After years of walking with God, I can testify – it is truly all about faith.

Trusting what God’s word says.

Taking God at his word. Knowing he means just what he says.

Standing on his word in the face of life circumstances that directly oppose it.

The challenge is to trust what God’s word says over and above all.

We must believe what God says about us.

Trust the promises he has made to his children enough that we actually seek him for them without fear. And while we seek him, we stand in expectation. We must expect to receive the promise.

We are all well aware that God tells us to ask and ye shall receive. But most of us, will ask, but not receive. Why? Is God’s word not true? No, the answer is found in

James 4:2-3, “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Everything we do must be grounded in faith and love. We must ask in faith – unwavering, and without doubt. Doubt ties God’s hands. God responds to and is moved by our faith. Romans 14:23, “And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

Know that your are healed – physically and emotionally: Isaiah 53:5

Know that you are set free: John 8:36

Know that you are the head and not the tail: Deuteronomy 28:13

Know that you are blessed: Deuteronomy 28:1-5

Know that the Lord is your provider: Matthew 6:26

Know that God is your keeper: Psalms 121:5-8

We can go on and on about what God says about you in his word. Search the scriptures and find out for yourself. Then exercise your faith and believe what he said about you – stand on it without doubt. Proclaim them – speak to your circumstances and command them in the name of Jesus to come I to alignment with God’s word.

Bind the enemy as your are directed to in Matthew 18:18, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

The enemy, is always on his job. He is vigilant – Job 2:4, “…From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” He is always looking for ways to attack and hinder our growth.

We must be even more vigilant. 1 Peter 5: 8-9, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”

So fight the good fight of faith. Do not believe the lies of the enemy when he whispers his lies in your ears. Rather, rebuke him I. Jesus’ name! Proclaim the word of God, and stand firmly upon it. Because the enemy is also a fighter, he is going to throw his best at you. But in Ephesians 6, God gave you armor with which to protect yourself. Put it on daily, and fight!

God has made us victorious! It is a fixed fight, you will win if you operate in faith grounded in God’s love, and refuse to doubt or waver when opposition comes.

You are what God says you are!

Know it, understand it, and stand upon it. Then, watch God move.

Have a blessed day.

Obedience is worship!

By definition, worship is the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for God.

1 Samuel 15:22, “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

By definition, to obey simply means “to hear,” “to listen.” It carries with it, however, the ethical significance of hearing with reverence and obedient assent.

For some reason, the subject of obedience is taboo. Many people want to do what they want, give an offering to the church, but refused to allow anyone to dictate how they live their lives.

I do not advise people to blindly allow the traditions of men to determine how they live. Philippians 2:12, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

So we all must make decisions. Understand that God’s standard of holiness does not change. If your way of living is below his standard, you can still make your choice. However, you must be willing to live with the consequences or reward of your decision. Our choices or decisions can determine where we will spend eternity.

We all will someday have to stand before God – individually – and give and account to God of our lives. I personally don’t own heaven or hell, so I don’t have a place to put you. But I believe the word of God is absolutely right and the believer should govern their lives according to it!

So we should know the what the word says. When we are faced with instructions that are more tradition based, than scripture based, we can make an informed decision regarding obedience to the instructions without guilt or shame!

When it comes to obeying the voice of God, our only acceptable answer is to obey! John 10:4-5, “And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.”

I don’t care what anyone says, when God speaks, we know it is him. Why? Because there is a witness in you spirit.

Yet, there are times when we still struggle with obeying what he says. This is mainly because it is not what we see for ourselves, or it is too hard, and maybe a little frightening. It is during these times that we will go to great lengths to avoid being obedient to God’s call.

But just as with Jonah, God has a way of bringing us around to his will.

This brings us to worship.

Worship- true worship, will cause you to submit to God’s way, rather than our own.

It is impossible to worship God in spirit and in truth, while walking in disobedience at the same time. John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Let’s look at the “truth” part – we must be honest with God in our worship. We have to be willing to be transparent before him. Showing him ourselves – the good, the bad, and the ugly. It is only in this transparency that we are vulnerable and open to change.

Most of the time the change that we experienced is a change in us, not the circumstances. Then when we have changed, the circumstances are now different too. Why? Because of the difference in us. Our perspective and our attitude now line up with God’s word. So we see things differently.

In this phase of our spiritual maturity, obedience to God is a way of life, and not just an option.

So I encourage you today, if you are struggling to walk in obedience to God’s word, go into worship. Truly think about the God we serve. How good he has been. How he had made something out of nothing so many times in your life. Especially when we did not deserve his goodness…

While you are in your worship, tell him about your struggle. Be transparent, be real. Let God work on you.

I guarantee that everything will be okay.

God bless you!