Everyone forms an opinion on you based on your behavior and actions. Did you know that your behaviors and patterns send a signal out to all? This shouldn’t surprise any adult in the modern western world anyway. Be it car insurance. Medical insurance. Employment checks. Criminal records. Someone is always using your past behavior as a future indicator.
Think in travel terms and how an adverse record in your home country can have serious implications for you wanting to gain entry into another. This will also be the case in heaven. To enter there, your record of actions here on earth has to be of the standard set by God. You can’t enter heaven with a litany of bad actions from earth. Acceptable behavior has always been a perquisite for entrance to certain places.
How you act in this earthly life has eternal consequences.
The Bible calls it fruit. Actions that follow inner beliefs. As Christians we must factor behavior as part of the discernment process, it’s our in-built safety mechanism. Wolves in sheep’s clothing always appear in places people least expect. They camouflage. Yes there’s a place for being a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Yet, there’s a place for you shall know them by their fruit (Matthew 7:16). Monitor your words and align them with actions. Do the same with others.
This too, is so important in ministry. There’s the visible and invisible Church. Not all people within a church or ministry have yet come to saving faith. Be wise and harmless (Matthew 10:16). As a Christian, know that you don’t have a passive or blind God. God is in the business of action. Our right actions bring about abundant blessings. Our inaction brings dire consequences.
All the Kings, Prophets and Apostles had to act. A Word from the Lord had to activate corresponding action. Moses, for example, was called to go to Pharaoh and demand for the release of the Israelites (Exodus 3:10-12). Because the Word of God has so much power it has to produce a tangible result in our lives.
Know there’s a blessing in doing what the good Father instructs. It’s never in vain. The blessing may not be for you alone, but there certainly is a reward for your obedience. Intention is great. Saying you’ll do it is admirable. But, the power of God is in execution.
Daniel backed his intention with action. Not only did he not defile himself, he appeared better than the rest and won favor for a lifetime.
‘But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself…At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food.’ Daniel 1:8 and Daniel 1:15
In the parable taught by Jesus, the widow didn’t simply wallow in self-pity alone in the face of withheld justice. She went to the unjust judge for what was rightly hers. Again and again. The judge relented after being worn down, realizing that the widow was not backing down.
‘He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” Luke 18:2-4
Hannah did not merely over-promise to the Lord in her moment of anguish, and deep desperation with no intention to act. When God blessed her womb, she marched Samuel straight to the temple without fear. Dedicating him to the serve of the Lord and keeping her vow.
‘She was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly. And she vowed a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.”’ 1 Samuel 1:10-11.
‘For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.’ 1 Samuel 1:27-28
Jesus gave His followers yet another parable, this time regarding two sons. Out of the two, only one decided to obey his earthly father, though he had initially resigned not too. He started with intention to disobey – he had a change of heart!
‘What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you.”’ Matthew 21:28-31
Our love for Christ is demonstrated by doing and living aright. Be aware that those who were seen as ‘sinners,’ and incapable of acts of repentance can indeed repent and enter heaven. All it takes is making a firm decision to act. What you didn’t do before, you can do now – it is not too late.
Godly actions qualify anyone who is willing.
Oh the power of doing what God says unlocks so many hidden treasures. When you align with the Spirit of the Living God – mountains move as you heed His voice!
‘But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves…But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.’ James 1:22 and James 1:25
Remember there is a blessing in the doing!
Dear man and woman of God, it won’t always be easy. The enemy will try reduce you to the group of the disobedient along with Cain, Judas, Manasseh and satan himself. All those who listened to dark and earthly wisdom and their flesh, instead of tapping into the limitless wisdom of God. Seek to be counted among the faithful like Joshua, Josiah, Jeremiah and ultimately Christ Jesus. Who purposed in their hearts to trust and obey in their God.
Prayer
Father God, we pray that in this season, Your young servants will remember the power in doing what You, O Lord instruct. That Your servants would be open and willing to be used of You God, in a new way. That they all would gladly declare, order my steps in Your Word and let not iniquity be found in me. Man of God, woman of God, be doers, not merely hearers of the Word, especially in these last days. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scriptures
Here are more scriptures that make God’s position clear: we must do what God tells us to do. Obedience is a gateway to blessings, and intimacy with the Father.
‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments.’ John 14:15
‘But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”’ 2 Timothy 2:19
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.” Deuteronomy 28:1-6
Further prayer points
* For the persecuted Church – people who are being imprisoned, tortured and even killed for their faith and living out the Word of the Lord.
* Pray for someone you know who is battling with the decision to surrender their hearts fully to Christ. Pray that they will commit to bearing fruit worthy of repentance. (Matthew 3:8)
* Pray for the youth, that they will have the strength to act according to the Word from early and not follow the ways of the world.
Doing the Word can grant us access to so much in Christ. Will you renew your resolve today to do the will of the Father in this season?
