Prayer For Godly Obedience

5 Reasons Why Obedience Will Draw You Closer to God

If we will walk with Him, obey His Word, and follow the direction and leading of the Holy Spirit, then we will enjoy the close relationship that we desire and relish the benefits of that relationship. Here are five reasons why obedience will draw you closer to the Lord:

Reason No. 1: When you are obedient, you can walk with God

No one can walk with God without being obedient. Just look at these three examples of people in the Old Testament who enjoyed walking closely with the Lord, and note how obedience played an important part in that relationship for each of them.

The Word records that “Enoch lived in close fellowship with God” for 300 years (Genesis 5:22)! Imagine spending 300 earthly years in close fellowship with the Lord—obeying His commands, learning His ways, and caring for the things that most concern Him. That was Enoch’s life. And the result? Scripture tells us that Enoch did not experience an earthly death. Instead, “he disappeared, because God took him” (verse 24).

Noah lived during a dark time. Scripture tells us that evil had grown to such an extent on the earth that “the Lord was sorry he had ever made [humanity]” (Genesis 6:6).

The Word notes that “Noah found favor with the Lord” (verse 8). Instead of conforming to the wickedness of the civilization around him, Noah upheld morality and goodness.

The result of Noah’s obedience was that he and his entire family were saved from the flood that destroyed every other living thing on earth.

We all know about Adam’s failure, but consider his life before that detrimental mistake. He had walked in communion—daily relationship—with the Lord. God had breathed life into him (Genesis 2:7), set him in the magnificent Garden of Eden where all his needs were met (verse 15) and then gave him the privilege of naming all the animals (verse 19).

That was the result of Adam’s obedience. He was set with a blessed life! In fact, his wife, Eve, was too. They only needed to continue to obey the Lord. Sadly, Adam followed the enemy’s voice instead and betrayed the trust that God had placed in him.

That disobedience cost Adam big! He and Eve were thrown the Garden, forfeited THE BLESSING, and endured hardship the rest of their lives.

Reason No. 2: When you are obedient, you can obey God’s voice

There are many good and kind people in the world who are without a relationship with the Lord and therefore cannot hear and follow His voice. As believers, we, on the other hand, have the ability to follow God and obey His voice.

This is a privilege that belongs to His children. We can know His voice and nature through His Word, His Holy Spirit, and the wisdom He gives to other believers (i.e., pastors, ministers, mentors, prayer partners, godly friends, etc.).

When we follow God’s voice, we help others see His wisdom and hopefully draw them to Him, too.

Reason No. 3: When you are obedient, you will be blessed

God promises that if we will obey Him, blessings will follow. Just look at these verses that show the connection between God’s BLESSING and obedience:

• Joshua 1:8: “Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day andnight so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”
• Isaiah 1:19: “If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat.”
• John 14:21: “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”

While God loves and shows favor to all of His children, Scripture is clear that there is an inherent blessing that comes as a result of obedience.

Reason No. 4: When you are obedient, you’re choosing God’s best

God’s love for us is clear from the sacrifice He arranged through Jesus Christ. And by the power of His Holy Spirit, He drew us to Him and adopted us into His family. We can’t lose His love. But God is not a tyrant. He does not force His will on us.

He always gives us the choice of whether to follow Him or not. If we follow Him, then we receive the privilege of THE BLESSING (see Reason No. 3). If we choose not to follow Him—to walk in disobedience—then we walk outside of that BLESSING.

It’s our choice, one He has given to all His children throughout history.

“‘Come now, let’s settle this,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red crimson, I will make them as white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the Lord, have spoken’” (Isaiah 1:18-20)!

We may choose to blatantly disobey the Lord by rebelling against Him and His Word. This is the case when we turn our backs on the Word, follow our own ways and knowingly sin. However, not all obedience is active; some is passive. Passive disobedience is much subtler.

It may be allowing old ways of thinking (i.e., worldly carnal thinking or religious mindsets) to seep into our thinking instead of basing our thoughts on God’s Word. Disobedience can even include holding on to misinformation or remaining ignorant of the things of God.

“How can we be held accountable for things we don’t know?” you might ask.

We can be because He has already given us His manual for living—His Word. We have the responsibility to open that Word, read it, meditate on it and allow it to shape our thinking. That is what obedience allows us—and requires us—to do.

