Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Do you walk in obedience at your convenience or do you walk in strict obedience to our Father?
Obedience requires sacrifice. It requires us sacrificing what we think is important and what our flesh wants. It sometimes requires us sacrificing the easy way out. It requires us to get rid of our fleshly tendencies. Obedience requires discipline. Discipline to be adamant about following His orders, obeying our prophecies and directions that He has given directly to us.
Some of us would say we are obedient to God. We go to church, pray and worship, but this is not the obedience I am talking about. The obedience I am talking about is following His instruction.
How closely and attentively do you follow His instruction? Do you write down His instructions? Do you remember His instructions? Do you ignore His instructions or do you listen to His instructions? We don't all like to be told what to do, even by our Heavenly Father. I assure you, we do need His instruction.
How do we get ourselves in a place to receive that instruction and act on those instructions? It is by allowing God to instruct us in all areas of our life, big and small. We look for God's direction in big things, but when we hear His direction in the small things, often we don't think it is God and that we don't need to obey in the "little things." It is obedience in these little things that the Father uses to instruct us how to have obedience in the greater things. When we hear these instructions and obey, we will learn to hear more clearly as a result of our obedience.
As you look at your life, do you consider yourself an obedient person? Would you be obedient if God told you to give away a piece of your jewelry? What if He told you to buy a person's meal? Now let's go a little further, what if there was something you really wanted to do badly and He told you not to do it? Could you be obedient? What if there was a situation that you really had to walk by faith and not by sight? Could you be obedient? What if you thought, oh it's no big deal I will do it anyways? That is not obedience! Doing something contrary to what He has instructed you to do is nothing but disobedience.
Obedience comes in all forms, shapes and sizes. Our Heavenly Father is requiring us to be obedient in all things—all things, not just some things, but all things. This requires us crucifying our flesh, our wants and our desires for His. Our life is not our own; it belongs to the One who sits on the throne! We must get to the point where every thought, every action is in obedience to Him, is in relationship to Him.
We must examine our past instructions from the Father and ask ourselves, are we completing them, are we living them out? We need to go back into the past and say what has the Father told me to do, what have I written down, what did He tell me to start or complete that I am not doing. We need to make sure the things of the past, present and future are under the guidance and leading of the Father and that we are heeding His instruction willfully, obediently and quickly.
There is much more we can be doing for the kingdom if we will take the time to repent, confess, submit and take a huge step forward in complete obedience. No matter what it feels like or looks like, will you take that step forward with me in complete obedience? Remember our life is not our own; it belongs to the One who sits on the throne.
Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries a ministry releasing the love and power of God. She travels hosting conferences, teaching schools and evangelistic love tours. Kathy enjoys writing several books that educate, empower and equip people, including A Worship Woven Life and Flesh, Satan or God. Connect with Kathy at www.degrawministries.org.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!
