THE FORCE OR POWER OF OBEDIENCE
2 Corinthians. 10: 3-5
Obedience is a necessity if we are to appropriate the benefits in the Word of God, faith, prayer and in following the direction and purpose of God for our lives. For example Faith begins with the word of God, but does not end with it. There is something extra that gives faith the force to produce; that is obedience. The same applies to the other pillars of breakthrough
In the pursuit of breakthrough in life and whenever we are confronted with an issue, it is always advisable to look at those who have faced such challenges before and overcome them; so we can take a cue from what they did and overcome too. In Isaiah 51:2, the Bible enjoins us to look unto Abraham, our father. What was the strength of Abraham? His faith in God; and the back bone of this faith was his complete obedience to what God said.
Genesis 12: 1-4; where God told him to leave his country, he did not go about singing and praying, he simply departed. In Genesis 17, as part of a covenant with God, he was asked to circumcise himself and entire household. The Bible says he did it “in the selfsame day”; that is prompt obedience. Genesis 21: 9-14 records that he rose early in the morning to send Hagar and Ishmael away at the command of God. Again in Genesis 22, he rose early in the morning to go on a 3 day journey to mount Moriah to sacrifice His long awaited son, Isaac, in obedience to God too. In any of these, there were no arguments or prayer sessions to “convince God other wise”
Jesus is the word of God and also the pillar of obedience (Philippians 2: 8-9). As the word of God, Jesus is the author of our faith and is also the finisher of our faith (in His obedience), thus the word of God is the author of our faith and obedience is the finisher of it. It is therefore imperative that we are not hearers only but doers too so that the promises of God can be fulfilled in our lives. The word we hear and believe is impotent and ineffective until we do it. We cannot do it unless we obey it. Obeying it is not dependent on another person’s obedience or conditional on any other factor. Obedience is personal; it is a choice and not a gift (2 Cor. 10: 3-5).
If Abraham obtained through faith backed by the force of obedience, you and I can do so too not by singing “Abraham’s blessings are mine” but by obeying Gods commands as he did. The same is applicable of our walk with The Lord Jesus Christ. He is an epitome of obedience and we need to follow suit too. Remember, “If you be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19). Thus walking in Obedience ensures:
• regular divine contact and connection (life of Abraham & Our Lord Jesus Christ)
• regular divine wisdom (Matt 7:24-27)
• signs and wonders following (John 2:5)
In prayer, obedience is an effective weapon too. We can:
1. Avenge all disobedience with the weapon of obedience. 1 Peter 3: 1-6
2. Bring down imaginations (2 Cor. 10: 3-5)
3. Cast down every devil as well (2 Cor. 10: 3-5)
You see what you and I are missing by not following completely as God has commanded it. Remember that “when a mans ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Prov. 16:7).
Now that you know it, happier and better equipped will you be when you join us at the OVERCOMER’S WORSHIP SERVICE every Sunday and Wednesday where we explore this further.
Receive the grace to be there and be obedient, in the Name of Jesus, Amen.