Whatever it is, we must remember that every small step of obedience has eternal ramifications.

Jonah 1:1-4:11

Ask Yourself & Journal:

  • Read the book of Jonah and meditate on the consequences of disobedience. Consider whether there is any area of your life that you have been running from God

I find God does one of two things; either He takes you and eventually gets you to do it (usually in a tough love sort of way), or He will find someone else to do what He wants.  Both of these have happened to me… And I really don’t know which one is worse.

  • Can you think of a time when you did not respond obediently to the promptings of the Holy Spirit?

There was a time awhile back where I tried to ignore God.  Now I never considered myself a Prophet, but there was a time when God was using me in the prophetic gifts and I would ignore the Holy Spirit.  All He would say to me was “You have a word… Speak it.”  So I would say, “What is the word Lord?” and He would say “Just speak, and I will give you the words.”  But I wasn’t about to speak until I knew what the word was… so I didn’t.

One day we had a prophet come to church and it was after worship where he said “Someone here has a word from God.”  I had felt like I had a word, but I refused to speak till God gave me the word (and of course he wouldn’t).  Soon after that someone did give a word after which the prophet said “That’s a good word, but not the word I’m talking about, some one still has a word.”  It went on like that till the prophet tapped me on the head saying, “You.  You have the word… I’ll give you a second.”  I thought “Well, now I have to say something!”  So I opened my mouth and to this day I don’t know what I said.  All of that to say, I know exactly how it feels to deliberately disobey God, and I can’t say I have completely learned my lesson, but I try my best never to do that again.

  • Why do you think we find it so difficult to obey God?

I think it’s our sin nature, coupled with the fact that we really don’t understand God and never really completely will.  Perhaps, it’s fear: of failure, of ridicule, of not being accepted.

  • Why don’t you make the decision today to do the thing Go is asking you to do?

I feel I’m at a place in my life where I really want to go and do the things God has for me, I’m just waiting for the green light.  (Though I know I will never be 100% ready, my spirit says GO!)  Till then I’m just doing the last thing the Holy Spirit told me to do.

Listen & Pray:  FATHER, I pray you give us ears to hear and we turn those ears to the Holy Spirit who guides us into all Truth, and when the day comes where you call us to act, that we not hesitate but we run full speed to what you have called us too.