“God will not advance instruction for your life beyond your last act of disobedience. Slow obedience is still disobedience.” Ouch! Today I was listening–on cassette tape if you can believe it–to Pastor John Osteen. He shared about a time in his life when he was zig-zagging throughout the globe as a world evangelist preaching to crowds in the upwards of 15,000s and 20,000s when seemingly out of the blue, God interrupted his life and said, “It is my will that you return to Houston and pastor the tin barn church.” He was shocked! Undoubtedly, it was humbling to return from such massive crowds to a fledgling band of 80 people. He obeyed…sort of. And for two years, nothing significant happened in Osteen’s life and ministry. He really struggled. Pastor John went on to say the struggle was largely due to his unwilling heart. While he had physicallyleft the world stage, his heart had not left yet. He was going through the “motions” of obedience; but privately, in the secret recesses of his heart, he questioned God’s infinite wisdom and His divine plan. It just didn’t make any sense to the natural mind. Why would God demand such a great sacrifice? But when your life is ALL His, God can require what He wants. Like Pastor John, the greatest revelation I have ever grasped is that God is much smarter and much wiser than me. You may be nodding your head in agreement, but does your heart know that truth? And is it played out in your day-to-day actions?
Eventually, the mental tug-o-war took its toll and he decided after several modifications to God’s original instruction to cease with the negotiations and proposals. He decided to go “whole hog” and fully yield. Soon the pressure began to lift and the favor of the Lord began to rise upon John’s life and ministry. How could Pastor John had known that God was shifting him to the largest world stage he had ever known? This mighty man of God did so much for advancing the gospel to the nations. He sowed millions of dollars into the work of the Lord and equally led millions to Christ.
Sometimes you think you’re going backwards, but if God has spoken and you have a clear word, He may just take you “down” to bring you ‘up’ and He may take you “out” so He can bring you ‘in’ to your inheritance. Trust Him. Stop kicking and fighting, but yield to His leading. The Apostle Paul said in Acts 26:14, “We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” But after he became willing, we see a life well lived as well as his heart transformation in Acts 26:19 when it says,”I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” An unwilling heart brings sustained hinderance and drudgery, but obedience brings sustained results. Remember God ALWAYS sees the BIGGER picture. Let’s trust His view.
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Kind regards,
Valencia Anderson
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Kind regards,
Valencia Anderson
