Blessings Follow Obedience

When we speak of prosperity, we are not speaking of just natural, tangible blessings, but we are speaking of spiritual blessings as well. And to be able to live in the full abundant and overflowing blessings, one must walk in obedience. This is the key to living a blessed life. 

We all have heard the passage of scripture that says, "For obedience is better than sacrifices," ~1 Samuel 15:22

Why is obedience so much better than sacrifice? In the passage of scripture Saul had heard the word of the Lord, but thought he had a better idea. God instructed him to destroy the Amalekites completely, taking no spoils from the war, but instead Saul spared the best of the sheep and cattle “to sacrifice to the Lord.” This might seem like a noble gesture on Saul’s part, wanting to sacrifice to the Lord… so why does Samuel make such a big deal out of this? 

Sacrifice in this sense is actually an attempt to gain independence from God. Sometimes we feel like Saul, if we sacrifice for him, than we have put him in our debt. If we sacrifice for God, he owes us something (so we think). Sacrifice is a way of “buying” whatever we want to get from God (protection, deliverance, provision, favor), while at the same time remaining independent from him.

“God, look at all I’ve done for you! You owe me this, it’s only fair!” we say. We demand our goodies from God, but we retain our right to do what we want with our lives. We just need to make sure we throw a few sacrifices God’s way every once in a while to keep him at bay. This is the attitude of sacrifice that Saul personified.

We get so wrapped up in the sacrifice that we forget the purpose of giving and why we are doing it. As we give (sacrifice) we are not looking to God to owe us anything. We are sacrificing to show our obedient love. Obedience, is the response of someone who is in a relationship of trust with God. We trust God, we depend on him, we are interactive with Him, He takes the lead. Obedience is better than sacrifice because we are letting God be God and staying in our proper place with him, the place of dependence and surrender to his goodness. This kind of obedience (as a response to divine love) always leads to intimacy and dependence. Let's pray today that your will be broken so that you can live in obedience to the Almighty as your prosperity, blessings, freedom, and favor is found not in your sacrifice but in your obedience. 

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Enter into Prayer

Heavenly Father I come to You in Jesus Christ's Holy Name, I renew and give my total allegiance to You, Lord Jesus Christ. Father God and Holy Spirit, make me fresh and a new today and for the rest of my life, to do Your work, to do Your will and obey You at all times. I give my life, and all that is in it, as a living sacrifice, unto You which is my reasonable service, that first and foremost, all that I am would be a glory, honor and praise unto You. I commit my life and all that is in it to You, to do your good works, and to have and be in Your total desire, will and presence so that I will, I am and I will be transformed into Your total likeness in Jesus Christ's Holy Name.

Heavenly Father, I know that it is not just my sacrifice that you desire, but my obedience to you. I ask that You break the chain and yoke over my will so that your will be done in my life. I pray that you continually guide me and that you wash over my mind with the Blood of Jesus and cleanse out all darkness and all thoughts that contrary to Your will and destiny for our lives.  I ask You Lord Jesus to shut any doors that need to be shut whether spiritual or natural, and to open any doors that need to be opened whether spiritual or natural in my life. Heavenly Father, I ask that you give me clarity of vision, clarity of sight, clarity of thought, clarity of mind, clarity of knowing, hearing Your voice according to John 16:23 so that I can be obedient to Your leading. 

Heavenly Father, according to your word in Exodus 33:14, I pray  that your presence be with me and that you continually guide me and satisfy my desires in scorched places, give me strength to my dry bones so that I will be like a watered garden and like a spring water, whose waters do not fail according to your Word. Come Lord Jesus Christ and take your rightful place in, through and about my life. I want my obedience to be pleasing to You. As your word says, inPsalms 119, that joy, pureness, wisdom, understanding, love, and God's promises are found in obedience. I give my life to You Lord, all that am, I give to You for eternity and I will remain obedient to you. And I ask you Lord, to bind all that I am to all that You are, in Jesus Christ's Holy Name. Amen!