Obedience

Heyyyyooooo friends, family, and supporters! This past month or so in India has been a whirlwind. Since arriving in India we have been moving every few days it has seemed like. I am in the process of writing a blog to tell about all God has done and to share all the things this past month has held on the missions field here!

In the process of writing this blog the Lord asked me to share my bullet notes on a teaching I gave to the Squad a few weeks ago on Obedience in our walks with the Lord. When I gave it to the squad it was during a point when the Lord was asking me to step into obedience on a few pretty hard things. This whole season of Squad Leading so far has been obedience, after obedience, after obedience. Even coming here was an act of faith and an act of huge obedience… and I am starting to realize obedience is actually the core of our walks as Christians. We can’t walk like Jesus and follow him whole heartedly without an obedience heart and actions to back it up. Obedience is actually the core of it all, and if we really break it down simple… it’s all we really have to do. 

I didn’t rewrite the talk into blog format and it very much is in bullet point form still from when I gave it, but I trust that the Lord will speak through it to whoever needs this encouragement today! 

 

Obedience teaching for Gap Y December 20th 2019

Obedience is linked to your faith

Faith (by Webster definition)

• complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
• strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.

Trust (by Webster definition)

• firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something.
• acceptance of the truth of a statement without evidence or investigation.
• a hope or expectation
• believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of.

Submission (by Webster definition)

• the action or fact of accepting or yielding to a superior force or to the will or authority of another person.

Surrender (by Webster definition)

• cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority.

Obedience (by Webster definition)

• compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.

 

• Obedience is defined in the every day nature of choices to trust God or not. 
• Decision to either obey God and trust Him in the good and bad circumstances, or we can rely on ourselves. The act of trusting Him is a simple and recurring act of obedience, even in the most minor decisions of life.

Are you willing to be led by God?

• We all desire to follow Gods will when we are at a junction in life or when trials come our way and we need a light shining through. 

Do you walk in obedience only when you have nothing else to cling to or when it is obvious OR even in the simple and confusing? 

• Often the smaller decisions bring about the biggest consequences. 

“If you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. … But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country” (Deuteronomy 28:1-3, Deuteronomy 28:15-16).

• The only similarity between obedience and disobedience is that they reflect the type of lifestyle we have. If we have sincerely committed our lives to God, then we are going to obey Him; we are going to trust Him and leave all the consequences to Him. 
• In times of disobedience, we lean on our own desires for direction. We go back and forth between what we want to do and what we know is right.

What can we expect from obeying God?

• God never intended for us to be worried about the decisions we make each day. He wants us to trust. 
• Sometimes when we pray, we immediately discern the will of God. Other times, we must wait, trusting Him to show us when and how to move forward. Patience and trust. 
• And still other times, He spends a great deal of time preparing us to step forward through an open door. But when the opportunity comes, we hesitate with feelings of worry and doubt. We need to grow our faith. 
• We should obey Him regardless of what we think or how we feel. It is a matter of choice. Solid faith and trust. 
• Far too often, people evaluate their circumstances according to what they perceive will profit them: How will this help me get ahead? or Will this move be beneficial to my future? 
• We say we believe God is all-wise and knows what is best for us, but often we end up looking for advice from people around us and not from the only One who knows everything we need to know.
• We need to consider only one issue: Is this God’s will for my life?
• Disobedience is not always wrapped in a sinful-looking package.
• We disobey God when we refuse to do what He has gifted, trained and called us to do.
• On our own, we do not have significant insight into the future. All we can do is make choices based on what may or may not take place. When all is said and done, only one Person has absolute knowledge, and that is the Lord. And He has promised to provide the guidance we need:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your body
And refreshment to your bones.
(Proverbs 3:5-8)

• If we trust Him, we will obey Him each and every time. Even in confusion. 
• Being obedient does not mean that we will never face difficult decisions. It means that when we do, we will trust that He has gone before us.

