When evangelist J. Wilbur Chapman visited London, he had the opportunity to meet General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. Booth was over eighty years old at the time, a man who had seen both great trials and great victories in his ministry. As Chapman listened, he was deeply moved by the life and testimony of this seasoned servant of God. Wanting to understand the source of such impact, he asked a simple but profound question: “What is the secret of your success?”

For a moment, General Booth hesitated. Then, with tears in his eyes, he gave an answer that has echoed through generations: “God has had all there was of me.” He went on to explain that others had greater intellect, greater opportunities, and perhaps greater natural abilities—but he had made a decision early on that God would have everything. His heart, his will, his life—it all belonged to the Lord. And he believed that any power seen in his ministry was simply the result of that full surrender.

Chapman walked away from that meeting with a powerful realization: “The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of surrender.” That truth cuts straight to the heart of our Christian life. We often ask God for more power, more effectiveness, more results—but God is often asking for more of us. Not more talent, not more ability, but more surrender. The question is not how much God can do for us, but how much of us God truly has.