When a person has received from the Lord what the Lord wants him to do, he should not just rush into doing it. He should receive details from the Lord. The Lord does not say: “Go and evangelize this place,” and then leave it to man to decide the when, the how, the with whom, the extent, etc. God wants to give specific orders about these details, for His work must be done in the centre of His will with regards to timing, extent, sources of finances, etc.
This means that often the initial revelation will be followed by subsequent revelations. This makes it necessary that the person who waited on the Lord initially and heard God speak should further wait on God before he begins to act. This is clearly illustrated in the life of the Apostle Paul. He was converted on the road to Dam- ascus. He went into the city, was baptized and he fellowshipped with the brethren. He then went to Arabia for three years and then came back to Damascus before going to Jerusalem. So, before he saw any apostle he had spent three years in Arabia, sorting things out with the Lord who had appeared unto him. We recommend this very strongly. When you receive a message from the Lord, the first thing to do is not to tell men. Seek God further and receive more from Him so that things will be very clear to you and you will not be deceived. This however demands that the self-life, which wants to share what has been received quickly with someone, dies. People who are living crucified lives can be calm. They can keep quiet for long. They can keep what should not be shared and what needs never be shared. Can you keep your mouth shut? Can you keep a secret? Paul was in Arabia for three years. Was he wasting time? Was he keeping God waiting? Was he reluctant? The answer is no! He was sorting things out with God and waiting for God’s timing. This will of the Lord should be done, but it should be done in God’s timing; to rush ahead of Him or to lag behind is folly. God may be calling you out of your job to serve Him in another place. Have you sorted out the matter of time with Him? Do not say, “Souls are perishing. I must go at once.” That is carnality. It is rebel- lion. Is He sending you? Is He sending you at that time? God is always on time. He waited for thousands of years after man sinned before He sent the Saviour, yet the Saviour came in the fullness of His time. May none of us move out of carnal haste or zeal and block God. The time between when God speaks and when action is taken will vary. It may be one second, one minute, one hour, one day, one week, one month, one year, etc. Those who know their God and hear Him clearly will know when to act. It may be after one second or after ten years. No one should, out of unwillingness to obey, say that he is waiting on the Lord. God will not be mocked. If we are not deeply sincere in our hearts, we deceive ourselves. We cannot deceive God.
Obeying God
When God’s timing comes obedience must be total and it must be complete. God has no interest in those who obey Him partially. Saul, the first king of Israel, was disqualified for partial obedience. The man of God was sent by the Lord to Bethel. He carried out his prophetic ministry and was fully backed by the Lord. God had told him not to eat bread or drink water there. He obeyed up to a point. But some- one came and told him that God had also spoken to him by an angel that he should eat bread and drink water there. He obeyed this man and went and ate bread. Immediately afterwards God killed him for his disobedience to Him (1 Kings 13:1-32). There is a serious lesson here. We are responsible to God for what He reveals to us. If we allow anyone to dissuade us from doing it, whoever he may be, we shall be punished by the Lord. We repeat that God holds you responsible for all the truth that He has shown you, and He demands obedience. If you disobey because of
- the instruction of your elders,
- the laws of your country,
- the demands of your denomination,
- the financial insecurities involved,
- the risks of loss of life that may be involved,
- the difficult circumstances,
- the refusal of your wife or husband,
- etc, you will be disqualified.
Nothing whatsoever and no one whomsoever must be allowed to stand in the way of our obeying the Lord.
- Everything that needs to be sacrificed to obey the Lord must not be allowed to stand in the way of our obeying the Lord.
- Every obstacle in the way of doing the will of God must be removed.
- Everything that God asks us to do can be done.
- We must do His will even if we perish in the process.
- We must do His will even if we lose everything in the process.
- God will never accept any excuse for our not obeying His commands.
- God will never listen to any explanations about why He has not been obeyed.
- Obedience is final.
- Obedience is the one proof of our love for Him.
- The lovers of the Lord obey Him.
- Those who obey Him completely love Him completely.
- Are you obedient?
- Are you committed to obedience?
- Are you committed to total obedience in all things?
- Are you practising obedience in all things?
