Giving God Everything: A Recipe for Victory

Good afternoon,

I was standing in church on Sunday morning and saw a friend I have not spoken to in a while. And as we were catching up, my heart was filled with sadness, as there is too much time spent on stuff in our lives and not enough "investing" in our friends' and families' lives. 

I was sad to hear that he has been going through a tough time, and as he was talking to me, I decided to share a story with him that was shared with me many years ago. It is not my story but a story told by Reinhard Bonnke on many of his crusades. It was a story that delivered a message of submission, surrender, and supplication to God. 

Today, I share the story here and trust it will speak to your heart as it did mine, as the Holy Spirit said I need to share this: 

A Recipe for Victory: The Parable of the House

I’ve always loved the way Reinhard Bonnke told stories. He had this gift for painting vivid pictures that stuck with you long after the sermon ended. One parable he shared many times—on stages, in his writings, and even on his Facebook posts—was about a man and his house. It’s simple, but it hits hard when you really think about what full surrender to Jesus looks like.

Let me share it with you the way Bonnke told it.

There was a man—let’s call him John—who owned a beautiful double-story house: five rooms downstairs and five upstairs, a total of ten rooms. He was proud of it, just like we can be proud of our lives, our achievements, and our comforts.

One day, there came a gentle knock at the front door. John opened it, and there stood the Lord Jesus. Thrilled, John invited Him in right away. “Please come in,” he said. “I’ll give You the best room in the house—it’s upstairs.” Jesus, ever the gentleman, thanked him and accepted.

The next morning, there was a loud hammering at the door. John opened it, and who was standing there? The devil. John shouted, “No! I don’t want You here!” But the devil smirked and said, “I’m already in.” A fierce battle erupted. Satan hurled filthy temptations, negative thoughts, sinful urges—it was horrible. By evening, John somehow managed to throw the devil out, exhausted but victorious.

Confused, John went to Jesus and asked, “Lord, I gave You the best room—why didn’t You come to my rescue?” Jesus replied gently, “My son, you gave Me one of the ten rooms.”

John fell to his knees. “I see my mistake. I’m sorry, Lord. Let’s make it 50/50.” Jesus, polite as always, accepted.

The next day? The same thing happened. The devil forced his way in again, the fight was brutal, and John barely managed to eject him by nightfall. Worn out, he asked Jesus the same question. This time the Lord said, “My son, why don’t you give Me all ten rooms? Then, instead of Me staying with you, you can stay with Me.”

That broke John. He pulled the key to the front door from his pocket and handed it over to Jesus. Total surrender. The house was no longer his—it belonged to the Lord.

The very next morning, while it was still dark, a pounding shook the whole building. John jumped up in fear, thinking, “It’s the devil again!” But then he heard footsteps inside—strong, majestic footsteps. It was Jesus, walking to the door with the key in hand. Now it was His house, His duty to answer.

John stood behind Him as Jesus flung the door wide open. There stood the devil, ready to barge in. But when he saw Jesus standing there in authority, he bowed low—very low—and stammered, “Sorry, Sir, I knocked on the wrong door!” Then he fled.

Bonnke would often end it with a sobering note: Some people give Jesus nine rooms but keep one labeled “Strictly Private.” That’s where they hide their secret sins, their double life. But Jesus cannot be cheated. He knows every corner.

Then he’d lead into that old hymn: “Unto Jesus I surrender, unto Him I freely give… I surrender all, I surrender all. All to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all.”

That parable always reminds me that partial commitment leaves cracks for the enemy to exploit. But when we hand over the whole house—every room, every key—Jesus fights the battles we could never win on our own.

The Bible backs this up so clearly. James puts it plainly:

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7, NIV)

Notice the order: Submit first—fully—to God. Then resist. The devil flees not because of our strength, but because we’re standing under God’s authority.

Jesus Himself showed us what total surrender and reliance on the Father looks like, even in temptation. And Paul reminds us:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1, NIV)

No half-measures. A living sacrifice means everything on the altar.

And then there’s the promise that seals it:

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4, NIV)

When the house is fully His, the Greater One stands at the door. The enemy has no rightful claim.

If you’ve been holding back any rooms—maybe out of fear, habit, or pride—today could be the day you hand over the key. It’s not about earning victory; it’s about letting the Victor live fully in you.

What room have you been keeping “strictly private”? Jesus is knocking gently, waiting to take full residence. And when He does, the devil will find he’s knocking on the wrong door.

Surrender all. The victory is already His.

(With gratitude to the legacy of Reinhard Bonnke, whose stories still stir hearts toward deeper devotion.)