Reason No. 5: When you are obedient, you’re trusting God to be God

Obeying God means moving aside and allowing God—His Word, His Holy Spirit and His way of operating—to move in our lives. It means trusting (having faith) that He will be true to His Word.

When we obey, we don’t try to control our lives and the situations around us by our own human strength.

Instead, we focus on the Lord by keeping Him and His Word before our eyes and allowing Him to have His way and trusting that He will fulfill His promises.

© 1997 – 2019 Eagle Mountain International Church Inc. Aka Kenneth Copeland Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

Источник: //blog.kcm.org/5-reasons-obedience-will-draw-closer-god/

6 Prayers For Obedience

“Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” These words speak truth from the ole hymn “Trust And Obey”. Think about it. Every time I have decided to trust in my own strength and wisdom I have been let down.

I have struggled harder and longer over things that I should have just given to God. God knows what is best for us all and through our obedience we show Him our trust, faith and love for Him. Here are 6 different prayers for you to use with obedience in mind.

We all fall short of the glory of God, but we have a Savior who washes these faults away! Praise the Lord!

I Am Stubborn

O Father,

I come to You with sincere gratitude for everything You have blessed me with. I don’t tell You enough how thankful I am. I am a stubborn man/woman, Lord. I having control and being the boss, but I know deep down inside how many times I have failed.

Why do I keep coming back to my own strength, Lord, when I know You are the strength and knowledge I need? Father, soften my heart and grow me closer to You as I place my life in your hands. Lord, I want to be obedient. Show me Your ways. Bind the devil from tempting me to do things on my own.

When he does, though, I want to be ready! Give me the will to stand tall and accept Your will for me and not my own. I love You, Lord! Thank You for being patient with me in my times of stubbornness. Amen

Give me the will to stand tall and accept Your will for me and not my own.

Show Me

Dear Lord,

I am so in love with You! Show me Your will for me today. I want to serve You and live for You! As I read Your Word, teach me and show me truth today.

I want to obey You and I want people around me to know that there is something different about me. I want my actions to point them to You, Lord.

You deserve all of the glory! You deserve all of the praise! I trust in You and I will do my absolute best to obey You today! Thank You for Your mercy and grace, Father! Amen

With Kids I Understand

Father,

Until I had children I never thought of life from Your perspective with my obedience. I now understand and I am so sorry for all of the times I have not listened to You.   When my children disobey me, it brings me back to Your throne as I feel regret for the times I should have obeyed You. It has also given me a heart of major forgiveness to my kids.

I know my faults and neither I nor my kids are more important to You. We are all Your children. Forgive me when I am not patient with my kids, for I know how patient You have been with me. You amaze me daily, Father! I love my children and I thank You for showing me another valuable lesson in obedience from my eyes as a father/mother.

I love You, Lord! Amen

Rebellion Is Everywhere

Father In Heaven

I pray for the lost souls of this world. Father, rebellion is everywhere! Men and women daily are indulging in their own desires and shoving You by the wayside.

Instead of obeying Your commands and filling the void in their heart with Jesus they are filling it with drunkenness, sexual immorality, filthy programs and hundreds of other temporary fixes. They don’t understand that they keep coming back to these sins because they don’t work.

The only long-lasting solution is the cross. Father, use me as Your witness everywhere I go today. Have mercy on the lost just as You had mercy on me until I decided to follow Jesus.

Lord, You are patient because You love everyone and I am so thankful You waited for me! The tide will turn in the hearts of some today to follow You and I praise You for their act of obedience. May Your Name be glorified by my actions today! Amen

Who’s Desires?

Gracious Lord,

I am at Your mercy because of my many faults. I have been following my own desires in certain areas of life instead of being obedient to You. I am so sorry, Lord. I am feeling the consequences of my poor choices and now I come to You with sorrow in my heart.

I should have obeyed You from the start, but sin enticed me. Father, Your desires are what matter. I want to follow Your desires for me. Please forgive me for bad choices. I want to feel close to You again. I do love You and I am so sorry for the man/woman I have been lately.

