Obedience is doing what the Lord says the first time. Sometimes we can attempt to twist God’s command and obey on our own terms and then call it a sacrifice. Have you ever said “Well Lord, I may not have done exactly what you said but I did do this.”
We think we earn brownie points with God when we halfway obey when in actuality the Lord is displeased. In Matthew 7, the Lord explained to His disciples that some people will never know Him because they choose not to follow His will.
How many of us are proclaiming a sound relationship with the
Lord only to find out He never knew us?
““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!’”
Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
Many believers are stuck in a cycle of delay because the aren’t passing the obedience test. This can turn into passed opportunities as God will never give one something they cannot handle. If one cannot be obedient in one area why would the Lord present a new opportunity which may require even more obedience?
I remember a time when I would clearly hear the Lord tell me to wake up early to pray and write and hear from Him but my flesh was not having it! Once awake I would feel convicted, repent, and say I would obey the next time only to find myself in the same cycle over and over.
One day I got tired of being stagnant in my spiritual walk
and submitted to the Lord.
It was not easy and my flesh surely was not in agreement but I knew in order to grow into the woman God created me to be I had to lay my will down. I did not want my flesh and will to be the determinant of my life and ultimate spiritual and natural success.
It is imperative as believers that we walk with God with pureness and obedience, shedding off personal will in exchange for His. Through grace and mercy He provides us a redeeming chance however we must also keep in mind that there were times in the Bible when He gave people over to their own will after repeated disobedience. See Romans 1:18-24.
The next time the Lord tells you to wake up early, exit a certain conversation or leave a relationship, do so with a mindset of urgency and pure obedience.
You may not know the next step but you follow the person with
THE perfect steps.
Fellowship Question
How can you ensure you are urgent to heeding the voice and the will of God?
