Genesis 12 verse 1-4 (NKJV):  Now the Lord had said to Abram:”Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

I hope you have been enjoying this series of teachings on the power of obedience. Obedience will do better than you can imagine. This is why you need to make obeying God your policy. When you take a closer look at the life of Father Abraham, you will notice that obedience was the reason he became great. This is a pointer to you to leverage the power of obedience.

By the way, what does obedience mean? Understanding obedience will help you know how to obey God. I want to explain the concept of obedience in both the English and original language of the Bible. What is Obedience?

– Compliance to a command, prohibition, or known law and rule of duty prescribed; the performance of what is required or enjoined by authority or the abstaining from what is prohibited, in compliance with the command or prohibition (Daniel Webster Dictionary 1828)

– The general concept of obedience in the Old and New Testaments relate to hearing or hearkening to a higher authority. One of the Greek terms for obedience conveys the idea of positioning oneself under someone by submitting to their authority and command. Biblical obedience to God means hearing, trusting, submitting, and surrendering to God and his word.

These are what some of the concepts of obedience are all about and I pray that the Holy Spirit will give you further understanding in Jesus name, amen.

So why is obeying God such a big deal? What is the significance of obedience? Obeying God is vital because:

a. It’s a major proof of your Love for God. If you truly love God, you will obey him. It’s as simple as that. The question, however, is, do you really love God? Jn 14 v 15, 21, 23

b. It’s part and parcel of your worship. There’s nothing like worshipping God without obeying him! Both of them actually go together. This is why God wants you to obey him. Gen 26 v 5

c. It’s the supreme test of your faith. One of the ways by which your faith can be measured is through your obedience. People of faith have always been people of obedience. Show me your faith by your obedience. This is how it operates and this is why obeying God is such a vital part of your life. Ps112 v 1

Dear brothers and sisters, nothing can be compared to a life of obedience, and now is the time for you to leverage this power.

Other scriptural references: Acts 5 v 29: Exo 1 v 15 – 20:  Philip 2 v 12: Jam 1 v 19: 1Cor 10 v 31: Gen 18 v 19: 1Sam 15 v 22

Prayer for today: I commit myself to a lifestyle of obeying God. Nothing will move me from this decision in Jesus name, amen.

CONFESSION: The power of obeying God is at work in my life. This power is changing my life and my world for the better because I choose to obey God in all things. Thank you, Jesus, for the outworking of this mighty power in my life. I am truly grateful!

Pastor Yemi Adeoti

Yemi Adeoti is a pastor, teacher, life coach and mentor & also a prolific writer.