LOVING OBEDIENCE BRINGS VICTORY, HONORING OUR LORD

(Today’s fasting and prayer Scripture— II Timothy 2:22-26—- Flee evil desires, pursue, righteousness, faith, love and peace with those who call on the name of the Lord with a pure heart—- we have escaped the trap and captivity of the devil! This will be my prayer focus that I seek within the hour of 6am, 12pm and 6pm)

LOVING OBEDIENCE BRINGS VICTORY, HONORING OUR LORD

” And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” —I Samuel 15:22-23

 For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. —I Samuel 16:7

” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” —I Samuel 17:37

            The contrast between David and Saul are great as stated in this chapter.  Saul had a desire to do what he wanted and disobeyed our Lord’s commands.  Thus “rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.”  Rebellion shows one has “rejected the word of the LORD” and desires to walk according to one’s own desires.  This is the problem of mankind— man has an innate desire to rebel against God.  His natural desire is not to obey God.  Obedience is a supernatural desire.  The person living according to the natural does not listen and obey the Word of God.  The person living in the supernatural seeks to listen and be obedient to what the Word of God says.

            Man judges on the outward appearance, but what really matters is who a person is on the inside.  Only God can ultimately see what is going on with a person on the inside where nobody else can see.  What does He see in you and me?  Does He see someone who truly desires to listen to what He says and then out of love for God and love for people desires to be obedient?  Or, does He see someone that has a desire to listen to their own voice and do what self wants to do?  God knows and man cannot fool Him!

            As a young shepherd boy David had experience when “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear.”  With that previous experience of trusting the Lord to do what he himself could not do, so now he was convince that the Lord would deliver him “from the hand of this Philistine.”  As David spoke to King Saul with this confidence, Saul said, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”

            David knew that “the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.”  Without the Lord David would not be the victor is this showdown. But “David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him” (I Samuel 45-51).  God will do amazing things through those who desire to listen to Him, honor Him, and lovingly obey Him.  Does this describe you and me?  Oh, Father, may this be the case by the supernatural power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.  So be it!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-816LEY-F9U