Obedience

"But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became

obedient from the heart to that form of teaching

to which you were committed."

Romans 6:17

     Obedience is the act of submission to authority.  Soldiers are obedient to their commanding officers. Students are obedient to their teachers.  Children are obedient to their parents.  The one word which freedom, fulfillment, and victory hangs upon is obedience.   

      I began, again, the study of Priscilla Shirer's  Discerning the Voice of God.  I did this study over a year ago. I thought it might be appropriate to read through it again now.  There are so many truths in this study.  So many things I need to think about again.  I know that to hear from God I need to first be obedient and humble before Him.   Just as children don't always obey their parents, I can't always obey without flaws.  But I must obey with purpose, with my ears tuned to hear and discern God's voice. It's not likely to hear from Him unless I abandon my tug of war with Him, that tug of war  between my will and His.  Once I surrender to Him, He will start turning up the volume so that I may hear.

       Obedience is not one of the keys, it is THE KEY that unlocks all of the blessings that God intends for us.  It is also the key that keeps the communication line open. Is it any wonder that the enemy would try to cripple us with fear, disappointment, and pride and work overtime to do it. The enemy puts up roadblocks to keep us from running full tilt toward God in unrestrained submission to Him.  The enemy sets up those roadblocks where we least expect them hoping to give us even more discouragement and fear.  But to obediently run to the Father and surrender to Him and His superior will for our lives brings peace.  His superior will that if we could only hear Him say, would be " if you only knew what I could do in you, you'd never doubt for a second."   Psalm 32:8 speaks to this  by telling us, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you."  So take the key and use it and be brave enough to let God search your heart.  Ask Him to reveal to you any calloused place that may block you from clearly hearing His voice.  Finally, yield to Him any area that may be resisting or doubting that His will is best.  

        Remember this...obedience to God is not a "no", but it is His best "yes!", which is crowned in grace and guides us to freedom.   It will open us up to His unrestrained blessings and abundance. His providence and provision will shine through as long as we take that step of obedient faith and listen and look where He is leading.

      " I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgement is just, because I do not see MY OWN WILL (emphasis mine) but the WILL OF HIM who sent me."  John 5: 30

       My will is submitted to him in faithful surrender and my prayer is to know His will for my life.