I praise You, Lord! Amen

Spiritually Thriving

Lord,

I feel I couldn’t be any closer to You than to be in Your actual presence in Heaven! I feel so alive in Your Word! I have read it and I have obeyed it and I am so full of joy that it is bursting me! It is true that when I have my focus on Jesus I see clearly Your intentions for me. You are an amazing God and I praise You for the miracles and blessings You’ve given me. You are my Beloved! I love You! Amen

Conclusion

We are all called to obey the Word of God. While we all stumble and struggle daily with life, it is important to ask for forgiveness when necessary and to strive to live as holy of a life as possible. Where are you with obedience? Can I pray for you? May God bless you as you continue to live a life worthy of the calling!

Read more about obedience here: Bible Verses About Obedience

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Источник: //www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/6-prayers-for-obedience/

How to Practice Godly Prayer and Mindfulness

The practice of prayer and mindfulness is an activity in many forms of therapy that turn thoughts toward the immediate circumstance, focusing on the present moment while acknowledging the myriad of other things one is experiencing, both internally and externally. Mindfulness helps us to pray intentionally. The meditative practice of acknowledgment and acceptance, however, isn’t a foreign one within the Christian context. In fact, as Francis Phillips points out in the “Catholic Herald,” “complete mindfulness is prayer.”

RELATED CONTENT: What to Do When You Have Unanswered Prayers

Prayer is, and in fact has always been, a type of “mindful” activity that allows an individual to free him or herself from distractions and focus intently on the matter at hand—forming a deeper, more intimate connection with God.

What it means to mindfully and intentionally pray. 

When we pray, we often find ourselves pulled left and right by thoughts and emotions that divert us from a complete focus on God. Praying mindfully requires an individual to redirect his or her focus by noticing these thoughts and choosing to accept them rather than attempting to ignore them.

RELATED ARTICLE: Praying for the People Who Have Hurt You the Most

In other words, saying “don’t be distracted while you pray” is similar to saying “don’t think about a red elephant.” If ignoring distraction during prayer time becomes the focus, then distractions are all but certain to keep cropping up. When prayer becomes difficult, focus thus becomes obscured.

Prayer is, and in fact has always been, a type of “mindful” activity that allows an individual to free him or herself from distractions and focus intently on the matter at hand—forming a deeper, more intimate connection with God.

This seems a contradiction, but it’s actually a useful skill: it frees us from needing to feed the barrage of excess information while we pray and choose, rather than ruminating on it, to remain in the moment.

We are redirected to the Person on Whom our prayer is centered.

Photo by Kosim Shukurov/Shutterstock.com

Staying “in the moment.

” In his brilliant short story, “The Three Questions,” the great Christian author, Leo Tolstoy, observes that the most important time is here and now, “because it is the only time when we have any power.

” Therefore, when we are in prayer, the past and the future may both concern us (and we may even pray about them), but they don’t encourage us in the present practice of intimacy with God.

RELATED ARTICLE: Your Daily Mindfulness Reset—You Are Not Your Thoughts

Remaining in the moment has been the provenance of Christian mystics and prayer warriors throughout history.

That’s why repeating prayers over and over (“The Jesus Prayer,” for example) is such an incredible exercise for staying in the moment.

As the words are prayed over and over, the individual praying returns back to them and realigns his or her mind with them even if the mind wanders. The most important practice is to continue in the moment.

How to practice prayer and mindfulness. To experience freedom from extraneous thoughts during prayer, acknowledging them (“and having tea with them,” as a Christian therapist once told me) and reorienting toward the prayer, try the following:

1. Choose a quiet spot to pray. Eliminate as many distractions as possible. Take a few deep breaths and focus your mind on God.
2. Close your eyes and assume a comfortable position.
3. Begin to pray. It may help to select a prayer, such as “The Jesus Prayer,” “The Lord’s Prayer” or even a verse from Scripture.
4. Acknowledge and accept your thoughts—but don’t allow yourself to get caught up in them. Surrender them to God.
5. Continue praying and redirecting yourself toward your prayer. As you fall into a groove, you will find it becomes easier and easier to pray. You will enter a meditative act of worship with your Heavenly Father.

READ MORE

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN YOUR PRAYERS GO UNANSWERED
When it seems God is silent, it’s easy to believe that we have been forsaken. However, there’s value in waiting for the answers. Here are five things to remember amidst the waiting.

Источник: //www.lightworkers.com/practice-prayer-and-mindfulness/