Be Sure to Completely Obey God

Years ago, someone once asked the late Dr. Yonggi Cho, then pastor of the largest church in the world of almost 800,000.  “What is the key to your great success?” His reply was very simple “I pray and I obey”

The most fitting response to undeserved blessing is unreserved obedience!  Your obedience to God today determines what you’ll be for God tomorrow

A few centuries before Christ a man named Alexander the Great conquered almost all of the known world using military strength, cleverness and shrewd of diplomacy. The story is told that Alexander and a small company of soldiers approached a strongly fortified walled city. Alexander, standing outside the walls, raised his voice and demanded to see the king. He insisted that the king surrender the city and its inhabitants to Alexander and his little band of fighting men.

The king laughed, "Why should I surrender to you? You can’t do us any harm!" But Alexander offered to give the king a demonstration. He ordered his men to line up single file and start marching. He marched them straight toward a sheer cliff.

The townspeople gathered on the wall and watched in shocked silence as, one by one, Alexander’s soldiers marched without hesitation right off the cliff to their deaths! After 10 soldiers died, Alexander ordered the rest of the men to return to his side. The townspeople and the king immediately surrendered to Alexander the Great. They realized that if a few men were actually willing to commit suicide at the command of this dynamic leader, then nothing could stop his eventual victory.

Are you willing to be as obedient to the ruler of the universe, Jesus Christ, as those soldiers were to Alexander? Are you as dedicated and committed? Think how much power Christ could have in our area with just a portion of such commitment.[i]

God always works for our benefit when we are in obedience to him. 

Remember that God always works for our benefit when we are in obedience to him.  Romans 8:28 (NIV)...we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.   

Imagine if the church had such a “Yes Sir!” attitude. Imagine if God’s church had such obedience to God!  In Exodus 39-40 we will look at some key aspects of obeying God completely.

HEARING COMPLETELY WHAT GOD HAS COMMANDED

Exodus 39:42 (NIV) The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

It is important to see the sense of the verse.  They had completed the Tabernacle just “as God commanded Moses.” In crafting all the various components of the Tabernacle, it was critical that Moses heard completely what God had instructed and that the workmen also likewise heard completely what Moses had instructed them.  In fact, the phrase “as the Lord commanded” appears 20 times in this passage.

To obey God we need to hear what God is saying clearly and completely. If we do not hear, we cannot respond to God.  If we do not hear properly, we will not be able to respond to God properly.  The problem is this. Too many people are presumptuously doing what they think God wants done, but not actually hearing God first, nor completely.

Samuel the prophet urged King Saul to take careful note of what God was about to instruct him in 1 Samuel 15:1 (ESV) And Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD.”  King Saul was to listen God’s instructions carefully. But he presumptuously thought he could change what God instructed. God’s instructions are clear and precise.  Whenever we get confused, we just need to go back to what was actually said.  Many times, when things become unclear, I can get clarity by simply getting back to what God had clearly said.  What did God actually say as opposed to what I thought God said?

 When we distort hearing from God, it leads to distorted obedience and that is dis-obedience!

Sometimes we may have heard from God, but we distort what God actually said to what we want to hear Him say. For example, God may say to us “Buy a cheap car!” but we only heard “buy a car”.  This could lead to us spending more than we ought to. When we distort hearing from God, it leads to distorted obedience and that is dis-obedience!

We should have a high level of respect for what God has said in His Word. Not adding our own favourite emphasis, nor remove from it what we want to de-emphasise.  There was once an over-sized boy who after Sunday school, ate even more than usual. When asked, he responded that he wanted to learn to pray more.  For the Sunday school teacher taught that they needed to feast and pray.

Revelation 22:18 - 19 (NIV) 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.  19 And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

Let us be people who are passionate about understanding God’s word, His instructions to us.  So that we can obey Him completely!  When we obey, we will experience God’s blessings.  Jesus said in Luke 11:28 (NIV) He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

DETAILED OBEDIENCE TO WHAT GOD HAS SAID

Exodus 39:43 (NIV) Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

Moses found that the workmen were detailed in carrying out exactly what God had commanded Moses.  In chapters 36 to 39, we find that the craftsmen built the tabernacle exactly as specified by Moses in chapters 25 to 30. Many tiny details were specifically commanded by God in making the various furniture articles.  The dimensions, the form, the ornaments, the materials, the weights, the liturgical steps, etc. The people did not try to modify the instructions or cut corners. 

We need to simply obey God’s Word, even in details that may seem unimportant to us. 

We need to simply obey God’s Word, even in details that may seem unimportant to us.  After all, the Scriptures tell us in Isaiah 55:8 that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are different from ours – He knows best. Isaiah 55:8 (NIV) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.

There was once a young woman who went to a petrol station to refuel her car.  Then unexpectedly she sensed God telling her to stand on her hands.  She hesitated but finally decided to do so. She did a quick handstand and feeling rather embarrassed, decided to quickly get into her car and drive off.  Suddenly another woman ran out of the petrol station calling out to her. Surprised she listened to what this woman had to say.  This woman explained that she was going through a difficult time and was seeking if God was real.  She had prayed a simple pray for something unusual to happen to prove that God existed.  She prayed that someone would do a handstand in front of her. And lo and behold she saw this young woman do a handstand.     

