Tag: obedience

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Obedience: a Sweet Act of Worship

1 Samuel 15:22-23 (VOICE) …Be certain of this: that obedience is better than sacrifice…

Beloved, yielding to My voice is one of the sweetest acts of worship you can bring. It is an aroma so pleasing before Me. It is a wordless declaration that you trust Me and that I AM a worthy God. No form of sacrifice outweighs the gift of your obedience.

Partial obedience is still disobedience. It is a sign you trust your own judgment and agenda above My own. If you truly trust Me, you will obey Me. Even your need to understand is based in a desire to judge My judgment.

Release your need to understand. Release your need to determine if you agree with My instructions or requests, and simply yield. Yield out of love. Yield out of respect. Yield to give honor. Yield to bring glory. Part of “giving your life to Me” is yielding to Me, so release any need to judge or control and simply trust and obey. Continue reading “Obedience: a Sweet Act of Worship”

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Refuse to be Silent

Acts 18:9 (TLB) One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t quit!

Beloved, refuse to shrink back. Refuse to be cowed. No ploy of the enemy or criticism of man is worth bowing to fear. I AM with you. My grace sustains you. You are worthy and beloved by Me – not for what you do, but for who you are. And yet stand fast, refuse to be moved. Refuse to allow your testimony to be tarnished or stolen. You are able to withstand. My grace is sufficient.

For I, even I, have put the words in your mouth. So let them flow forth – allowing them to flow unhindered – planting seeds and watering each in their season. And watch beloved, for I will surely plant them in fertile ground and that will yield beautiful fruit. Rich is the reward.

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Trust Me Unreservedly

Matthew 11:6 (TPT) And tell John that the blessing of heaven comes upon those who never lose their faith in me — no matter what happens!

Beloved, resist the temptation to judge My ways. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are My ways your ways. My thoughts are higher, and you need not understand to obey. Faith is trust. The foundation of your life is your faith; therefore, stand fast in your trust of Me regardless of your understanding (or lack thereof), and walk in obedience.

Move in the good work I have set before you. I will reveal each step in its time, so simply trust My Holy Spirit to lead. I AM more capable of leading than you are of messing up, so trust that as you keep your heart tender toward Me, I will always find a way to direct you. Your faith is sufficient for Me, so remain steadfast and trust Me unreservedly. Continue reading “Trust Me Unreservedly”

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Let Your Faith and Your Walk Testify

Revelation 12:11 (VOICE) By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their witnesses, they have become victorious over him, For they did not hold on to their lives, even under threat of death.

Beloved, refuse to allow even the strongest of threats to silence your voice or to shift your feet from the path I’ve set before you. Be obedient to My prompting regardless of the potential outcomes trusting that I AM sovereign. I have a plan and your role in that plan is good.

Yield to Me. Surrendering your plans and hopes and dreams to Me. Trust that My thoughts and plans are good, far better even than you could imagine yourself. Declare My goodness without a word through your obedience and underscore it with the word of your testimony. Let your faith and your walk declare who I AM.

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Walk in True Liberty

Job 23:11 (VOICE) My foot has been securely set in His tracks; I have kept to His course of life without swerving;

Beloved, choose not to be distressed or dismayed in the face of hardship knowing I AM sovereign and I will never leave your side. I have set your feet to My path and watch to steady you when you stumble. Trust that My ability to protect you is greater than your ability to mess up.

Continue to walk steadfastly along My path, knowing My plans and purposes for you are good. Walking in alignment with Me isn’t giving up your freedom, but rather walking in true liberty. So stay the course I have set you to without swerving or deviation. Trust that I AM God.

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Keep Your Mind Fixed on Me

Exodus 28:36 (KJV) And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, Holiness To The Lord.

Beloved, keep your mind fixed on Me and My ways. Meditate on My word and let it so saturate who you are that your thoughts and deeds align with it without hesitation. Be so firmly rooted in My thoughts, that no suggestion that is in opposition – whether it be from human or spiritual origin – leads you astray.

Reject that which is not of Me and that which I declare evil. Refuse to give it place in your life. For beloved, the enemy will exploit any and every toehold he is granted, so refuse to give him access to torment you. Resist the devil and he will flee. Stand fast in truth, taking every thought captive, and offering holiness unto Me. Continue reading “Keep Your Mind Fixed on Me”

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Bless Without Reserve

Matthew 5:43-48 (TPT) …bless the one who curses you…

Beloved, refuse to retaliate in kind. Refuse to stoop to a level that diminishes your witness. Responding in love isn’t the same thing as receiving the curse they’ve spoken, it is simply choosing a higher path – My path.

So bless all you touch, including those who curse you or seek to do you harm. Ask Me to move in their lives. Ask Me to touch them and heal their hearts. Blessing someone isn’t you submitting yourself as a doormat, it is you refusing to shift into a negative mindset simply because someone else is. Operate in love and bless without reserve. Continue reading “Bless Without Reserve”

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Trust That I AM Bigger

John 15:14 (MSG) You are my friends when you do the things I command you.

Beloved, be obedient to My voice. Regardless of your maturity or lack thereof, I can work with whatever you’ll give Me as you yield to My direction and follow My flow to the best of your ability trusting Me to make up the difference.

There will be times you don’t understand, and times you think I have “missed it” because you mistakenly thought you knew where I was headed – all that is fine and even expected – but refuse to allow it to harden your heart towards Me.

Trust Me to lead. Trust that you don’t need all the details to successfully execute My plans for you. Simply be open to the next step, and the next – on and on until suddenly you realize you know Me better than you thought because you’ve yielded and watched Me move, seen Me follow through, seen Me be faithful, and even seen Me have surprising and unexpected solutions.

Trust that I AM bigger than your failings, bigger than any human shortsightedness or insecurities, imperfections, or presumptions. I AM enough, rest in Me.

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My Ways Are Higher

Matthew 5:43 (TPT) “Your ancestors have also been taught ‘Love your neighbors and hate the one who hates you.’

Beloved, My ways are not the ways of the world. Nor do all the traditions of man align with My heart. Even the things taught in love by your ancestors may be rooted in falsehoods or misconception. My ways are higher.

Take the time to know Me directly. Be open to Me breaking the box of your expectations and understanding. Allow My Spirit to truly teach you. Beloved, call to Me for I will answer and tell you things you did not know.

Refuse to be so stuck on what you believe is right that you close yourself off to Truth. Beloved, I will guide you with My eye. Be intent to follow where I lead, even if it’s uncomfortable, even if it challenges you, even if the cost is high – trust where I lead and yield to Me. Continue reading “My Ways Are Higher”

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Singleminded Pursuit

Exodus 23:2 (VOICE) Even if the majority of people are doing evil, do not follow them…

Beloved, choose rightly regardless of circumstance or influence. Know My word so well that your compass is not shaken regardless of who is wandering off the path. Be steadfast in righteousness, and pray for those who have compromised themselves – for “there but for the grace of God…”.

Stay in a place of humility, not judging those who’ve stumbled, but gently encouraging them to right by walking steadfastly in ways that please Me. Have compassion, but don’t be tempted to concede as much as one step on a path not of Me. Refuse to be swayed regardless of who has (or how many have) chosen that which displeases Me. Make My will your focus and destination, and be singleminded in that pursuit.