Obey God First Before You Understand Everything

 Obey God First Before You Understand Everything

"Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." ~ James 1, verse 22.

Friend, before we pray, let's first take a moment to listen to God's word and then we'll pray together. 

 You can be surrounded by scripture, know the right Christian language, and still be stuck in the same place for years because you keep delaying the one thing God keeps asking for. 

Obedience. 

 Obedience means you choose God's will over your own will. 

 And the clearest place to find God's will is God's word. 

 Some people think obedience must start with an extraordinary moment, as if God must give a fresh instruction every time. 

 God can lead in personal ways, but scripture is already filled with clear guidance for daily living. 

 So obedience is not mainly about waiting for something new.  It is about taking seriously what God has already spoken.  This is why faith and obedience cannot be separated. 

 You need faith to obey because God does not always explain every detail before he calls you to act. 

He may show you one step at a time to build trust in your heart. 

      If you require a full map before you obey, you may end up delaying the growth God is trying to produce. 

   Abraham's story shows what trust looks like when the instruction is difficult. 

   In Genesis 22:2, it says, "Take now your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love." 

 Abraham did not receive a long explanation. 

 He received a command and he chose obedience. 

 He trusted that God's character was good even when God's request was hard. 

 Scripture later highlights this as an example of faith. 

 In Hebrews 11:8, it says, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called." 

 Faith does not mean you never have questions. 

 Faith means you honour God's wisdom above your own reasoning and you keep moving even when you cannot see the whole road. 

 Obedience is deeply connected to love. Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, keep my commandments." You do not obey to earn God's love. 

 You obey God because you already belong to him and you want your life to match the One you follow. 

 So what does obedience look like in the everyday parts of life? 

It looks like choosing forgiveness when your flesh wants to hold a grudge. 

 It looks like turning away from temptation when no one is watching or being careful with what you allow into your heart. 

In James 1:22,  it says, "Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." 

 You can listen to truth, agree with truth, and still miss the blessing of truth because you never act on it. 

 God is calling you to more than knowledge. He is calling you to obedience. 

 This is also where anxiety is confronted 

 God invites you to bring your fears to him. 

 In Philippians 4 , verse 6, it says, "Be anxious for nothing." 

 Obedience here is choosing prayer and thanksgiving when worry tries to take over and trusting God to carry what you cannot carry. 

 In 1 Thessalonians 5:1 17 it says, "Pray without ceasing." 

 That means you return to God throughout your day, even with short prayers. 

 In Matthew 5:39, Jesus says, "Whoever slaps you on your right cheek,  turn the other to him also." 

 This does not call you to stay in danger. 

 It calls you to refuse revenge and refuse hatred. 

 It calls you to trust God with justice and keep your heart free from bitterness. 

  And notice what followed Abraham's obedience.

 God honored it. 

 In Genesis 22: verses 15 to 17, God declared, "I will certainly bless you." 

 Obedience did not make Abraham perfect,  but it proved his faith was real, and God responded with promise. 

 On the other side, disobedience carries pain. 

    When you ignore God's word and choose your own way, you are stepping onto a road that can lead to regret. 

    In Proverbs 14:12, it says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." 

 What feels right in the moment is not always right in the long run. 

 This is why God calls you to trust Him more than your feelings. 

 In Proverbs 3: verses 5-6, it says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths. 

 If you realize you have drifted, do not stay stuck in shame. Come back to the Lord with honesty. 

 In 1 John 1:9, it says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

 God restores willing hearts. So be encouraged today. He will not abandon you while you learn to obey him day by day. 

Start with what you already know.

6:40 Obey God's word even when you do not understand everything. Ask the Holy Spirit for strength, 

6:47 wisdom, and courage. And remember, our father is good. He is leading you toward life. 

 Now, let's take a moment to pray together. 

🙏🏽 

Lord Jesus Christ,  I confess that my own sense of right and wrong is not always trustworthy, and I need you to correct me when I drift. 

 There are times when what feels reasonable to me is actually far from what is holy in your eyes. 

 And that is why I need your word and your spirit. 

 My standards can fall short without me even noticing. But your standards are pure and steady. 

 You see the full picture while l only see what is in front of me. 

 So today I come with humility asking you to lead me because I do not want to live by what seems right to me if it pulls me away from your truth. 

 You have already warned me that my natural way of thinking can be deceptive. 

 Proverbs 14:12 reminds me that there is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is death. 

 Lord, save me from paths that feel comfortable, but end in regret. 

 Keep me from choices that look harmless but slowly harden my heart. 

 Help me recognize when I am being guided by emotion, pride, or impulse instead of being guided by your word. 

