Obedience is meant to be added to listening. Without obedience to God’s will, it is completely unrealistic to claim that you truly love Jesus. He said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Therefore, love and obedience go together. Innumerable numbers of professing Christian’s desire God to fix broken stuff and broken lives, with no intention of obeying Him. In disobeying God, we’re telling Him to hold back blessings.

Moses wrote, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Nu 32:23). When someone is living in disobedience, and before you even know what they’re living in, you’ll see it in their attitude first. Something is going on that just doesn’t look, sound or feel right. King Saul was commanded by God to utterly destroy all the Amalekites, including their livestock, for how they ruthlessly ambushed Israel in the wilderness. Upon Saul’s return he blamed the people for keeping some of the livestock alive, while he also spared the life of Agag their king.

Samuel the prophet immediately inquired, “What is the bleating of the sheep I hear?” Saul had willfully disobeyed God’s command. It is here we learn that, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1Sam 15). The piercing of the dagger is felt as Samuel spoke saying, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you from being king.”

Oh, how we love to edit and modify God’s instructions to our liking. Far better to stop using profanity, murmuring or mocking. There may be phone numbers to block on your phone, sights to stop watching, or alcohol to avoid. God already sees the poison in your heart that is killing your promising future.

Try a slow read 1 Samuel 15 to discover how Saul became the first king to forfeit his future and anointing through disobedience, yet retained his position as an ineffective king for a season. ‘Tis much easier to face God’s commands in obedience, than to experience the inevitable consequences.

Repentance fixes Disobedience
Pastor Huck