over your thoughts, the enemy will be.

Practical Step: Identify one recurring lie you believe, then replace it with Scripture. Example: “I’m unlovable” → “I have loved you with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Making Jesus Lord is not just about outward obedience – it’s about daily renewing your mindset.

Steps to Fully Surrender to Jesus as Saviour AND Lord

James 2:26 reminds us: “Faith without works is dead.” 

Rescue-only faith leaves us unprepared for trials. But when Jesus is both Saviour and Lord, our faith produces obedience.

Mindset Principle: Treating faith like a “safety net” keeps us spiritually weak.

Practical Steps to Make Jesus Lord of Your Life:

1. Repent and acknowledge Him as Lord.
2. Commit your ways to Him daily. (Proverbs 3:5–6)
3. Pursue intimacy through prayer, worship, and His Word.
4. Obey – even when it’s uncomfortable.
5. Give Him glory in every win.

Take one deliberate act of obedience this week – big or small – and dedicate it to Jesus’ Lordship. Then watch how He strengthens your faith through it.

Conclusion: Jesus as Saviour and Lord

At the end of the day, Jesus is not meant to be either/or. He is both Saviour and Lord. The real question is: are we living like it? When you surrender fully, you don’t just experience rescue, you step into freedom, purpose and abundant life.

It’s one thing to believe in Him as Saviour – the One who forgives and rescues us. But real transformation happens when we submit to Him as Lord – the One who leads, corrects, and carries us into abundant life.

For me, one of the hardest areas to surrender has been my finances. I remember the last time God told me to give an amount I had been saving for something special. Honestly? I sulked about it. I did give it eventually – but I gave with expectation, not with faith. I was waiting for blessings to roll back my way, and when they didn’t, God gently reminded me: “You didn’t surrender that to Me – you were still holding on to control.” I had to repent. That moment taught me the difference between giving and truly surrendering.

Mindset Principle:

• Saviour-only faith gives half-heartedly, expecting quick returns.
• Saviour and Lord faith trusts God with open hands, even when the outcome is unseen.

Life Application:

• Ask yourself: What part of my life am I holding back from God’s Lordship?
• Take one step this week to surrender it – not with conditions, but with trust.

Surrender isn’t loss, it’s gain. When you hand over control, you don’t end up empty-handed – you end up with peace, purpose, and the freedom of knowing that the Lord of the universe is guiding your life.

“Whoever is not with me is against me.”  Matthew 12:30

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father.”  Matthew 7:21

Friend, don’t settle for Jesus as only your Saviour. Let Him be your Lord. That’s where lasting freedom begins.

If this post spoke to you, take a moment to journal one area you need to surrender. Share it with God in prayer – and if you’d like, share your journey in our VOV Community Forum or in the comments below. You’re not alone in this walk.