Obedience, not sacrifice, is the key to your breakthrough!
In the book of 1 Samuel, the prophet Samuel declares to King Saul: “… Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22 (KJV).
To obey we need:
- Listening
- Trusting
- Commitment
- Listening
When we take time to listen to God, we will certainly hear His voice. At Lead Like Jesus, we teach the Being Habit of Solitude. We define solitude as being out of human contact and being alone with God. In the Bible, we find that Jesus took time out to spend with the Father (Mark 1:35).
When we quieten our souls, we allow God to downpour into our lives. It’s amazing when we allow God to do His work, we receive answers toour prayers. Obedience starts with listening to God, His word, and the voice of the Holy Spirit. Don’t be disobedient to God’s voice – “Be still and know that I am God” – Psalm 46:10.
- Trust
Trust is the currency of all relationships. We trust God when we are obedient to what He says. Obedience comes from trusting in God who is able“Our God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think” — Ephesians 3:20.
Our obedience is trusting God wholeheartedly. When we let go of ourselves and give God our total reliance then we are trusting in Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 teaches us to:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”
- Commitment
Obedience requires commitment! When we obey, we need to stay committed even when we can’t see the immediate results. Daniel and the three Hebrew boys were totally committed to God and remained obedient to His word. They did not bow down!
Being obedient to God will require us to not compromise His word and His voice. We will be persecuted sometime for our obedience, but obeying God will bring peace even in the persecution.
JESUS remained obedient to God’s instruction to come to earth to die for the sins of this world. His obedience led Him to the cross. Sometimes our obedience may lead us to the cross. Stay obedient and eternal life will be guaranteed.
Be encouraged today that obedience truly is better than sacrifice. The interesting thing about this Scripture is that sacrifice will be the outcome of obedience… not the other way around.
Isaiah 1:19, “If you are WILLING and OBEDIENT, you will eat the good of the land.”
Stay the path, obey the Lord, listen to His voice, trust Him completely, and remain committed.