If you will fulfil your destiny, you must make demands of excellence on yourself. There are people that are hard on others and soft on themselves, such people can’t go far. Whereas there are other people that are soft on themselves and on others alike. Such people, God can’t trust with serious things of the kingdom. You must be careful that you are not in romance with your flesh where you begin to act according to its dictate. Your flesh was programmed right from the time of the fall to oppose your spirit (Gal. 5:17). Hence, you can’t be eating, sleeping, relaxing at the dictate of your flesh. It is your responsibility to bring your flesh in alignment and subjection to your spirit and this is not an easy job, but it is possible.

The beginning of the quarrel between God and man was the violation of God’s instruction in the Garden of Eden. Though God’s instruction is not easy on the flesh, it must be obeyed if you are to stay safe. After your salvation, the first divine mandate for you is to culture your spirit in obedience. I mean total obedience. Anything short of that is disaster waiting to happen, because delayed and partial obedience are twin brothers of disobedience with dire consequences.

In 1 Sam. 15:2-3, Saul was given a direct instruction to wipe out the Amalekites completely but he violated the instruction by obeying partially. He killed the men but spared the King Agag and some sheep, a development that angered God so much that it caused Saul his throne. Even the excuse of wanting to sacrifice the sheep did not hold water; God demands outright, prompt and total obedience from us. May I ask you, are you currently walking in partial or delayed obedience to God’s instructions? God does not joke with his instructions to man. Obedience is so important to God that Jesus (being God on earth) had to learn obedience (Heb. 5:, for him to function effectively during his earthly ministry.

There are people who are currently running from one mountain, prayer house and miracle service to another while they are walking in disobedience to God’s instructions for them. It can’t just work! There is no prayer or anointing that can cancel divine instruction for you because God prefer your obedience to your sacrifice (1Sam. 15:22). I want to counsel you this morning to stop this rat race and decide to obey once and for all. How long will you continue to strive with your maker? As long as Jonah was in disobedience, his boat was in crisis. You can end that crisis today by saying, “Yes Lord” to that instruction and it shall be well with you in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER: Lord, I receive the heart of total obedience to your word. I judge every disobedience in my life in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bible in a year: Genesis 31:17-32:12, Matthew 10:24-11:6, Psalm 13:1-6, Proverbs 3:16-18