Do you kow how important it is to walk in obedience to God? This is the second article in my series How To Reconnect With God. I will be discussing how-to walk-in obedience to God and His Word.

Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice

1 Samuel 15:20-23

“But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. 21 Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”

22 But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So, because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

If you’re not familiar with Saul, he was the king before David. As you can see in these verses Saul was more focused on the sacrifice than he was on being obedient to God. Samuel was not saying that the sacrifice was not important, but it was more of a religious act to Saul, his heart wasn’t really into it, so in his case, it was just a ritual that was empty.

Let’s relate it to us now. Going to church and giving is not enough if we are just doing it out of religious duty, not out of devotion and obedience to God. God wants us to do these things because we love Him and if we love Him then we will obey him.

Jesus said…

John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments.”

That is straightforward, we can show our love for the Lord by the way we live our lives in obedience to Him.

What Does Obedience To God Mean?

Some things are black and white in the Bible, for example not lying, the Bible states, thou shalt not lie…so we know that lying is a sin. But what about other situations in your life that the Bible doesn’t clearly outline what you should do? What about knowing the will of God for your life and walking in the plan that He has for you?

That has to do with your relationship with Him. That’s why you need to reconnect with God to get direction from Him. God said that He has a plan for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Well, if God has a plan for your life, and it’s a good plan then don’t you want to know what it is?

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets.

The Holy Spirit reveals to us the plans that God has for us, but we need to seek Him and develop a relationship with Him to find out what it is that He wants us to do. As we seek Him and we listen for His voice and study the Word, we begin to know His character. 

Story Of Obedience

So, we may have situations in our lives that are not black and white, but you can use the Bible for direction and as you get to know the Lord better you can now make a decision based on His character. 

But let me give you an example, a few years ago I was looking for a work-from-home job. I was already working, but I needed a job that was closer to home. I wanted to ensure that I didn’t just take any job, I wanted it to be the job that God had for me. I was offered a work-from-home job, and I was so very excited, before accepting they told me what the schedule would be. 

Because I was new to the position, I was required to work every Sunday. Now the Bible doesn’t outline what type of job I should take, but I was able to use the Bible as a guide when deciding if I should leave my current Monday-Friday job or take this work-from-home job that would cause me to miss church every Sunday.

The Bible says…

Hebrews 10:25

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Based on the Bible verse, it doesn’t clearly say that I shouldn’t take that job that would require me to miss church, but I used this as a guide. I wasn’t unemployed and looking, I had a job, so it was more of a decision to stay in the current situation (although I knew that I needed to get out eventually) or take this job that would cause me and my children to no longer attend Sunday service.

For me, I decided to stay where I was because I felt that it was not God’s will for me to miss church and for my children to miss church as well. I felt that I was walking in obedience.

I just want to be clear…I had a job. If you are in a situation where you don’t have a job and are looking, you will have to let the Holy Spirit guide you.

A few years later God did provide a job that allowed me to work from home and it was Monday – Friday so, I was very happy that I made that decision and used the Word of God to guide me.

If you want to reconnect with God through obedience, then get to know Him, develop a relationship with God. Fast and pray, allow the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s will for your life, and read/study the Bible.

Psalms 119:105

Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Why Should We Obey God?

Here I will give you a few reasons why I think that we should obey God. If you are feeling distant from God sometimes it can be that you are not walking in obedience to Him.

It Proves Our Love For God

I mentioned earlier that Jesus said if you love me keep my commandments.

1 John 5:2-3

We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

2 John 1:6

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

It Shows That We Have Faith In God

Having faith and trusting God are acts of obedience.

Mark 11:22-23

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.

Jesus didn’t say try to have faith, He said to have faith. So, when we have faith in God we are being obedient to His word.

When God begins to reveal His plan for your life, it may be out of your comfort zone, and it will take a step of faith to be obedient to that plan.  God doesn’t always reveal the entire plan that He has for you, it’s more of a need-to-know basis, so you will need to take a step and after you take that step, He will give you the next step to take. In order to do this, you must trust Him.

Obedience To God Brings Blessings

Deuteronomy 11:26-27

“Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! 27 You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. 

John 14:23

Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.

John 15:7

But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 

Obedience is the key to blessings because God rewards obedience. When we do what He says it puts us on the right track, but we must decide to obey Him. 

Don’t be deceived by anyone that would tell you that the Bible is outdated and doesn’t have to be followed that is a lie from the enemy because he knows the power that is in God’s Word. The Bible doesn’t need to be updated or re-written to fit the times that we live in. God and His Word never change.

Ephesians 6:17

Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

I pray that this has been helpful and that you can now see the importance of Obeying The Word Of God.

Prayer For Salvation

Jesus come into my heart.  I turn my back on sin and I repent, and I trust in you.  I confess that Jesus Christ is my personal Lord and Savior.  Thank you, Jesus, for saving me.  I accept by faith the free gift of salvation in Jesus’ name Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then you are saved, congratulations and welcome to the family of God.  I will give you the advice that my pastor gave to us…pray, you need to pray which is talking to God, that is how you build your relationship with Him. 

He loves you and cares about everything that concerns you.  Read your Bible every day, find a Bible-believing church and attend, and last tell someone that you are saved.

Ephesians 1:17-19

I pray that the Lord would give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.