King Saul was someone who obeyed God only to a point. Saul’s obedience was only partial.  In 1 Samuel 15:1-3, the prophet Samuel had instructed Saul to destroy everything from the Amalekites.  But King Saul figured it was unreasonable to destroy the fine livestock.  He probably thought that was just an oversight on God’s part. So he would help God, by re-interpreting the instructions to something more reasonable!  Saul assumed that God wouldn’t mind if he spared Agag, the king, as a trophy of his great victory. He assumed wrong. God had said to “utterly destroy” everything.

 Deliberate partial obedience is actually complete disobedience.

It’s easy at this point to try to vindicate Saul by thinking, “Well, he almost did everything God said to do.” But the truth of the matter is, deliberate partial obedience is actually complete disobedience. To miss by a little can mean to miss by a lot.  Imagine if the scientists that launch space probes to the moon were to miscalculate the trajectory by fraction of a degree.  This slight error will lead to the probe missing the moon by thousands of kilometres! When we choose not to be detailed in our obedience to God, our partial obedience is not obedience, but disobedience. 

Sometimes going further than what God has said can also lead to disobedience!  Dr Yonggi Cho shared about a massive church building project that God laid upon his heart.  He was to build a large multi-storey church auditorium.  But in the midst of the construction project the nation faced a large economic downturn and the church building project became mired in debt. He almost committed suicide over it due to the enormous stress and shame. He eventually came to the realisation that he had added an additional building to the project which God did not ask him to build.  That was what unravelled the project.

To get the details right we need to be Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered.

To get the details right we need to be Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered.  Sometimes, God does not spell out all the details but when we are Spirit-led and empowered, we will get the details right.  With the Spirit we better discern the details that God seeks.  Exodus 31:2 - 3 (NIV) 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,  3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts— 

In the Scriptures above, God spelt out many details for the tabernacle but not all.  Yet He empowered the craftsman to interpret God’s intention with creativity and to get it right. Notice the key is the Spirit of God upon the lead craftsmen.  The detail we go to shows our attitude.  Is your attitude: “Near enough is good enough” when serving God?  Or is it: “Let’s get it right?” 

TIMELY OBEDIENCE

Exodus 40:17 (NIV) So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.

There was a specific timing that God was aiming for the entire tabernacle to be set up.  Approximately 12 months from their first Passover in Egypt. They received instructions from Moses about 6 months into the year. The workmen acted immediately and completed everything in about 6 months.  Their obedience was timely. We ought to learn to carry out what God has commanded when He commands.

Why?  Because delayed obedience is disobedience! King Saul was unable to wait for God. He was a man who was either disobeying God, or was too eager and ended up rushing ahead of God.

1 Samuel 13:8 - 14 (NIV) 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter.  9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering.  10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel.  Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Micmash,  12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.”  He did what was forbidden to do. 13 “You acted foolishly,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.  14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD’s command.”

It is like surfing a wave.  Too far ahead and you lose momentum, and the wave will overtake you or worse will crash down on you.  Too far behind and you either fall off the back or are crushed in the curl!

Obedience too early or too late can be disobedience.  We need to obey God in God’s time!  Are you seeking for God’s timing? For example, in boy-girl relationships. Even if she is the one, is the timing right?

Watchman Nee was a preacher and writer greatly used of God in China. As a young man, he was attracted to a Christian girl, Charity Chang.  But he quickly discovered that she did not share his passion for God.  She was more concerned about worldly matters.  God challenged him one day as he read Psalms 73:25, “There is none on earth that I desire beside thee.”  God spoke in his heart, “You have a consuming desire upon earth.  You should give up your attachment for Miss Chang. What qualification has she to be a preacher’s wife?” He tried to bargain with God.  Finally, he gave in and threw himself into the ministry.  He made a God-centred decision.

This was not the end of the story.  Years later, God worked a radical change in Charity’s life, and she became a devoted follower of Christ.  God caused both to cross paths again and they became man and wife!

PRIORITISED OBEDIENCE

In obeying God’s instructions in Exodus 40:18-33, they prioritised what had to be done and focussed on completing it step by step.  It was carefully planned.  We can see the sequence.  First the bases, then the frames, then the crossbars, then the poles, etc.  There was priority and focus on what they carried out.

If we are to finish the work that Christ has given us we need to see what is most important clearly, and not get distracted by what is just permissible or secondary!  1 Corinthians 10:23 (NIV)  “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 

Paul loved the Roman Christians.  In fact, he himself was a Roman Jewish Citizen.  He obviously wanted to visit the Romans but focussed on what was his priority. To finish preaching the Gospel where it had not been preached yet.  So Paul states that He will visit them but only as he is on his way to Spain! Romans 15:20 - 24 (NIV) 20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.  22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you,  24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through ... 

There are many things I would love to do in my life.  But I have to be careful to prioritize in obeying God’s call upon my life.  For I desire to remain obedient to God in every way.

CONCLUSIONS

How is your attitude to obeying God? The most fitting response to undeserved blessing is unreserved obedience! Jesus made a very important observation in John 14:15 (NIV) “If you love me, you will obey what I command. 

In other words, love produces obedience, or obedience to Christ’s command is the result of genuine love. It is possible to obey Jesus words and not love Him, but it is impossible to love Him and not obey Him.  Let us obey God completely because we love Him.

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1. James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 102-103.