Can I examine my obedience to God?
Since obedience is part of fearing the Lord, seeking the Lord and doing what’s right…and doing what’s right, doing what’s right and fearing the Lord are the pre-requisites for what God has intended for us, how can I examine myself to see if I’m obeying God?
I’ve got to allow the Holy Spirit to search me. I can’t take other people’s kind or harsh words at face value and it’s easy for me to be self-deceived. I can believe the voice of the enemy more easily than I can believe God at times. I can’t think more highly of myself than I ought.
It’s taking time to ask the Holy Spirit to “search me and know me” and waiting for Him to answer knowing there is no condemnation in Christ but Godly sorrow leads to repentance.
Here’s some questions we can ask the Holy Spirit. Take time to listen. Write down the words that come to your mind in response to these questions.
- Am I fearing God?
- Am I seeking God?
- Am I doing what’s right?
- Am I obeying You?
- When was the last time I did something because I knew You wanted me to do it?
- When was the last time I didn’t do something because I knew You wouldn’t be pleased?
- When was the last time I was timid about obeying You, but because I sensed You wanted me to do it, I went ahead with it?
What has the Spirit shown you?
Consider these next questions:
- How long ago were these events?
- Are you more sensitive now to God?
- What has made you more sensitive?
- What has caused you to be less sensitive?
Here’s a prayer to get you started:
Lord forgive me where I have lost sensitivity to you. Show me how to make it right. I want to keep in step with your Spirit. I want to do what you want me to do.
Remember if you get discouraged by the responses you sense, take them to a spiritual father or mother to see what they think about it. God wants you to have the good He’s created for you. He wants you to have all the benefits of seeking Him, fearing Him, and doing what’s right. As Derek Prince used to teach:
God gave His commands to us not to create problems for us but to solve them, not to harm us but to help us. God’s love is in His commands. They are given to save us from ourselves, to save us from evil, to show us the way out of our difficulties and our problems.
So He’ll show you where you aren’t obeying what He wants you to do. You just have to trust Him enough to wait to hear Him speak.
It’s something I’m trying to do each day. Love to hear how you do it. Leave your comments below.
Thanks for posting this. I’ll have to print it and put it in a Bible where I’ll come across it from time to time.
Thanks David. They’re things I need to ask myself on a regular basis. Blessings