Obedience

What does the word obedience mean to you?

Today, the word "obey" has a negative connotation. We view obedience as a forced unwilling decision to do something we don't want to do because we're afraid of punishment. But thats not the kind of obedience that's in God's Word. Through reading and research I have found that obedience in the Bible means these 3 very simple things: love, trust, and action.

It starts with love, as Jesus said in John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command"

Obedience comes from knowing that God loves you and you love him in return. A lot of people think obedience is about fearing God, but God wants us to see obedience to him as a relationship of love. He wants you to be able to obey him with a whole whole heart because you love him.

Moreover, out of love comes trust. You trust the Lord because he keeps His promises, and gives you right instructions according to His perfect will and won’t mislead you.

If you trust what God is saying to you, and believe that he loves you, then that will lead to an action of obedience.

You need to have all 3 because action without love is just a rote religion. For example, you can go to church every Sunday, but it doesn't means you love God and have an intimate relationship with him. You go through the motions, and eventually it just becomes a routine and theres no intentionality. As it says in Mathew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord' shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

In addition, love without action is just mere talk. For example, you can say you love God, but refuse to let go of things that are unrighteous to him. The moment you mold God's truth and pick and choose what to obey, he's not even God to you anymore. As it says in James 1:22-25 "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."

God wants to instill obedience, no matter what, into His children. Sometimes obeying God will not bring us into a place of safety, but rather, into danger and harm. But, as soldiers of the cross, we must be ready and willing to obey our Commander without question or complaint.

When I think of this, one of the first people I think about instantly is Moses. The Lord told Moses in the burning bush he wanted him to take the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses was terrified. He told God he was not capable of such a huge undertaking. God assured Moses he would be with him to help lead his people. Moses returned to Egypt with Aaron and fulfilled the Lord's commands, and after 10 plagues, Pharaoh lets the Israelites go.

It could've been so easy for Moses to have ignored the Lord because of fear. Instead, he showed an act of obedience and did as the Lord commanded even if that meant not knowing if Pharaoh would kill him. Through his obedience, the Lord kept his faithful promise and helped Moses by leading him through this task.

In fact, I have recently found myself having to make a tough decision of my own as well. I've had to choose between going on a missionary trip in the summer, or attending a family wedding that I was planning to be a bridesmaid in. It was something that involved constant prayer, and continually asking the Lord for guidance. Through lots of prayer, I felt like the Lord was calling me to go on this mission trip and seek His kingdom. Although my family was very ridicule about the decision, I knew it was the Lord's purpose in my life and I had to walk in obedience.

In addition, being obedient and living for Christ isn’t easy. It can sometimes call for “extreme” decisions, but you have to do what you have to do to protect something so valuable and walk in obedience to His word. People will laugh and question your decisions honoring to the Lord, but you know what God has placed within you shouldn't be taken for granted. As it says in John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you may have trouble but take heart! I have overcome the world!”. It is okay to protect your peace, your purpose and your anointing because HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD!

Matthew 6:33 "But seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you"

I don’t know what your story is, but I want to encourage you to begin trusting God when you don’t understand what He’s doing in your life.  God will give you a piece to the puzzle as you learn to step out on faith, obey, and trust Him.

Don’t let the devil fool you into believing that you’re taking a step backwards in life, or that you’ll never make it out of this situation; because you will.  What you’re going through is temporary, but His promises remain forever!

Encourage yourself in the Lord daily; read His word; pray without ceasing and continually seek Him.