Releasing the Blessing

January 30, 2011 by
Filed under: Biblical Teachings, Deliverance, Godly Principles, Holiness & Sanctification, Inspirational Articles, Testimonies, What Does the Bible Say About That?, Word of Exhortation, Words of Encouragement 

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Today as I stood in my bathroom washing my hands, I stopped and said to the Lord,

“Lord, there is no way I could’ve ever deserved such favor that You’ve lavished upon me.”

His response to my gratitude and adoration was,

“Beloved, your obedience has released such favor.”

I was in awe.

I began praising the Lord for all He’s done and that led into worship.  I really cannot tell you enough how powerful obedience is.  I mean REAL obedience, not the warped, distorted version we find in most churches today.   Obedience, from God’s perspective, is pretty clean cut. 

I remember not too long ago, God had me preach at a church in Southside Atlanta, in which the central theme of the text was obedience.  About midway through the sermon, I asked everyone in the church to take out a sheet of paper and a pen (the Lord showed me this the previous day).  I waited for everyone to do so and even had my daughter to hand out clean sheets of paper for those who didn’t have any.  Once everyone had something to write on and write with, I proceeded to give them what I call a non-numerical mathematical equation that defines obedience from God’s perspective:

God’s command + doing it = obedience

God’s command – doing it – disobedience

God’s command + ½ way doing it = disobedience

It’s really just that simple; however, we like to make it complicated.  We use a myriad of reasonings which are often preceded by the word “but” – “But I tried and it didn’t work so I did my part.”  “But I don’t have the education or resources or people to help me do this.”  And the ultimate, “But I’m waiting on the Lord….”  Folks, when we begin reasoning, we often lead ourselves into a cloud of deception; which then cause us to think we’re not really in disobedience when in actuality, we are.  BIG TIME!  Using the very simple definition of obedience/disobedience listed above (my non-numerical mathematical equation), anytime you are not actively doing (to completion) the command or instruction God has given you, then beloved, you are indeed in disobedience. 

Just as a side note, do understand that when disobedience is in operation, rebellion and deception are in operation as well.  A good biblical example of this is in 1 Samuel 15 when God commanded Saul to utterly destroy the Amalekites.  This included men, women, children, infants, livestock – EVERYTHING!  Well, Saul destroyed everything EXCEPT the king and the best of the livestock.  When God sent Samuel to confront Saul regarding his infraction, Saul tells Samuel that he did follow the commandment of the Lord (vs13).  In Saul’s mind, he thought because he completed ½ of what God told him to do that he was obedient.  But no.  In verse 22, God says through Samuel the often quoted verse, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”.  God gave Saul a simple command, to destroy all; however, Saul decided God didn’t mean ALL when He said ALL.  Because Saul rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord rejected him as king over Israel (vs26).  Saul’s not only lost his kingship but also lost God’s anointing on him as well as his life. 

Beloved, I don’t know about you, but there have been times when I’ve done ½ the commandment and expected all the reward.  But when I decided to fully surrender to the Lord a few years ago, I desired and determined to be obedient at all cost.  And yes, sometimes obedience WILL cost you.  I had to give up my place of employment/resign, my house, Lincoln Navigator, certain personal pleasures, a comfortable lifestyle as I perceived to be at that time, certain people in my life, and even move to a strange land (Atlanta), which I had never been, with only $200 to my name (all of which was borrowed).  However, all this was leading to a particular path (we’ll talk about that another time) I had to walk and what I am getting in return greatly supersede what I had to leave behind, as Jesus says, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:28-30). 

Now my testimony may fall under what some would consider as “radical” or “extreme” obedience; but however you want to categorize it, my determination was and is doing what God has told me to do NO MATTER WHAT.  I had spent many years, even decades, being rebellious and disobedient and paid dearly for it; however, when I finally submitted to God, I truly submitted my will to His; my wants to His; my goals to His; my plans to His.  In Colossians 1 and Revelation 4, we see that we were made by God and for God, according to His purposes; therefore, we are not our own but was bought with a price as clearly stated in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.   We were created by Him to glorify Him and you can NOT do that with disobedience.  That doesn’t bring Him honor but rather dishonor.  And just as obedience releases blessings with your name on it (will show you in a little while), disobedience releases curses with your name on it (Read Deuteronomy 28:15-68).  Beloved, just obey, as the cost to disobedience is VERY high and is never worth it in the end.

I would like to conclude this entry by encouraging you to just obey God.  Yes, that will challenge you to go deeper into the things of God as well as remove you out of your comfort zone.  But just look at these awesome blessings that God promises on the obedient:

 “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the Lord your God.  Blessed shall you be in the city and blessed shall you be in the field.  Blessed shall be the fruit of your body and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your beasts, the increase of your cattle and the young of your flock.  Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading trough.   Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.” –Deuteronomy 28:2-6

God doesn’t stop there, He continues:

“The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord shall command the blessing upon you in your storehouse and in all that you undertake. And He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.  The Lord will establish you as a people holy to Himself, as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways. And all people of the earth shall see that you are called by the name [and in the presence of] the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord shall make you have a surplus of prosperity, through the fruit of your body, of your livestock, and of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.  The Lord shall open to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.  And the Lord shall make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day and are watchful to do them.” vs.7-13

I’m sure you’ve heard these verses quoted by a lot of saints and may have even confessed these Scriptures over your own life.  But remember there’s a condition that precedes these blessings:

“IF YOU will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.  And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you heed the voice of the Lord your God.” Vs1-2

 

May you seek God for a willing and obedient spirit and seek to please Him consistently, without any compromise, in Jesus’ name.  Amen!

© 2011, Naima Williams. All rights reserved.

Written by: Naima Williams, is a part of Naima & Friends Network, a subsidiary of NWC Ministries. on January 30, 2011.
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Tags: blessed, blessing, blessings, curse, curses, holy, obedience, obedient, obey, release, releasement, sanctified

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