John 14:15 (The Message)
“If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.”
Obedience is the practical acceptance of the authority of God over your life. It includes both submitting to Him in your heart and expressing your submission through actions and words. “To be obedient is to be in agreement with God…to be in a position of power in Christ.”* When we knowingly disobey what we know to be God’s will, we weaken our defenses against evil and open doors to dysfunction. Nehemiah knew the importance of strong walls around the city of Jerusalem. The book of Nehemiah unpacks his story of rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls—walls that Babylon’s armies had torn down as they overran the holy city. The metaphor applies to our lives. Through obedience we build strong “walls” of defense that enable us to stand against the onslaughts of our spiritual enemy, who does not want us living victoriously in Christ and threatening his work. Disobedience will sabotage a healthy spiritual life and drain spiritual power. It will derail you from your divine calling and lock you into a cul-de-sac of self-centered living (Deut. 11:26-28). But every act of obedience brings an increase of Holy Spirit empowerment. Choose life. Choose obedience every day.
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