Tag: #obediencestrategy

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Obedience Strategy: Signposts – Part 2

One day, as I prayed for a prominent evangelist, The Lord showed me a vision in my mind’s eye. This evangelist was driving alone in his car along a four-lane divided highway. He was moving at a steady pace with his eyes straightforward; and there were no other cars on the road. 

Suddenly, he came upon a roadblock—an orange and white striped barricade—just before the end of the asphalt. 

He stopped and pondered.

Then he backed up and turned onto an access ramp that he seemed to miss before. This access ramp led him onto a superhighway with many lanes.

Within seconds, the evangelist merged onto a new path with countless other travelers—all heading in the same direction and moving at a much higher speed than before. 

This superhighway was a perfect fit for the evangelist. He was happier in this momentum.

So, friends, what accelerated path does God have for you in this hour?

The Lord reveals His way to us so we can know and obey Him more for our benefit and the benefit of His Kingdom.

There is an inherent value in obedience. Where there is obedience, there is an alignment of authority, order and power—first inwardly, then outwardly.

Psalm 119:117 TPT says, “Lift me up and I will be safe. Empower me to live every moment in the light of your ways.”

Psalm 119:72 TPT says, “The words you speak to me are worth more than all the riches and wealth in the whole world!”

God’s revealed Words are “joyous treasure” when we love Him (Ps 119:111).

They are our heritage.

As we obey the revelation-understanding of God’s precepts, we become increasingly established in His ways to assert power over evil and take dominion—by His dominant Spirit.

Consider Joshua and Caleb, who were best known for their careful obedience and wholeheartedness, respectively.

These two leaders understood they needed to first reconcile with God’s truth before stepping out in great exploits.

They understood God’s Word to be a life guide to fruitfulness.

They understood God’s commands to be boundless and limitless and their adherence to them to be a requirement for Kingdom expanse (Ps 119:96). 

They understood “the regenerating power of God’s Word” works as a life preserver against degenerate forces, enabling them to overrule and accomplish divine purpose (1 Pe 1:23 NSFL Bible note; Is 55:11). 

They understood that to live and not die in battle, to be successful and prosper, to receive the fulfillment of God’s promise, they had to believe (cling to, rely on, trust in) God. They also had to yield the fullness of their hearts, their will to God at every signpost—His revealed and enduring commands for miraculous victory.

Joshua and Caleb knew there was protection in obedience and that they couldn’t lose when they obeyed God’s unique strategies for each battle.

From the beginning, The Lord instructed Joshua by saying (Joshua 1:7-8 MSG):

Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed.”

So, friends, our prayer should be “Make me passionate and wholehearted to fulfill your every wish, so that I’ll never have to be ashamed of myself” (Psalm 119:80 TPT).

Every shared strategy from God to His beloved is a beacon that leads to an expanded manifest victory. We experience this when we abide in The Lord.

John 15:7 TPT says, “But if you live in life-union with me and if my words live powerfully within you—then you can ask whatever you desire and it will be done.”

God’s straight teachings affect the flow of life we receive. And our every step in light will be a step toward greater wisdom (Ps 19:7, 119:105, 107).

Proverbs 8:33-35 TPT reveal this by saying, “Listen to my counsel, for my instruction will enlighten you. You’ll be wise not to ignore it. If you wait at wisdom’s doorway, longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say. For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find me, and this is the secret of growing in the delight and the favor of the Lord.”

So, for our sake and the sake of the Kingdom of God at large, let Psalm 119:56 NIV be our prayer. It says, “This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.”

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Obedience Strategy: Signposts – Part 1

A few months ago, my husband and I were faced with a pivotal decision. 

So, I pressed God for an answer, because our timeline was short. 

What should we do? Should we do this? Or should we do that?

God answered my prayer by showing me a vision of a road block in front of the way He directed us to go three years earlier. I could clearly see in my mind’s eye a barricade in front of a road with the Words “LIMITED TIME” printed over the scene.

God made His will clear to me that we were no longer to go that way and that the time for that track was over (Ps 119:110). 

God had something new. 

So, in continuing to seek and follow Him, we ultimately discovered He had a more beautiful, even loftier place for us than three years ago.

Friends, what better place does God have for you in this hour? What new beginning?

What is His next step for you?

Psalm 28:7 TPT says, “…When I fully trust in you, help is on the way.”

God’s way is a sure path of life, shielding us from every danger (Ps 119:25, 37, 114).

His signposts are revelatory clues that He uses to bring clarity and help direct us along His best path. When we know God intimately, we know His voice in ways that align with His Word (Jn 10:27). We have eyes to see and ears to hear His truth (Matt 13:16, Ac 28:27 AMP).

Our level of obedience to His ways largely determines the level of life we experience on earth.

Abundant life is there for those who choose to receive it (Pr 11:19 TPT). 

God promises!

And it’s for His glory.

Psalm 31:19 NIV says, “How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.”

When we love God deeply, we revere Him, run to Him, and put His everlasting Word before us. When we know Him, we trust that He will authoritatively direct and establish us in His will and ways as we set our hearts upon Him.

He is the Word, and He is Love (Jn 1:1, 1 Jn 4:16).

Revelation of His Word is His light of understanding to us. This revelation-understanding is the signpost that guides us to our next step (Ps 119:97, 100).

Psalm 119:140 TPT tells us, “all Your promises glow with fire.”

So, just like the pillar of fire (and a cloud) that guided the Israelites closer to their promised land, God’s illuminated Word guides us into His promises to us as we set our whole hearts on Him and seek Him for understanding (Ps 119:130, 2, 80).

Righteous God goes before us and shows us the way, according to His Word (De 1:32-33).

