Deliverance from the Lord requires absolute obedience. With all the hectic things going on in our lives we often need deliverance, be it in the area of finance, health, relationships or work. More importantly, we need deliverance from enemies like Satan and people in sin. Because many wars are fought in the spiritual realm, to be victorious we require absolute obedience to the Lord. It is for partial obedience that troubles often enter our life. Our works and thought processes are a major reason for limited obedience. Yet, very few realize the need for a turn around. The moment the flesh overtakes there can be no room for absolute obedience. Absolute obedience requires the spirit is strong and that one wins over the flesh by his or her inclination to the Lord.
Each time we face a struggle we want deliverance. We wish prayers are offered on our behalf and request others to spare their time for us. We ourselves seek the Lord to deliver us. The Lord is compassionate and no doubt wishes to deliver us, but not for partial obedience. To deliver us by it is to insult righteousness and justice; it is allowing us to continue with negligence toward Him and inviting more trouble into our life. Hence, in many cases deliverance from Him is partial or delayed, at times for great periods of time, and we wonder why. Absolute obedience means we alienate from everything He dislikes. Samuel spoke to Israel that could not bear the pain and they did the following. “So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone” (1 Sam. 7:4).
Partial obedience does not mean we are not saved, though with some it is. But it does mean partial or delayed deliverance. Salvation guarantees eternity, but it requires we do not insult it or take it lightly. We may attend church regularly, do works, even pray and read the Bible. Still, they do not count toward absolute obedience when fleshly things are able to linger in us. Some common causes to it are belief in false and uninspired messages from the Scripture, inability to identify them, defending them and deliberate overlook of unscriptural ways. So, what consummates absolute obedience?
- Measure our obedience often just as one would his diabetes or eating habits for a healthy living and take appropriate action.
- Then practice confession before God so that our hearts are confident before Him. This only comes by accepting the sin-nature in us.
- Do not compromise righteousness and truth for reputation, personal gain or for fear of being charged. Compromise happens when a person independently does not have intimacy with the Lord. An example is persisting in going to a church that has no spiritual values or persisting in living a lifestyle that weakens obedience. We then could end up becoming unapologetically unspiritual.
- Maintaining such intimacy with the Lord that we identify the churches and fellowships we should avoid.
- Being wary of self deception. The sons of Israel had the Ark of the Lord with them and lamented before Him. Yet, they were not delivered from the Philistines until Samuel gave his wisdom and they did it. So, it is possible we could deceive ourselves with the things we possess.
- We must always know what we have to do or not do for deliverance. Practicing intimacy with the Lord gives such wisdom, attitude and character that no deceptive thing is able to rule us.
- Realizing it is possible for us to live in denial. It means we do not accept our weaknesses and faults or forsake them.
- Keep churning our inner man with God’s message so that we grow stronger for the things we are to be delivered from.