Let’s Relate Together
The word obedience is an unfriendly word to a person who has a rebellious streak. It’s the type of word that makes you turn ahead in the Bible and hope you see a page that is more pleasing to the flesh. As a young child, I developed a stronghold to do the opposite of what anyone told me to do. It could be as simple as someone telling me to wear a pink shirt over the blue shirt. I would pick the blue shirt simply because I was told to wear the pink shirt – even if I despised the blue shirt. The reason I am sharing this with you because I want you to understand how difficult breaking this stronghold has been over the years. I have learned that a lot of the situations I have put myself in could have been avoided because I simply needed to obey God and heed His word.
Let’s Talk About Obedience To God
Obedience to God is an essence of a Jesus follower and we must be listening and heeding His word daily. By doing this, we ensure that we are indeed in His will. When we are aligned with God we receive His counsel, healing, and rewards. God even calls us His treasure! This scripture can be found in Exodus 19:5
Exodus 19:5 | Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.
An obedient act for God could be something like telling your co-worker about Jesus, stepping out of your comfort zone, and the most valuable act would be relinquishing something that you are holding tightly to. God will reveal to you the areas in your life He needs you to be obedient in.
For example: I have wrestled with separating myself from the only social connection I have because it simply wasn’t meant to be. Out of fear, I stayed connected because I was fearful of being “alone”. After leaving this Facebook group, not even an hour later I received a message from a sweet friend whose words were Kingdom building related.
Let’s Talk About Why It’s Hard
The Israelites wandered around in the wilderness for forty years – it was a trip that should have taken two weeks for them to complete but halfway through they became discouraged and afraid of the Canaanites. With their fleshly eyes, they saw people who were far too powerful for them to overtake. Instead, they disobeyed God and in His anger He allowed them to wander. You can check out the story here: Numbers 32
Joshua 5:6 | The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Do you often feel like we are wandering in life without a sign or a glimpse of hope? Perhaps there was something God asked you to do and you allowed fear to overtake you and it stopped in your tracks.
Collective Circle Gathering 