Understanding And Practising Obedience from God?s Perspective

Job 36:11-12

If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

Isaiah 1:19-20

If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword”; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Obedience is defined as doing what one is told to do. To carry out orders in accordance with a law. Obedience is our gateway to enjoying God’s best. Our readiness and willingness to follow God’s instruction puts us in the position to be all that we are destined to be. God made us in His image and after His likeness. He gave us dominion over all He created. However He left us with the choice to either follow His instruction or do as we please. Therefore obedience is the tool that proves our choice to follow God or the devil in our daily lives. It is a ladder you have to climb in the development of character. To measure the strength of a person’s character check out their level obedience to God’s word in their daily affairs. Please note that it is your choices that tell God your true intention and the attitude of your heart.

Types of Obedience

There are two types of obedience, one which is done willingly and the other done out of obligation and pressure to get result. Friend, our love for God should be our motivation to obedience and not our love for what He can do for us.

Types of disobedience

There are two types of disobedience, one is carried out in ignorance (not knowing better) and the other is carried out knowingly in blatant disregard to God’s word. Both carry consequences.

The purpose of obedience

God’s purpose for our obedience is for our own good and to reward us for using our power of choice to honour Him. It gives us the opportunity to decide how close we want to be to God. It shows God our readiness or lack of it to move to the next level of what he has prepared for us. Yes by grace we are saved but we have to follow the instructions of the God of our salvation for us to experience and manifest all the glory that our salvation has to offer. This is the reason why the devil will do everything possible to stop you from obeying God because your disobedience gives him the right to hinder you from experiencing God’s fullness for your life. Friend, please be aware that there is no small or big obedience, obedience is obedience and disobedience is disobedience.

How to walk obedience – There are a number of steps to take in obedience, they include

Find out whom you are to obey – in this context God and his word

Find out what instruction you are to be obey

Find out what is required of you to obey the instruction i.e. what sacrifice you have to make

Then obey. If you fail repent and rise above your mistake and then obey

Remember God and His blessings are on the other side of your obedience.

I have made it my responsibility to find out from God’s word how God expects me to treat my, wife, family members, members of the ministry, my colleagues in my profession and everyone I meet. And then I act as I have been instructed by God’s word and anytime I don’t act accordingly I repent and I make things right. As a result I have an uninterrupted fellowship with God and walk in His blessings. Furthermore, the devil has no dominion over me because I refuse to walk in disobedience.

For Further Study

Deuteronomy 4:40, Joshua 11:15, Job 36:11-12, 1 Samuel 15:22

Personal declaration for the day

I choose to walk in obedience and agreement with God and His word. I obey with joy and divine understanding not grudgingly.

Questions for you to reflect on

Can you remember any act of disobedience that caused you a set back

What steps have you taken to avoid such occurrence again

Do you see obedience as a barrier to happiness or gateway to divine intervention

Name two times you have enjoyed the reward of obedience.