The Key of Obedience🗝️

 

Obedience Takes Surrender

I realize how difficult surrender can often be and without the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, our hearts will be hard and indifferent.
Some of the things that keep us from surrendering to the Lord, are fear, pride, laziness, selfishness, and even becoming impatient with God’s timing.
Likewise, being busy with personal ambitions, and even concern that we might be hearing God wrong. All will keep us from hear God’s voice.

And it’s things like these that keep us distracted and rob us and will keep us disoriented, unfocussed and confused.

I believe that every true believer desires to hear God clearly.

Let’s look at what Jesus stated in John 5:30; “I can do nothing on my own initiative or authority. Just as I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just (fair, righteous, [and] unbiased), because I do not seek My own will, but only the will of Him who sent Me.”

Notice what Jesus didn’t seek and what He did seek.
Clearly Jesus was not ignoring the fact that He possessed a will of His own.
Yet He was committed to honoring His Father’s will above it.
The defining characteristic of His life was that He was prepared to obey at all times. He was humble and available to do His Father’s bidding over His own sentiments and ambitions as a man.

You and I have our own will too. And that’s normal. Our problem comes from not surrendering our will to the Father’s all-perfect will, His all-wise will, and His all-good will.

Most of us fear the loss of our hopes, our dreams, and our ambitions should we ever submit ourselves entirely to the Father’s will.
We imagine them being crushed and discarded, never to be fulfilled.

Honoring God’s directives will indeed require adjustments on our part, but it will never leave us lacking.

The will that is submitted to Him is not extinguished; it is simply surrendered.

It becomes like clay in the Potter’s hand— soft pliable and moldable—we are, or rather we become the raw material for a masterpiece made by Him.

We don’t lose. We win! 

Have you been concerned about “losing yourself” if you surrender completely to God?
I know was... I remember asking the Lord “What about Patti? What happens to me? I couldn’t seem to wrap my head around it.

Yet surrender is the key.

We must stand and position ourselves to be obedient—that’s how the door flings open for His voice to be heard and His will to be accomplished.

We learned in the last devotion in Psalm 32:8, that the Lord says to those of His children who freely submit their wills to His (that He) will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; (that He) will counsel you with (His) eye upon you.

I also said that - Facing up to this issue of obedience is the alpha and omega of how we hear from God.

That obedience isn’t just one of the keys. That it is the key that unlocks all of the blessings God intends for us.

So, I want you to hold a key in your mind’s eye. Now picture this key being unlike any other key you’ve ever seen or used before—let this key that you are visualizing be big, and shiny, maybe it even has a few jewels in it. Because this is a key that is able to unlock something you’ve never experienced before.

This key is unique and is only for you. For it is God’s specific assignment and calling exclusively made for you. 

But it’s your choice to receive this key, and it’s your choice to take seriously the privilege of using it, for only you can make the commitment to use your key. 

If this is your desire...

Then let God search you. As we’re told in Psalm 26:2, “Examine me, (prove me) O Lord, and try me; Test my heart and my mind.”

And ask the Father to reveal what might be keeping you from totally surrendering to Him in every area and every part of your life. Ask Him to reveal any hardened (calloused) places in your heart.

This will require courage and tenacity.
And even without full clarity as to what the Lord may ask you to do...
Or how He may instruct you to use it, now or in the future...
It’s up to you to make that choice... to say “Yes, Lord.”

For this, is the key of obedience that will unlock all that the Father intends for you.

Now don’t expect to wake up tomorrow doing everything perfectly... That isn’t how it works.

This “obedience thing” takes time... Time for God to show you the areas in your life, and in your attitude... Time for the Lord to expose things you may not have even realized were there.

Remember from our previous devotion, what Psalm 32:8 told us, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you [who are willing to learn] with My eye upon you. 

For...

This key to obedience, is a willing heart and a will purposefully set to live for Christ.