He reveals these secrets to us not only so we can have an understanding heart, but so we can obey Him (Ps 119:34). This postures us to favorably complete assignments and receive enduring rewards to better help others.

When we love God more than anything (or anyone) else, we will follow Him more than those other things.

Friends, that’s when life gets amazing.

Psalm 119:127 TPT says, “Truly, your message of truth means more to me than a vault filled with the purest gold.”

Psalm 119:129 TPT tells us, “Your marvelous words are living miracles; no wonder I long to obey everything you say.”

So, God’s Word as miraculous, valuable treasure makes us wiser than our enemies and protects us (Ps 119:98, 92-94).

Holy Spirit teaches us along His straightforward way and directs the flow of our lives by His teachings.

Proverbs 21:21 TPT tells us, “The lovers of God who chase after righteousness will find all their dreams come true: an abundant life drenched with favor and a fountain that overflows with satisfaction.”

Conversely, compromise of His Word diminishes life.

So, we are to look for and obey God’s signposts of illuminated Word passionately, setting them ever before us.(Ps 119:130-131).

We are to be like the psalmist in Psalm 119:112, who determined in his heart to “fully and forever” obey whatever God said.

Friends, the more we come into alignment with God’s Word, the more we come to experience the revelation of His heart and the increased flow of His power to help others.

Proverbs 11:30 TPT tells us “…a life lived loving God bears lasting fruit, for the one who is truly wise wins souls.”

Proverbs 11:24-25 TPT say, “Generosity brings prosperity, but withholding from charity brings poverty. Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favor.”

Friends, these are spiritual laws that work on our behalf and prove true in our lives.

So, do you love and trust God at His Word? Are you willing to follow Him and His ways?

If so, in light of all this, our prayer should be Psalm 119:29-32 MSG, which reads:

Barricade the road that goes nowhere; grace me with your clear revelation. I choose the true road to Somewhere, I post your road signs at every curve and corner. I grasp and cling to whatever you tell me; God, don’t let me down! I’ll run the course you lay out for me if you’ll just show me how.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name.

Amen.

Friends, join me next week for Part 2 of Obedience Strategy: Sign Posts.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.

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Victory Strategy: Obedience – Part 2

One way God demonstrates His love for us is to give us victory over everything as we adhere to, rely on and trust in Him.

Romans 8:37 TPT tells us, “Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!”

In Part 1 of this series, we learned that we receive this victory by faith-believing, which implies action.

So, we do have a part in our manifest victory.

We know that God is our source for victory based on Proverbs 21:31 TPT, which says, “ultimate victory comes from the Lord God.”

Psalm 20:7 TPT reiterates this by saying, “…Our boast is in the Lord our God, who makes us strong and gives us victory!”

Psalm 18:35 TPT tells us, “You empower me for victory with your wrap-around presence. Your power withinmakes me strong to subdue…”

Proverbs 4:9 TPT says, “You will be adorned with beauty and grace, and wisdom’s glory will wrap itself around you, making you victorious in the race.”

Friends, at the point where we invite Jesus into our broken places, we begin to experience victory.

Just like the woman at the well, who invited Jesus to share His victory with her, she ran with beautiful feet to proclaim the good news to her people (Ro 10:15, Is 61:1).

This is important to remember as we receive nations as our inheritance and carry His glory to make His Name known. 

Like Esther, who pushed against all odds to help rescue a nation of people, Psalm 44:5 TPT assures us that “Through [His] glorious name and [His} awesome power we can push through to any victory and defeat every enemy.”

So, in His compassion for us, even the distress and oppression established against nations must bow in the Presence of our Perfect Lamb.

Isaiah 61:4 further reveals that, “…they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.”

As I sought The Lord on this topic, He impress my heart with a particular message, which is this:

Those who are willing to depart from abominations that produce ashes, the ones who open their eyes and their hearts to Him and become convinced by faith-believing, will move from (abomi)nations to their inheritance of nations (Is 44). 

Like the woman at the well, once we let Jesus into every chamber of our hearts, shame and disgrace will go. Then, we will run with beautiful feet to nations as an evangelist, strengthened and made victorious by Jesus, to share His compassion with our inheritance-nations, as in Isaiah 61:1 ESV, which says, 

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”

Lord, search our hearts (Ps 139:23-24)!

If there is any way in us that is displeasing, bring the conviction that leads us to repentance. 

Friends, we don’t want to miss this.

Unbelief feeds defeat. Strife is a snare and is rooted in a lack of true identity in Christ and a fear of man. Disrespect and defeat go hand in hand. They perpetuate a vicious trap. 

Proverbs 29:25 AMP reminds us that “The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.”

So, we don’t have to abandon our place of rest to tend to someone else. 

This is important to remember as we move forward.

We can have compassion for others and not allow them to take advantage of our compassion and pull us down with them.

We can pray for others and put our full faith and trust in God alone to bring them up higher, based on their willingness. 

We can have respect for God’s process of sanctification, believing He will get them to maturity in Him, even as far as their full restoration in Heaven.

We can remain in a place of glorious victory-strength and extend grace to others, believing God is working as we interact and fulfill divine purpose.

Friends, when we love well, we bring life.

We respect others.

We must remember that we have been given a gift of victory, and that we fight from this place of victory, according to God’s Word.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 AMPC say, “But thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph [as trophies of Christ’s victory] and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere,  For we are the sweet fragrance of Christ…”

I pray that we will live up to these promises. I pray that we will not give up and that we will run to our nations with beautiful feet. I pray that we will be finishers and that we will always remember the One who makes us victorious. 

To God be the glory.

This video-devo was graciously re-posted by the Salem Web Network, which includes iBelieve.com.