Obedient soldier of the Lord! Live it!!!

OBEDIENT LIVING

INTRODUCTION: It is important that we develop a lifestyle of obedient Christian living. We need to begin the process of understanding the need and method of obedience.

I.     What is meant by obedience?

A.   Obedience is the state or act of being submissive to the will of another.

B.   There are two basic elements involved in obedience.

1.     There must be an external authority to whom we direct our obedience. (In this

case, God is the authority to whom we direct our obedience.)

2.     There must be an inner attitude of submission. (This means that true obedience is

the product of an inward determination to be submissive.)

C.   True obedience in the spiritual realm is the act of following God’s will for our lives in all
        respects out of the desire of the heart.

1.     True obedience is not serving God on our own terms but according to His Word.
2. True obedience to God is more than outward conformity to His commandments. An
        important characteristic of true obedience is that it comes from the heart. If there is
        not a heartfelt desire to become obedient, our outward following of God’s com-
        mandments becomes nothing more than legalism.

II.     Why should we be obedient?

A.   The following list of three basic reasons for obedience should be enough to motivate

any child of God to become obedient.

1.     We should be obedient because God loves us and is worthy of love and obedience

in return.

a.  It doesn’t take much meditation on what God has done for us to be overwhelmed
      by His unconditional love.

b.  It isn’t hard to obey someone who truly loves us, Romans 8:38,39.

2.     We should be obedient because it is a practical way to prove our love for God.

a.  This moves our love from mere lip service to actual demonstration.

b.  This proof of our love for God should be present in every aspect of our lives,
      John 14:21; I John 5:3.

3.     We should be obedient because God clearly commands us to be. When God com-

mands something, we really have no other option but to follow it, Deuteronomy 10:12,13; I Timothy 6:14; James 1:22.

B.   Without obedience we cannot please God.

III. How do we become obedient?

A.   There are four steps to help us achieve an obedient life.

1.     Know God’s Commands. It is important to have a growing knowledge of God’s

Word to see clearly what God desires for us to do. God has already shown us many
        things about His will, Psalms 119:11, 105, 130; II Timothy 3:16,17.
 2. Look to God for Power. It is impossible to become obedient to God in all things by
        our own power. We must look to God for strength to accomplish His will, Philippians
        4:13; Ephesians 5:18.

3.     Develop the Right Attitude. Our attitudes toward serving God and being obedient

will do much to help us or hinder us in developing an obedient life. The Word of God lists several attitudes we can possess which directly influence our development of true obedience.

a.  Delight to do God’s will. God can develop it within us if we will permit Him,
      Psalms 40:8.

b.  Do God’s will carefully. We must not be careless in our striving to do God’s
      will, Deuteronomy 26:16.

c.  Be sincere in your obedience. God doesn’t want only lip service, but rather He
      desires our sincere obedience, Luke 8:15.

4.     Learn to deal with temptations, I Corinthians 10:13.

B.   Obedience should be the first priority of our lives.

IV.    Which major areas of our lives should be our focus in obedience?

A.   Examine the following:

1.     Bible study and devotions

2.     Prayer

3.     Witnessing

4.     Church involvement

5.     Mate

6.     Job

7.     Time management

B.   Remember obedience requires self-discipline.