Full Obedience in Faith

Bible reading:  Judges 1:19-36

Focus verse:   Hebrews 13:20-21  "Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—may he equip you with all you need for doing his will.  May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.  All glory to him forever and ever! Amen."

Back in Exodus 23: 23-33,  God gave the rules for entering and living in the promised land.  He said clearly that were not to make any agreements with the enemy or even allow them to live in the land or else they would cause them to sin and their worship of other gods would be a snare to them.  Now we read in Judges that they went into the land, but did not complete the command to totally drive out the people.  They lived with them.  They kept some as slaves.  The Danites (Dan line of the Israelites) never entered their land, but lived on the rugged edges of it.  There were consequences for this partial obedience.  They began to weaken and began serving Baal.

Obedience is also the evidence of faith.  It takes faith to obey things we don't fully understand. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Hebrews 11:6  Obedience flows from this faith that pleases God and it proves that we love Jesus.   Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commands." John 14:15  

The Bible clearly tells us the things that we should do.  We may try to think in our own minds why we would not obey God completely, but only part of it.  We become an enemy of our own selves when we talk ourselves out of obeying God.   We miss out on His blessings and suffer consequences.  If you have disobeyed, then you should repent and begin obeying Him.

What is God telling you?  Obey it completely.  Even if you feel like you are alone in your obedience to God, continue in your trust in Him and obey.  He promises to equip you with all you need to do His will. 

Quote:  “Satan's cause is never more in danger than when a human being..., intending to do God's will, looks around upon a world from which every trace of God seems to have vanished and asks why he has been forsaken, yet still obeys.”  ~C. S. Lewis

Page Johnson
Interlocking Ministries