Bible Studies

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{*generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}viewkind4uc1pardqculbf0fs28 OBEDIENCE par
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ulnoneb0 I would like to discuss a few personal experiences to animate the subject. par
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Obedience began to form a part of my Christian character when as a child in Sunday School, I learned from the encounter between Samuel and Saul, the famous Bible quotation, ldblquote'85Behold, to obey is better than sacrificerdblquote I Sam. 15:22b. From that time I began to contemplate obeying God at all costs, since all my works would amount to nothing if I did not obey Him. But I soon realized that I often failed in trying to please God. A couple of times I would end up frustrated because I could not please the One I desired so much to please. Occasionally, depression would set in and I would just decide to give it a break and get back to trying really obey God when I felt better.par
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Events would yet assume another dimension in my life when I got born again. I guess I did not really grasp the import of giving bi ownership rights b0 ofi0 my life to someone else endash Jesus Christ. Suddenly, my desires and expectations changed. I began to experience an inner desire to please God. Though in some instances, obeying God came into sharp conflict with my personal interests, I just had to let go and let God prevail. As the experience grew, I came to understand the role that the Holy Spirit played in this rather, habitual tendency to obey God in my life. Then it occured to me, what it meant to obey God with a purpose, and by the strength of another endash the Holy Spirit in total, and total surrender. par
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pardkeepns2b Obediencepar
pardb0 Man was created to obey God. Not just as a command, but also as an act worship. This is the spiritual process whereby God impregnates the human spirit with a specific assignment, which the Holy Spirit interprets to us, and enables us, to carry out. The challenges of fulfilling that task draw us nearer to God. And, when it is accomplished brings pleasure to God and in turn He blesses us for obeying Him. Itrquote s all about relationship and worship to God. John understood this when he wrote thus in Rev.4:11, ldblquote'85thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were createdrdblquote .par
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pardkeepns2b Understanding divine purpose in obediencepar
pardb0 A person who does not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can obey only for personal, material and immediate gains. His obedience is devoid of any personal relationship with God. par
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Conversely, a born again Christian does not live to himself but to the One who died for him/her. Hence, your work, family, and indeed your whole life becomes an expression of who Jesus is. At this point, obedience is habitual and with understanding. Scripture says:par
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ldblquote The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of his calling'85rdblquote Eph. 1:18par
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pardri864qj So, we are called with the hope of a glorious inheritance for serving God. It is this understanding that drives a Christian to obey God habitually.par
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b Divine Support par
b0 Phil. 2:13 says, ldblquote For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do his good pleasurerdblquote . This is the work of the Holy Spirit. How interesting? He makes you willing to obey God and actually enables you to do His good pleasure. par
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Here is how it happens. Though the first Adam lost his first estate of perfection, a regenerated human spirit (i.e. born again) is quickened/made alive by the Holy Spirit, unto godliness. So you now have the inner strength to resist the devil and sinful lusts, and an inner desire to obey God begins to flow in you.par
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b Total Surrender par
b0 God does not seek obedience in part. Whether it is in your whole life or in a particular event, until your obedience is complete there is no obedience. 11Cor. 10:6 teaches us to be in readiness to avenge all ul disobedienceulnone , when our obedience is fulfilled. The underlined word (emphasis mine) disobedience in this passage refers to the rebellions of satanic powers that are set out against Gods good work in the life of man. This includes sin, sickness, death, poverty, calamities, etc. Now, the scripture says that it is a life of fulfilled obedience, that puts you in readiness to avenge these evil works of satan. par
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The Christian life of obedience ought to be result oriented. The devil tends to party in the lives of so many Christians and even in their homes because their obedience is incomplete. To lead a life of unfulfilled/incomplete obedience is to frustrate the Holy Spirit. Even tough He refuses to be frustrated.par
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Examples abound in the scripture of people who were yielded to God in obedience. The result of such intercourse between God and man is what we learn from today. They all made it to the top. How about Enoch. God took him because he walked with God. The journey that saw the Joseph ruling the land and people of Egypt gained momentum when he refused to commit sin with Potipharrquote s wife. Danielrquote s "death-daring" obedience made him the most sought after wise man and minster of God in all of the Babylonian empire. If we commit to obeying God today, we will be at no other place but at the top.par
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