Obedience

NEHEMIAH WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL

What has God already asked of you that requires a deeper level of obedience than you are currently walking in?
How does true love for Jesus move beyond belief into daily surrender, self-denial, and action?
What might you need to leave behind in order to press fully into the upward call of God that is on your life?

Obedience

I’ll never forget the moment that I first encountered these verses – at the time,  I’d only been a Christian for nine months or so. I’ll also never forget the awe that I felt for God and also for the obedience of His servant Paul and his willingness to press inward and onward and upward – regardless of the cost.

Paul was often misunderstood, mocked, beaten, just like His Saviour, and it was often by those who felt that they were “God’s appointed guardians of the Truth…”

I remember getting down on my knees and saying, “LORD, I want to know You as Your servant Paul did. I want to know the power of Your resurrection, and even the fellowship of Your sufferings…”… because, even as a ‘baby’ Christian, I somehow knew that the suffering that would Come through obedience to Christ was also the way that would lead to supernatural, glorious, abundant life and open Heavenly doors – not just for me, but for thousands and tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands all over the world.

Oh, how much ‘easier’ it could be to be a ‘believer’ rather than a ‘disciple’ … but, Called Out and Chosen One, you know what He is calling you to do!

Jesus said that we show our love for Him and our friendship with Him by obeying His commands (John 15:12-14). His primary command is simply to “go” (Matthew 28:19-20). If we truly love Him, we will obediently deny ourselves and “take up our cross daily and follow Him” (Luke 9:23).

Our walk as disciples of Jesus Christ will challenge us, and at times, it will seem beyond us. But – the cost that we are called upon to pay (and it will be different for each of us) is just so worth it, to simply show our love for Him – and then, through Christ in us (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 1:27),  to be able to snatch those who are perishing out of the fire, and to help them to set their own feet upon the Solid Rock of Christ.

There is always a deeper level of surrendered obedience to which God will call us. Let us honestly ask ourselves – where is our treasure? Who – and what – is it that truly makes our hearts beat faster, and captures our undying focus, our resources, and our time?

Jesus didn’t do anything unless He saw His Father doing it, and He only spoke the things that He heard His Father saying. In other words, Jesus is saying that His Father speaks to Him so that He can speak through Him, and His Father reveals Himself to Him, so that He can be revealed through Him.

And Jesus says, you will do the same … and even greater things:

Jesus will speak to us so that He can speak through us, and Jesus will reveal Himself to us so that He can be revealed through us.

This is how His will can be done here on earth, just as it is in Heaven.

No matter how rocky the road may seem at times, do your utmost to remain steadfast in your call by surrendering more of yourself in obedience to the LORD. Forget those things which are behind, and reach forward toward those things which are ahead. Continue to press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

You will not be disappointed.

Let’s pray. LORD Jesus, in times when our spirit is willing, but our flesh may be weak, please help us to choose surrendered obedience over comfort and approval. Strengthen us daily to press forward in our upward call, to willingly deny ourselves whenever necessary, and to live consistently so that Your life may be continually be revealed through us, for the sake of Your Kingdom. Amen.

This devotional is written by Pastor Steve Harris, the founder of Global Influencers, an organization that trains and equips leaders and emerging leaders to establish anointed communities that transform nations by restoring Kingdom culture from grassroots to government in the villages, cities, regions, and nations of the world. He is also the Content Development Assistant in the Nehemiah Entrepreneurship Community.