Obey! This word has exploded onto the scene. I know God spoke it to my heart concerning 2025, but it is like the new car you bought that you thought no one had, and then you see it everywhere. I hear it in sermons and see it all over social media posts and short video clips. It is a word the Spirit of God has highlighted for the body of Christ. If nothing else, it has my attention for this season.
When you hear the word “obey,” what do you feel, and what do you see? Do you feel a sense of demand and being overwhelmed? Maybe you see a fist pounding down on a table and an unsympathetic face of expectation. It seems a little harsh, but if I’m completely transparent, my heart leans more toward this scenario of a dictator demanding adherence than I’d like to admit. Is it shouted to you or spoken with words of love, support, and grace?
I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: anything the Lord asks you to do is enabled by His words and empowered by the grace of the finished work of Christ. As you respond obediently to the voice of the Lord and what God has asked of you, I hope you experience a paradigm shift, causing excitement and an eagerness to obey to form and take root in your heart as His gentle and soft-spoken love embraces you.
So, what step is God asking you to take, or what is He asking you to trust Him in fully? Does it concern a situation, a relationship, or a financial decision? No matter what it is, what we have come to know and believe about the God we serve determines our response regarding obedience.
Isaiah 1:19 (TPT) says, “If you have a willing heart to let me help you, and if you will obey me, you will feast on the blessings of abundant harvest.” The ability to feast on the blessings of abundant harvest is a result of redemption, not self-accomplishment. So, let’s look at what it means to have a “willing heart” and “to obey” through the light of the shed blood of Christ. Because of Jesus’ act in the garden in Matthew 26:39b, which says, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” we are moved from the place of striving to achieve to simply receiving the working of the Lord in us to fulfill His will.
Philippians 2:13 says, “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” The ability to will what God wills for our lives starts with volition, a decision of submission and devotion to Him in whom we have placed our faith and trust.
God does not want to strong-arm you into His perfect will. Instead, He wants to give you His promises through relationship and revelation by meditation on His word and by His Spirit. Psalms 37:4 says, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” What we delight in enormously impacts what we “will” to do. Our desires change by delighting in the Lord and genuinely finding fulfillment in Him. From this place, we begin to find rhythm and work in unison with God instead of fighting against His perfect and already accomplished plan. Most of our issues in life are not attacks by the enemy but the result of our lack of delighting in the Lord, thinking we know what’s best, and wanting to accomplish our own will.
I want to mention three motivators of obedience, knowing there are so many. First, become utterly convinced that God’s voice is audible. I don’t mean to be heard by the natural ear, but I mean that His voice can be heard. We must make hearing the voice of God a more genuine and daily requirement. God is always speaking, either by His word or by His Spirit. Either way, you cannot obey what you cannot hear. If you feel God is not speaking, consider that it may be because He is waiting on you to do the last thing He asked you to do. I have learned that God is not a clinched-fist demanding King but a loving Father, patient, and kind, who does not give up on you or hold fault against you. He is a steady reminder of the blessing that awaits a willing heart. John 10:3-4 tells us that His sheep hear His voice, and they know His voice. Confidence solidifies in our obedience by acknowledging that we are clear to hear.
Secondly, we must become deeply committed believers. Philippians 2:8b says, “He humbled Himself and become obedient….” Humility is part of obedience, indicating one’s heart’s true focus. Humility is not poverty but absolute dependence and trust in God. When we sincerely believe that God, motivated by His love, has our best interest in mind, our reliance becomes rock solid and unwavering. There is no fear of failure, coming up short, or lacking ability, for if God has instructed you to do something, then the provision, protection, and promotion needed is there.
Thirdly, accept God’s goodness. Isaiah 1:19b (NKJV), “You shall eat the good of the land.” God is good and wants to flood your life with His goodness. Psalms 27:13 says, “I would of lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” God’s goodness is for the taking now, not just when we reach heaven. It’s in the land of the living, not the dead. Jesus secured the blessings of heaven for you; they’re yours now, free for the taking.
Obedience is the act of believing that walks you into the good provided and given. Psalms 103:2 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: verse 5 says, “Who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.” The strength and ability to overcome and soar over all the lies of the enemy lie in obeying the voice of God, adhering to His will, and His desire for your life. We all face challenges when we don’t understand or see the situation clearly, being tempted to believe we know better. The reality is that God is leading you in that direction not to deprive you or deplete you but to bring you to a place of good, a place of plenty that is full of His peace and abundant presence.