Obedience Leads To Blessing.
God has so graciously given mankind the freedom of choice, though obedience is something God requires- it’s given as a command. Many Christians mistakenly believe that their freedom, liberation from sin, and the clutches of Satan is a license to do as they please, however and whenever they please. Many believe they are allowed to serve God on their terms, disregarding God's voice through biblical instruction. When we do this we will not see the blessing of God take shape in our lives because the key to blessing is obedience.
I learned early on in my walk with God that He sees obedience as greater than sacrifice. I had to learn that obedience was a sign of love and that if we truly loved God we would do as He says, (John 14:15). Now, not that sacrifice isn’t important but that it goes hand in hand with obedience. Sacrifice over obedience is like pushing your own will. You know what God has said and instead of you doing it, you go ahead and do your own will and then try to bribe Him with a gift.
I remember some years ago God had removed me completely from the workforce for a time to be a stay-at-home mom to care for my newborn daughter. God used that time to teach me His word by way of the Holy Spirit and how to hear His voice and be obedient to His leading. It was both a beautiful but difficult time though it would soon produce wonderful results. Sometime later God unctioned me to apply for a position at a medical facility. This position would require me to be active within the hospital community which included co-workers, patients, and their families. A large amount of the patient community was elderly; many of who didn’t have much longer to live. I was confused about ‘why God would ask me to come here, it seemed like death was all around me. This experience was very triggering for me because the Lord has just brought me through by overcoming stage 1 melanoma cancer. I was put in a position to watch people perish from the very disease that tried to kill me. It seemed like torture. I would get to know a patient and before I knew it, they would die. As time unfolded, I began to see how God was using me.
I meet a lot of different people from different walks of life and beliefs. Many by God's grace, I had the pleasure of leading to Christ. Some of them became very good friends who God used as destiny helpers to push me into destiny. I faced many challenges and suffered much persecution, though all of those events taught me to trust God. I think back to ‘what if I had said no to God's leadings’, I would have missed out knowing what He created me to do- purpose-calling. There are many times when we say no to God and miss out on very important opportunities.
I realized the key to my blessings was obedience. In that situation, I did not understand all the whys and why not. I just knew to step forward, trusting that God knew much more than I could see or imagine. Many times, we want to see everything perfectly. The Lord rarely, if ever, lays out His entire plan before asking us to move forward trusting Him. I have experienced where God revealed details of certain events He had asked me to trust Him in, even years after they had transpired. Those very events turned out to be important parts of His purposes and plans for my life. When I look back I now can conclude why certain things turned out the way they did.
Peter didn’t have all the details upfront when Jesus asked him in Luke 5:4 to “ Put out in the deep water and let down your nets for a catch”. Then in (v.5), Peter responds “Master, we worked all night and caught nothing but I will do as you say and let down the nets”. Notice what happened as a result of Peter's obedience- Jesus demonstrated His power and sovereignty.
Peter's obedience yielded a blessing for him and his partners, pulling in not one but two boats of fish-153 to be exact.
Consider 3 reasons why Obedience is crucial for a successful Christian life:
Obeying God in small matters invokes His blessings.
If Peter would have said “No, Lord, I’m not going to do that,” Peter would have missed out on the greatest fishing experience of his life. Because of Peter’s obedience, he positioned himself to allow the Lord to arrange a miracle in his life that he would never forget.
Often, God's greatest blessings come at our readiness to obey Him in something that appears pointless. “Has God been functioning you to do something that seems unimportant but you haven't made the attempt to carry it out? Have you rationalized and thought, ‘this is too hard or ‘I don’t want to do this?
Our obedience is beneficial to others.
God often rewards those closest to us as a result of our obedience. Think of the many who were blessed by Peter's yes’ to Jesus. Not only were his friends able to reap the benefits but they were able to witness the Lord's supernatural provision.
Just like when a Mother obeys the Lord, her husband and children are also able to reap the benefits. Do not think for one minute that someone's choice to disobey God allows them to escape his discipline because of your choice to obey. ‘Not so’! However, as we live obediently and yielded lives, others will see God's hand of favor, grace, mercy, and kindness in our lives -[blessings].
Obedience never leads to disappointment.
Peter must have assumed that Jesus’s instructions were a waste of his time. But
because he complied with the Lord's instructions, Christ produced a miracle that
couldn’t be denied. What was once an empty boat, now became full. Like Peter, we
should recognize that obeying God is wise-(Proverbs 9:10). Let the Lord take your
emptiness- Whether it be financial, relational, or spiritual- and change it into something
magnificent.
GOD'S CALL TO OBEDIENCE ALWAYS DEMANDS OUR RESPONSE.
The Lord's command is for you to fear Him above all else. Never underestimate what the Lord will do in the life of those who are quick to obey Him. Be willing to learn, listen and start obeying Him in simple things. Then when it comes to major decisions, you will know how to watch for the Lord's ways and respond correctly. When you choose to obey, He will bless you- ‘obedience always leads to blessing’. Purpose in your heart to begin to obey the Lord and watch Him work wonders in your life.
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