The Lord will continually guide you,
And satisfy your desire in scorched places,
And give strength to your bones;
And you will be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. (Isaiah 58:11)

• Notice that both passages of Scripture speak of physical health and well-being. That is what obedience does for us. It disposes of the raw emotions that tie us up in knots inside.
• Disobedience can be as simple as not trusting Him to take care of your immediate need at home, in your community or on your job.
• Part of the obedience process is learning to open your hands to Him and give Him your deepest cries of frustration. Healing cannot take place when you are holding on to hurt or frustration. Lay it on His altar and allow Him to restore you.
• The only way to obey is through surrender to the One who loves you and has a plan for your life and circumstances.
• Friends are God-given resources, but they may provide unwise counsel and wrong information.
• Therefore, it is always best to listen to their counsel, especially when they are committed believers, but also to pray and ask the Lord to make His will absolutely clear so you will not take a wrong turn-mentally, emotionally, spiritually or physically. You can avoid a lot of heartache by obeying God.

Obedience is a choice 

• Often we make choices based on what we think or we feel is right.
• Peter was faced with a life-changing decision. The outcome of his choice would determine his future. 
• READ LUKE 5
• It was an odd request, but when Jesus asked the fisherman to allow Him to enter the boat and then to move it off shore a short distance, he agreed. That was Peter’s first step toward obedience.
• The point that I want to make here is that obedience is a process.
• God doesn’t necessarily want us to work to achieve it… He wants it to be our first nature. We obey Him because of who He is.
• Partial obedience is not obedience. Either Peter did what Jesus requested, or he said no.
• Here Peter said, “Yes,” but notice what else he said: “Jesus got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered and said, ‘Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets’” (Luke 5:3-5).
• In these verses, we are given an outline of obedience. Many times, the ways of God include specific steps, and we find some in Luke 5.

Step One: Peter was nearby listening to Jesus. The Lord knew that he was there and that he had an empty boat. (Lord knew that he had an empty boat because he caught nothing and that he would have been there cleaning up while the crowd was listening to Jesus. Since peter understood this man meant business and was the real deal, he let him use his boat. Easy choice)

Step Two: Jesus entered Peter’s boat so He would be able to address the crowd better.(Peter could have said no, he had a choice, we always have a choice)

Step Three: Peter listened to Jesus’ request. He responded by explaining that he was completely unsuccessful the night before in his attempt to catch fish. Nevertheless, he obeyed the Lord, raised the sails on his ship, and headed out into deep water. (He didn’t wait and dwell and weigh pros and cons to make sure he was hearing correctly, he obeyed in the midst of confusion)

Step Four: Peter received the reward of his obedience.

• We can’t dismiss the fact that he was a seasoned fisherman. He knew the waters like we know the backs of our hands.

What would you have said? 

• You probably know the ending to the story, so you might be inclined to say, “I would have raised the sails and headed out into the deep.” 

But would you? Have you, when He has called to you asking that you would obey Him? 

• Obedience looks different when He is asking us to do something that personally costs us more than we think we can afford.
• “Master, … I will do as You say and let down the nets.”
• This faith comes by hearing God’s voice and responding in pure obedience.

How do I know when to Obey? How do I know when God wants me to obey? 

• People have told me, “I just don’t know whether God wants me to do this. It doesn’t make sense.”
• Going back out to fish during the heat of the morning did not make sense to Peter. No one went fishing then. It was hot, and the fish went to the bottom of the lake which is a place where nets could not reach. At night, they were closer to the surface of the water.
• My obedience today prepares me for my obedience tomorrow, and tomorrow’s prepares me for the next day and for the years to come. The fish were not available the night before, but the next day, in the heat of the morning, they were right where God wanted them to be. 
• There are no coincidences with God. Nothing “just” happens. He always has a plan, and that plan reflects His ways. If you want to walk in step with Him, then you will learn how to be obedient.
• Luke told us that once the nets were down, they began to fill with fish to a point of breaking.
• Do you realize the miracle that took place? There were no fish the night before, but at a time when none should be present, the waters were teeming. There were so many that Peter had to signal for John and the others to join him. His boat was about to sink, and he did not know what he would do. All he could utter were these words to the Savior: “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man” (verse 8).
• “Amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken” (verse 9). Not only was Peter at the hub of this miracle, but others drew near also. It was a ripple effect. 
• Many times when we are obedient, those around us join in the blessing. I’m convinced that none of these men had ever seen so many fish in their nets at one time. The nets were bursting, the boats were about to sink, and Peter fell down on his knees and worshiped the Lord. 
• Here is one truth on which you can stake your life: if Jesus asks you to do something, you know without a doubt that a blessing will follow.
• Questioning, doubting, calculating-none of these build the faith that He wants you to have and exhibit. This does not mean that you will never make a mistake. It means that the motivation of your heart, to the best of your ability, is set on obeying God.

