Embracing Full Obedience to Christ

“Therefore as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and being built up in Him, and having been established in your faith – just as you were instructed – and abounding with thanksgiving”
Colossians 2:6-7

AI’s definition of obedience is defined as “the act of complying with orders, rules, or requests from an authority figure. It involves submissive or dutiful behavior, where an individual follows instructions they may not otherwise take, often driven by a sense of duty, respect, or fear of consequences.”

Well, that is pretty spot on … As a follower of Christ, we are called to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). It is not a suggestion but a command. And commands demand obedience. Yahweh wants our full obedience and allegiance. Oftentimes, we give partial obedience (which is disobedience), which means that we still need to deny ourselves more and increase our reverence for God. Too often, we limit God. We don’t allow Him to have full reign in our lives. This limitation only does us a disservice. God is Sovereign, He is good and is trustworthy. He is holy, pure and infinite. He is the beginning and the end. He knows all things. He knows us better than we could even imagine (Psalm 139). And I could go on.

So why is obedience to Him so hard at times?

Given the current state of the fallen world, there are so many driving factors pulling us in all directions. Our flesh and the world want one way, while the Spirit wants the other. The enemy’s lies can seem so loud and overbearing, yet God’s truth is direct and unchanging. The age-old lie that continues to debilitate us is “did God really say?” (Genesis 4:1), a way to question and doubt God, His love for us and His goodness. This doubt will dampen our faith and trust in Him. Which ultimately leads to not adhering to Him in full obedience.

We can learn from scripture about those who have faith but need an increase in faith to help them obey God fully. In Mark 9, verses 14-29, we find the infamous story of a father who believes in Christ but is struggling with unbelief and doubt. In verse 24, it reads, “I do believe; help my unbelief”. May that also be a model of prayer for us to God. We too can be like the father and lift up a prayer to the King of kings, repenting and asking for help in areas where we struggle to fully trust God. That is what God wants us to do. Come and bring our concerns, worries and cares to Him for He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7)

A reminder here, fellow believer, God is good and He is worthy of our obedience. I pray that you trust Him and lean on Him evermore. Remember to have your full armor on, especially the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:10 -17)

Call to Action: Consider your own personal obedience journey and how you can apply scripture to your life. What area needs full submission to Christ? Will you, too, cry out to God for help with your unbelief?

Much love

~Ashley Cherie