Do what you're told

I'd like to preface this post with my presupposition that "Our fight is not against flesh and blood but against rulers and authorities, against the world-rulers of this dark night, against the spirits of evil in the heavens." Ephesians 6:12 Basic English Bible. We are fighting daily, and daily being fought against.

The latest lesson I've been learning has to do with obedience. I was a good kid, thought I had this one down. I sense God telling me to do something and I admit I thought it was my choice to obey or not, without consequence. But, now, I'm finding that there is consequence, for better or worse. In fact, when I do the smallest thing He tells me, like call someone, say something, don't say something (more often), write this person, etc. I have this overwhelming sense of fulfillment! How wonderful to feel, even if just for a moment that I served God Almighty and served Him well. If someone wants to discuss why I'd want to be subservient to anyone, e-mail me, I'd be glad to share some of the perks of being a bond slave.

I knew this couple, went to school with the lady, who were the craziest Christians I'd ever met. I think crazy in a good way, though. We'd get together with them, and ask if they'd want to sleep over as it was a long drive for them, and they'd whisper between themselves, and finally tell me that they didn't have a word from God about that, so they would be driving home that night. Every little decision they made was like that. It was really amazing.

I just tried for a few days over Christmas to be obedient in the few little jobs I knew I had to do. As I said before I was on a mountain top high those days, but then, I crashed. For no apparent reason I was struggling spiritually with self-pity and selfishness, like in destructive ways that cause arguments. The timing was too obvious, after two and a half days of obedience, someone was not happy about it, and determined to disrupt my efforts.

So, I encourage others, if you sense God telling you to do anything, do it. But, be prayerful about it and ask for His protection. Just as a person who has just received Christ as Savior will be attacked, so are His children who are growing up and learning to be obedient.