Obedience
Obedience can be defined as compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority. As much as obedience can be a good thing, the kind of people you obey is important. If you are a subject of a wicked man and follow his order, even though you are obedient to him, it makes you no less than him in being wicked. When Adolf Hitler commanded the mass genocide of the jews, majority of the soldiers that carried out the command lived their lives in regrets even though they always claim in their defence that they were just following orders. Those who chose to disobey Hitler’s orders during WWII were either arrested or executed. A big question is now, how can one avoid obeying a bad decision of a wicked leader or someone in authority? Wisdom will be required. Talk to God about it, to take you out of the situation. There is no one, no matter how highly exalted he/she is, that God cannot reach.
Proverbs 12:1
The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
When instructions come from the right set of people it brings life/solutions to situations, it leads to salvation.
Choose who you obey. Importantly, choose to obey God’s instructions.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Acts 5:29
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”
God will reveal Himself to us and direct our steps as a way of life if we are willing to trust and obey Him and live a holy life. Some individuals are hesitant to fully trust and obey God with their lives because they are afraid that He will change their own plans which they think is great. He will, indeed, alter our plans. His plans are infinitely better than anything we could imagine. Isn’t it natural that the One who created us understands the purpose for which we were made better than we do? Isn’t it logical to assume that because He loves us enough to die for us, His way is the best (Romans 8:32)? The true test of our love for Christ and knowing His will for our lives is obedience.
For instance, if you bought an electric car and have never used it before, it will only be wise to check the car guide/manual to be able to fully maximise the potential of the car. The same applies to us, God made us, and it would be advisable to follow His guide to live out our full potential as His created product. Who best to listen to, if not God?
Proverbs 3:5–6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.
1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
We should strive to seek Him first, not our own interests or pleasures, not the demands of others. The Spirit motivates us to put our Lord first and foremost in our lives, clinging to Him no matter what, so that we can fulfill His precepts and be faithful to His call.
Sometimes the instructions given to us by God can look illogical, but it always gives the best outcome. Our minds wrestle with unrealistic instruction to analyse things and this usually stops us from obeying. In the long run we miss the opportunity to experience what could have been the benefits thereof.
Look at the case of the widow in II Kings 4:1–7. How can a jar of oil fill several empty vessels? It literarily does not make sense, but she believed and did it and got the result.
God is more interested in us trusting Him than giving offerings and sacrifices. He delights in our obedience. Obedience to God strengthens our faith, which is nourished by the Holy Spirit, as well as our practice of submission and surrender. Overall, it produces faith that is more lively, effective, lasting, and influential.
1 Samuel 15:22
And Samuel said, “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
Another example is Peter in Luke 5:4–10
Jesus told Peter to let down his nets, but he chose to let down a net because his brain interfered, after all he has toiled all night and got nothing, so he will be wondering where the fishes would come from, but we can see that the miraculous happened.
In Genesis 12:1, God told Abram to leave his father’s house to a place He will show him. He has not even shown him yet the place to go and he was asked to leave. When leaving where would he tell his parents, his family that they were going. It was leaving certainty for uncertainty. But from the scriptures, we saw how God made him great when he left.
Genesis 12:1
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.”
Isaiah 55:8–9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
In the examples above we could see the instructions were not logical.
What is God telling you to do that your head is struggling with? Respond today and see the outcome yourself.
Romans 4:17
As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations — in the presence of the God in whom he believed, the one who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.
Obedience always leads to blessings
Joshua 1:8
I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him, keeping my commands, my decrees and my instructions.
Psalm 19:7
Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
Exodus 23:22
“But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.”
Isaiah 1:19
“If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”
True happiness is found in being at the centre of God’s love and will, not in what pleases us.
More than anything, give yourself to obeying God this year and watch out for what God will do unto you!!!
THE END.
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Dan Moore Kris Gage Wake Up Call P.S. I Love You @writingsolo