 Give me a heart that listens, a mind that stays teachable, and a spirit that is willing to change when you correct me. 

 Father, I need your guidance and direction. 

 I need the counsel of the Holy Spirit to help me fight the good fight of faith. 

 I do not want to stumble through life making decisions based only on my feelings or my limited understanding. 

 I want to be shaped by what you have spoken. I want your truth to become my wisdom. 

 Teach me to pause before l act. to prav before l speak. and to seek you before I choose. 

 When I feel rushed, slow me down. 

When I feel confused, clear my mind. 

When I  feel tempted, give me strength to say no. 

 Lord, I ask for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon my life. Fill me until my heart becomes sensitive to what  pleases you. 

Let my thoughts become more focused on what is pure, what is righteous, and what brings honor to your name. 

  At the same time, give me spiritual discernment. 

 Help me recognize what is unclean, what is deceptive, and what quietly leads me away from you. 

 Protect me from being impressed by things that have no spiritual life. 

Protect me from chasing what is popular while neglecting what is eternal. 

 Let me be led by your presence, not by pressure.

 Keep me strong, King Jesus. 

I do not want to bow to the ways of this world.

 I do not want to bend when false ideas present themselves as truth. 

Give me courage to stand for what is right without becoming proud or harsh. 

Let my firmness be rooted in love and truth, not in fear or anger. 

Teach me to test everything through your word because your word does not shift with trends and your truth does not change with opinions. 

 Father, in Isaiah 45:5 says, "l am the Lord and there is no other. Apart from me, there is no God. I will strengthen you though you have not acknowledged me. 

 There is none like you. You have no rival and you have no equal. 

 When my heart is unsure, remind me that you are still God. 

When my mind is confused,  remind me that you are still sovereign. 

 When I feel weak, remind me that your strength remains the same and your hand has not grown short. 

 So, Father, give me an obedient spirit.

Help me choose your word over my feelings. 

Help me submit to your will even when my flesh argues back.

 I do not want to live by impulse. 

 I do not want to live by comfort. 

I want to live by faith in you . 

 Work within me, Lord, and remove the stubborn parts of my heart. 

Remove doubt that keeps me from obeying you. 

 Remove disobedience that I try to excuse. 

Clean my motives. 

Purify my desires. 

 Teach me to say yes to you quickly. 

 Let my life reflect that I truly trust you. 

 l admit, Lord, that yielding to your will is not always easy.  

There are days when my flesh wants control. 

There are moments when I want to defend myself, prove myself, or take the easy road. 

 But your word calls me higher and your Spirit calls me deeper. So strengthen me in those moments. 

 Help me not to make peace with sin. 

Help me not to delay repentance.

 Help me not to justify what you have already warned me about. 

I need your help, Holy Spirit. 

 Because I cannot win these battles with willpower alone. 

 And Lord, when trials come, help me see them through the eyes of faith. 

 When my faith is tested, do not let me become bitter or disappointed. 

 Teach me to remain steady in my spirit and to keep trusting you even when I do not understand the why. 

 Help me hold on to the who. 

 Let me remember that you can use hardship to shape my character to strengthen my endurance and to deepen my dependence on you. 

Romans 8  :28 reminds me that you work all things together for good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose. 

 So even in pressure, help me believe that you are not wasting anything. 

 Lord Jesus, I desire to reach a level of faith and maturity where l can carry my cross with joy and  follow you without always needing comfort first. 

 I want to reach a stage where it becomes my delight to pursue righteousness and crucify my flesh daily. 

Luke 9:23 says that if anyone wants to come after you, they must deny themselves, take up  their cross daily, and follow you. 

Help me live that out in my thoughts, in my choices, and in my reactions. 

Let my love for you and my desire for you be far greater than anything this world offers. 

 Teach me to hunger for your presence more than applause. 

 Teach me to value holiness more than convenience. 

Father, keep my heart soft. 

 Keep my conscience clean. 

 Let your word dwell in me richly so that I am not only hearing truth but living it. 

So guide my steps today. 

 Show me what to do and give me strength to do it. 

When I fall short, pull me back quickly. 

 When I get distracted, refocus me. 

When l feel tired, renew me. 

I bless your name, King Jesus. 

Let my life bring honor to you. 

In Jesus' name I pray. 

Amen. 

 If this prayer has touched your heart, please say amen as a sign of faith. I pray that every blessing in this prayer is now upon you in the name of Jesus Christ. 

 And if you need a special prayer, feel free to let us know in the comments. We would be honoured to pray for you. 

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. Amen.