Obedience Leads To Blessings And The Very Best For Me

In review of Acts 5:29, it says, “Obey God rather than men.”

Bottom Line:

But they replied, we must obey God rather than men.

What this means to me:

My obedience should not be with men but rather with God as my ultimate source of authority.

Today's verse comes from Acts chapter 5. The apostles were teaching and performing many miraculous signs/wonders among the people. As a result crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem becoming followers of Jesus and being healed. Then the apostles meet opposition by the high priest and his officials, as they were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in a secured jail. But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail and brought them out. He told them to, "God to the temple and give the people this message of life!"

So at daybreak they did as they were told. The high priest discovered this and had them arrested again and brought to the council where they were confronted. The high priest told them that they were given strict instructions to not teach about Jesus. Peter and the apostles replied, "We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him. Then God put him in the place of honor at His right hand. He did this so that the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him."

After some discussion and debate, a decision was made and the apostles were flogged, released and told not to speak in the name of Jesus. The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: "Jesus is the Messiah."

Things happen in my life that I don’t always understand. I’m reminded this morning again of the story of Joseph and the things he experienced. His response and devotion to God lead him to increasing levels of responsibility and ultimately in a position where he was able to greatly aid the people at the time of a famine.  

Satan knows that myself, like Joseph who survived the well (pit) and ended up heading for the palace, can shake the world for God. Satan cannot afford for me to shape the destiny of the world around me, so he will try what he can to crush me before I am able to make a Kingdom difference. In his tactics, satan will find the part of my life that is most vulnerable and attack there. He knows how to pinpoint my weakness and use my fears against me, especially If I’m not surrounding myself daily with God’s promises and putting on the full armor of God.

Yet, just as the Lord did for Joseph, He can take what the enemy meant for evil and use His very best for my very best. Satan manipulated the hatred and jealousy that Joseph’s brothers harbored against him to push Joseph into the well; however God brought Joseph out of the well and into the next level of spiritual revelation and growth. His brothers unknowingly revolutionized Joseph’s relationship with God wand gave him more power and favor than ever before.

It is the same with me today. God is using my enemies and obstacles to move me to a higher level of ministry. I shouldn’t worry about my circumstances. Good things are about to explode because God is my Father, and favor is born in the womb of obedience. I need to continue to seek Him first and all of these things will be added unto me.