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It was not uncommon when I was a kid to sit and listen to the stories from our friends, who as ordinary Australians had received a call from God into missions specifically to Bible Translation.

The journey of obedience to God was full on, including repeated attempts on their lives and years of living with a bounty on their head from militant extremists. For 20 years this was their journey. 

Time and time again they were encouraged by well meaning people to not continue. But full obedience to God was not an optional thing to them. 

One day one of the leaders of the people group they had gone to serve, came to them. He was solemn in his countenance as he sat down and began to share. He said before the Word of God came, people were tormented by fear and deep witchcraft. And then the militant extremists moved in over their lands. They lived in terror with no hope. 

He paused, looked up at their eyes and said, if you had not of come and kept coming, we would still be living in that. The Word of God you translated into my language is hope and freedom like we have never known. It has changed everything! Thank you for coming.”

Full obedience wasn’t optional for them.

On a day not long after Saul was celebrated as King of all Israel, Samuel the Prophet came to him saying, “Now listen this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation.” (1 Samuel 15:1-2)

Saul received a call from God. A high call, to be King over God’s people and do the things Kings do.. rule and reign. Saul was asked by God to deal completely with the Amalekites sparing no life.

Saul obeyed, but decided to spare King Agag and the best of the sheep, goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs, including everything that APPEALED TO THEM. (1 Samuel 15:9)

Full obedience was optional for Saul, partial obedience seemed a better thing to him.

The following day Samuel arrived to find Saul. Saul greeted him and announced, “I have carried out the Lord’s command!”

“Then what is all the bleating of sheep and goats and the lowing of cattle I hear?” Samuel demanded.

Samuel went on. “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy all the Amalekites..’ Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? You have rejected the Lord’s command, he has rejected you as king of Israel.” (1 Samuel 15:26) 

Two stories. Two calls to obedience. Two prophetic destinies – one catapulted, the other stopped.

It is possible to miss the very purpose of why we are alive. God is not responsible for our potential. We are.

Jesus said, “Those who love me, obey me.” (John 14:21) Obedience is the pathway to intimacy with God and to fulfilling and walking in the fullness of our prophetic destiny. Obedience is love in action. 

There is no short cut with obedience.

Saul tried that. 

Partial obedience is not obedience.

There come moments in all our journeys where obedience, full obedience to God is asked for from Him and it will confront our want for full understanding, our want for guarantees and our want for what appeals to us.

Obedience is never partial. And full obedience always costs. But it is the only way to more of Him and to the good things he has prepared for those who love Him.

LETS GET PRACTICAL

I invite you to take a moment and consider what is God asking of you? What obedience is being required from you?

1. TELL HIM WHAT MAKES YOU ANXIOUS  – 1 Peter 5:7 says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” If you have anxiety about being fully obedient to Him, tell Him. He loves to hear your heart. He values this above anything else. 

2. GIVE YOUR ANXIETY TO HIM. Be practical in this and stretch out your hands and give it to Him. We call this a prophetic act and they are powerful because it is something done in the spirit.

3. TELL HIM YOU TRUST HIM – We overcome anxiety by choosing to trust. Yes broken trust leaves its scar in our hearts, but the only way to learn to trust again, is to trust again. This is a choice of your will, not a choice of feelings. Your feelings will line up when your will makes this decision. 

4. KEEP DECLARING “I TRUST YOU” OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHEN THE WASH OF ANXIETY COMES AS YOU TAKE STEPS IN OBEDIENCE. Thank God for the filling you with a spirit of might to do what He has asked you to do. 

The spiritual warfare will break as you take steps. 

If you can not do these 4 steps, we encourage you to seek out some prayer ministry, read testimonies of what God has done through people who were obedient (check out STORIES on our webpage), or ask for help from a professional counselor. There is no shame in this, in fact these are the actions of leaders and people of courage and breakthrough.