Last week, we began talking about God’s power to overcome. We discussed the fact that we need to know the power of God, and walk in the power of God. God said His people are destroyed for “lack of knowledge” (Hos 4:6). If we reject God’s knowledge, we will be rejected. However, this is easy to remedy. Find a quiet place and sit down: You, The Holy Bible, and The Holy Spirit. Open your heart and your mind. Read The Word; pray over It; meditate on It; believe It. Let The Word and The Holy Spirit teach you. We talked about God’s Divine order laid out in Acts 2:38-39, and about being obedient to His Word. Let us continue on this theme.

As we saw last week, rebellion is witchcraft and stubbornness is idolatry and iniquity. God sees them in the same category, although we often don’t. While we may shun witchcraft (horoscopes, tarot cards, Harry Potter, voodoo, etc.) as an evil thing; often, we don’t feel as strongly about rebellion towards God’s Word. Although we would never think of worshiping an idol; yet we don’t see stubbornness towards the things of God as being all that big of deal. God does. Don’t call Him Lord, unless you do what He says (Lk 6:46). Don’t draw near to God with your mouth, and be far away in your heart (Mt 15:8). You were initially saved trough faith, in obeying the Truth; and you stay saved through faith, in obeying the Truth (Gal 3:1-3, 1Pt 1:22).

God has blessed us already through Jesus Christ; but you cannot appropriate that blessing until you do what God says. Obedience opens the door to God’s blessing. For instance, Jesus is not going to die for you when you repent. He already died for you. Your sins are already potentially forgiven. However, His death will not benefit you in any way until you obey God’s Word concerning how to be saved. Until you acknowledge you are a sinner, and not right with God; repent (turn from your own way, and go God‘s way); believe in your heart Jesus died for your sins and God raised Him from the dead; and confess with your mouth that He is Lord: you will not be saved. This is The Word of The Lord.

This applies to all of God’s wonderful blessings. They are already available to you through Jesus Christ; you cannot work for them. Yet, you must obey in order to receive them. Obedience is the key that unlocks the door. Let’s look at financial blessing. God says He will multiply the seed that you sow. According to how you sow, it will determine what you reap (2Cor 9:6-10). Well, if you sow nothing; then nothing will you reap. Don’t blame God, that’s just a law of the kingdom. If you don’t like your harvest, change what you’re sowing. It’s just that simple.

Some people have it all backwards. They look at other people and say, “Well, if I had what they have, I’d be a giver, too.” Well, did you ever think, that the reason they have it to give is because they are givers? No, it’s easier to sit back and complain that the people that have it to give just “got lucky”, and you didn’t. The same is true for people with a good attitude. Some think, “Well, if I had their life, I’d be happy, too.” Well, did you ever stop to think, that the reason they have the life they do, is because it’s what they decided to have? It’s what they confessed with their mouth? It’s what they believed in their heart? It’s what they determined? No, it’s easier to play the victim, and just believe God doesn’t want to bless you: They’re special, and you’re not. Lies! Lies! Lies! Get off your pity pot, and decide you’re going to go with God’s Word!

Do you want God’s best? Do you want God’s perfect will to come to pass in your life? Do want to be an overcomer? Get into God’s Word, and do what He tells you to do! Quit making lame excuses why you can’t! You can, if you purpose in your heart to do it! Quit messing around with the things of God! Get serious! Get your act together! And watch what God does in you and through you! Dare to believe! Until next time, rejoice in the Lord! Next week: Part. 3