“…I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me…” John 14:30-31

The first time I read the word “exactly” in this passage I prayed, “Really Lord, exactly?” No room for doing my own thing now and then or obeying you most of the time? I felt His reply in my heart: nope.

Jesus completely obeyed His Father all the time and modeled what a relationship with His Father is to be like. Wherever Jesus went, what He spoke and taught, and even the miracles He did, came from His Father. In John 5:30, Jesus said, “By myself I can do nothing…I seek, not to please myself but him who sent me.”

Jesus modeled a posture He wants for all of us — complete obedience to the will of the Father motivated by love. In John 14:1-15, Jesus comforts His disciples and explains that they will continue to have a close relationship with Him after he is gone. Jesus declares that if you love me then you will obey me — not as a legalistic requirement of being His disciple but as an act of love.

Jesus revealed that the Holy Spirit “will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:26b, 27). Exact obedience to the Father keeps us closely relying on His power even though we are tempted to wander and demand our own will.

Father God, I love you and with all of my heart want to obey you without compromise or resistance. Draw me close, give me ears to hear your instructions and obey you. I am completely dependent on you for life, power, strength, guidance, and instructions. Above all else, may my desire be to do your will for your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

By Donna Mitchell
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• The Holy Spirit and Oxygen Tanks – by Kyle Norman

• The Spirit Filled Christian Life Explained

• Understanding the Holy Spirit

The post His Will – Exactly! appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Read: Psalm 1

The Bible declares the Lord’s great power and majesty while also revealing His deep mercy and love. He is worthy of wholehearted, passionate submission, but He doesn’t often get it. Are you among the few who offer themselves to Him without reservation?

Complete obedience is a choice to follow God regardless of the consequences. This means that we obey the Lord even if our friends choose a different path or when suffering or embarrassment is guaranteed. Seeing His will done is more important than our own comfort or personal ambition. We commit the consequences to God and cling to His promises: He will never leave us (Hebrews 13:5), and He makes good out of every situation (Romans 8:28).

Notice the word ‘commitment‘ in the title of today’s devotion. I’m not writing about obedience that is born of the moment (as in, I choose to follow God in this instance) but about submission as a way of life. Setting restrictions on compliance is so tempting–we want to be able to change our mind when obeying upsets our lifestyle, the final result is unclear, or we’re just plain scared. But let me ask you this one sobering question: If Jesus is the Lord of your life, what right do you have to limit how and when you’ll do His will?

Believers have no right to set their own limits; their one criterion for making decisions should be, What does God want me to do? The answer at times may cause suffering, but obedience is always right. And following God in all things is the surest path to favor and spiritual growth.

By Dr. Charles Stanley

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https://www.intouch.org/

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“Loving God means doing what He tells us to do, and really that isn’t hard at all; for every child of God can obey Him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him”
1 John 5:3,4

I believe that we are on the threshold of witnessing the greatest spiritual revival in the history of the church. I believe that the Great Commission will indeed be fulfilled before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19,20).

Today, however, because of the subtle ways of the world system, there are more carnal Christians than at any other time in history. But the Bible tells us that the tide will turn and that the church will soon enter its finest hour.

We are beginning to see that turning of the tide. More and more Christians are discovering how to live supernaturally in the power and control of the Holy Spirit. The gospel is being spread throughout the world by many committed Christians who are determined, by faith, to help fulfill the Great Commission in this generation, whatever the cost.

I do not know anyone, however, who loves this world system who has ever been used of God in any significant way. There is nothing wrong with money and other material success. However, we are to wear the cloak of materialism loosely. We are to set our affection on Christ and His kingdom, not on the material things of this world.

The Lord left us with this wonderful promise … “every child of God can obey Him, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him.” Inviting Christ to help us is our decision to make. It is simply a matter of the will.

Bible Reading: 1 John 5:1-8

Today’s Action Point: I will obey God and trust Christ to defeat sin and evil pleasure in my life, so that I can live a supernatural life and help take His gospel to all men throughout the world.

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