Obedience and Prayer

There is a way that seems right to man but its end is the way to death the teacher says twice in the Book of Proverbs. His point is man’s human nature causes him to believe he knows what is best and when he follows his gut it will lead to death. For the disciple of Jesus that path is one we reject, rather we know that God has a way for us to live from day to day. Isaiah 30:21 says it this way: “Wherever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: ‘This is the way. Walk in it.’” Jesus calls people to follow Him and as they do He leads them day-by-day through life and on into eternity in Heaven. This way is a particular way that God’s people of grace live out. This way is not a treasure map leading to a treasure in Heaven. Rather this way is a journey revealed by God that shows the believer how to live more and have their being from day to day. The labor of the follower is not so much to track the footprints left by Jesus in the sand. It is more a daily trial of learning how to act, speak, think and respond to the circumstances of that day’s experiences. Through the events of each day God speaks through the Holy Spirit who makes the disciple aware of what God wants and expect daily. Sometimes He speaks through the words we hear as we read the Bible, sometimes we hear Him speak through other mature believers and at other times His way is discerned through current circumstances. All of these ways of communication are guided by the Holy Spirit and funneled through our daily prayers.

Isaiah also speaking on God’s behalf saying: “This is the LORD’s declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit and trembles at my words (Isaiah 66:2).” Did you see that? There are people that God favors over others. They are the ones who humble themselves. This means they don’t have faith in the way that seems right to them; they have faith in the way God works things out even when that way makes no sense to them. Biblical humility is laying aside your prideful way of thinking that you know what is best for you and submissively laying down control of your daily pathway to God the Father. Next the highly favored person is “submissive in spirit.” Through life’s journey a follower of Jesus comes to know that they have two natures inside of them. The old nature leads them to do what they want when they want while the new nature compels them to do what God wants without respect to what their old nature wants. A person with a “submissive spirit” yields their thoughts and actions to those revealed by the Holy Spirit through prayer.

The third quality of the favored is they tremble at God’s Word. They place the highest authority of God on the words they find written in the Bible. In their mind God said it so they believe it. They read the Bible as if God Himself was speaking directly to them. In awe they revere the words of God like a slave who knows his life is in the master’s hand and he or she only lives because the master has willed it. When the master speaks they fall to their knees, tremble at his voice. When he stops speaking they spring into action going to carry out the command they have just heard. The highly favored of God are those who pray then read His word looking for the answers in His Word. When they find it they quickly seek to obey. Pride, lack of submission and indifference for the Word of God will block any communication between God and a believer.

In days of old God spoke in many different ways, dreams, donkeys, angels, audible voice, prophets and visions just to name a few. In these last days God speaks through His Son Jesus who is God’s word become flesh. When Jesus spoke it was God speaking; when Jesus did miracles God was speaking, when Jesus prayed God was speaking. When Jesus took action God was speaking and when Jesus forgave God was forgiving.

Hebrews 1:1-2a reads this way, “Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son.” As we the, followers of Jesus, study the Word of God and learn what it means we are hearing instruction from God the Father for our journey through life. So we read the Word, pray, then read the Word again and as we continue this cycle the Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand how we are to implement this new knowledge of God into our daily lives.

Jesus makes a statement, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me (Luke 9:23).” Jesus is laying out before His disciples a requirement for walking in His way. In order for the disciples to se the way they will need to squelch the static of sinful nature that is in them. By dying to self will and desire they are opening up themselves to be filled by the Holy Spirit who will lead them through each day of their lives. The Apostle Paul gives us the proper response to the call of death Jesus has extended. We decide to forsake the way of self and follow The Way as described in the Book of Acts. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:19b:20).”

A person’s flesh speaks so loudly in their mind that they cannot hear God speak. But when they a wholeheartedly surrendered to Christ in thought and action they are demonstrating that they are indeed submissive in their entire spirit and they tremble in awe as new revelations from God comes. Then they are ready to humbly do whatever His voice of God says knowing that obedience must always follow the voice of God.