Obedience (10 ways to grow spiritually)

Over the next several episodes, I want to talk about ten ways that will help you grow spiritually, deepen your intimacy with Jesus, and practically live the authentic Christian life.

If we desire to grow spiritually, we must learn to walk in obedience to God and His Word.

It has been said that God will not lead us further than the last thing He has asked us to obey.

In this episode, we explore the concept of obedience, how even Jesus was obedient to the Father, and how God enables us to obey Him and His Word.

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Obedience

• Obedience assumes a responsive action
• The Old Testament term for obedience is “hear” (listen)
• Obedience requires an immediate response (delayed obedience, in a way is still rebellion and disobedience)
• Matthew 21:28–32 – “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in the vineyard.’ “And he answered and said, ‘I will not’; but afterward he regretted it and went. “And the man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered and said, ‘I will, sir’; but he did not go. “Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.”

‌Pre-decided Yes

W‌ould you have a “pre-decided yes” to God in anything He asks?

If we don’t obey immediately, it reveals that we don’t trust God. To trust Him we must get to know Him – the more we know Him, the more we trust Him, the easier it is to obey Him.

One of the best ways I’ve found to know God is not only to study Scripture but to specifically study His names.

‌Jesus was obedient

• ‌John 5:19 – Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing from Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same manner.”
• ‌John 15:10 – “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
• ‌Philippians 2:8 – Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• ‌Hebrews 5:8 – Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

‌God calls us to obey

‌Matthew 28:18–20 – And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The primary focus of our obedience is LOVE

• Romans 13:8–10 – Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does not work evil against a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the Law.
• ‌James 2:8 – If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.
• ‌Mark 12:28–31 – And when one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, he recognized that He had answered them well and asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Obedience is tied to FAITH

• Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.
• ‌Hebrews 11:8 – By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Concept: God doesn’t lead us further than the last step He has asked us to obey

So if you want to grow spiritually, we must walk in obedience to God and His Word. If you want to flourish in your spiritual life, begin to take His Word seriously and start walking in obedience … by His grace.

God Gives Grace to Obey

Grace is not merely for salvation, but grace is God’s enablement to live how we are called to live.

• 2 Peter 1:3 – seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the full knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
• Romans 1:5 – … through whom we received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of His name …
• 2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to make every grace abound to you, so that in everything at every time having every sufficiency, you may have an abundance for every good deed …

Oswald Chambers – “God never coerces us. In one mood we wish He would make us do the thing, and in another mood we wish He would leave us alone. Whenever God’s will is in the ascendant, all compulsion is gone. When we choose deliberately to obey Him, then, with all His almighty power, He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us.”⁽¹⁾

One parent’s admonition to their children: “Do it quick (first time I ask), do it well, with a good attitude … otherwise it’s disobedience”

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Listen to the series: 10 ways to grow spiritually

• Worship

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FOOTNOTES

(1) Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, December 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Oswald Chambers Publications; Marshall Pickering, 1986).
Photo Credit: Prixel Creative

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Join the Conversation

Question: How are you intentionally living a life of obedience? How is it deepening your spiritual life?