Remember Abraham left his home at God’s instruction, not knowing where the Lord would lead. Moses went back to Egypt without knowing all that his new role as deliverer would involve. Esther approached the king, not knowing if she would lose her life. Rahab hid the spies who came to view the promised land. Mary heard the angel’s voice and said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord.” And Peter said, “I will do as You say and let down the nets.” The Christian life requires obedience.

• You and I learn obedience. We are not born with the desire to obey God or anyone in authority. It is a learning process.
• KIDS AND PARENTS EXAMPLE – (when we are young our parents tell us not to touch the stove because it is hot. even when we are young we feel our idea is better or right and we begin to reach to touch the stove. we don’t have I’ll intent in our hearts as a toddler, but we are ingrained because of sin to go against authority and try our own way. we have to LEARN how to obey and why to obey)
• If you do not like authority, then you are going to rebel against it.
• If there is a spirit of obedience ruling your life, then you are going to willingly and lovingly choose to be obedient. 
• Peter did not instantly know to obey Jesus. He did know there was something in Christ’s life, and that something drew him near enough for him to know that this Man was not a typical preacher. Then when his nets filled to overflowing with fish, he dropped to his knees and proclaimed, “Lord!”
• He understood the Lords character enough to trust even without all the extra information we humans desire for security before taking action.
• The Holy Spirit was the One who brought Peter to the point of obedience. 
• His Spirit must draw us, and that was exactly what happened with Peter.He knew that the Man who was in his boat was much more than an everyday teacher. He was from God.
• A way Satan can trip us is by telling us that God leaves some issues up to us. He whispers, “This is not a big deal. It doesn’t matter what you decide at this juncture. If it was something really huge, then God would let you know what you should do.” 
• Nothing is insignificant to God. Peter’s journey into obedience began with a simple action. Jesus got into his boat and began teaching God’s truth. Don’t be tempted to think that Peter did not have a choice. He could have asked Jesus to leave, but he didn’t; and his life was totally changed in a matter of moments.
• God wants to fill your life with good things. He has so many rewards, but for the most part, they are not like the rewards of this world. You may achieve a certain level of success, but it will fade. You can earn large sums of money, but not a dime will go with you to heaven. Only God’s rewards are eternal. Only His blessings bring the peace and joy you long to have. The way He operated in Peter’s life is the same way He will operate in your life. You may not be standing on a shoreline cleaning a bunch of nets, but without a doubt there will be a time when He will come to you and say, “Move your boat out into deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.”
• after you have made the decision to obey Him, the feelings of worry stop, the fretting ends, and the chatter of “what if” fades. You may face feelings of doubt again, however. And if you do, you may have to go back to God and ask Him to encourage your heart and help you recall the verses He gave you that brought finalization, hope and clarity.

• The truth is: if you do not come to a conclusion of faith and obedience, because it takes both, then your life is going to be outlined by defeat, failure, disappointment, suffering and one wrong decision after another. You must believe in the One whom God has sent to you.
• The outcome of Peter’s faith was a new line of work, one that had an eternal purpose. Jesus said to him, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). What an awesome way to live the rest of your life-in the shadow of His constant care, in the light of His truth and eternal glory!

(After this I ended with a connection I made to a teach my co-leader Diana has done about dreams and for given passions. I ended by sharing that obedience is the core foundation needed to get to those kingdom dreams and God given passions)

*** I got this from reading scripture, prayer, wise counsel in my life, a few sermons, and my own research and exploration with the Lord. TAKE THIS ALL BACK TO THE LORD! Ask the Lord what he says about this and let him speak into you about it. I am not perfect therefore my words aren’t perfect, but the Lord’s is! ***

Thank you for reading and thank you for being on this journey with me! Thank you for being a team with me and rallying with me for the glory of the Lord in this season on the missions field! 

Next blog will be about what India has held so far!