Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NIV)
God is our King and it is the believer’s joy to please and obey Him – trusting in Him for the power to accomplish all He commands. He desires our wills to obey and it is He Who supplies the power for our obedience. Further, obedience to His revealed will for our lives is to be both our pleasure and our delight as it demonstrates that we know He has our very best interest at heart in all the ways He desires for us to walk in. God loves a cheerful giver and we are not to be a reluctant one, as Johah, and be robbed of the sheer pleasure of obedience. It is not slavish to serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Rather, our service to Him is to be our joy. He desires only good for His children even though perhaps oftentimes very difficult. And we are to labor to bring our souls under subjection to His good, pleasing and perfect will through the power of the Spirit. This demonstrates we know He only desires the very best for us – even in the most difficult. It also shows our desire to please Him. Because the more we know Him, the more we trust Him and the more we trust Him the more we desire to serve Him. The Prophet Jeremiah pens: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)
With God there is no random chance or happenstance. He is teaching us to walk as Jesus walked – pouring out our lives out like a drink offering. Further, He calls for our absolute submission and obedience to His revealed will as this shows we believe that He has our best interest at heart in all He allows. Scripture tells us in Isaiah the benefit that flows from our obedience – the Apostle Paul echoing it in 1 Corinthians - this following Truth: “However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.’” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)
The power to walk in obedience is made possible through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit living within every believer in sweet Jesus. The Holy Spirit enables us to be resolute, powerful and victorious through all that is permitted as we die to self and depend upon Him. This power - which so powerfully works within us – enables us to achieve great things for the Lord Jesus. Our Savior has a right to rule our souls as He has purchased them by the cross. We are not our own, we have been bought with the highest price by the blood of the Savior. And we are to honor God with our bodies.
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved--and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.** Philippians 1:27-30 (NIV)**