THE REWARD FOR OBEDIENCE

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“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.'”

Genesis 12:1

The life of Abraham is an extraordinary example of obedience. Every step that he took required letting go of something that he truly loved. But as he did so, he grew spiritually. Terah, Abraham’s father, had left Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan, but when he reached Haran he stayed there (Genesis 11:31). When his father passed away, God told Abraham to leave his land (his country), his circle of influence (his people) and his family (his father’s household). With each step he had to die to himself.

Abraham obeyed and left his land. Many people, because they are tied to their material things, can lose their spiritual vision and the opportunities that God has for them. Abraham was able to overcome the struggle of being tied down to material possessions and set out in faith for the destiny that God would reveal to him as he went. The circle of influence, or people, was the next difficult step for Abraham to give up. Where he lived, he had earned a good position in society, but when he left, Lot went with him. The name Lot means “veil”. Even though God had given Abraham the order to leave his family, he didn’t see a problem in taking Lot his nephew with him. The entire time that Lot was by his side, Abraham could not recognize the land. It was only when he made the decision to separate himself from Lot when Abraham was able to recognize the promised land. Abraham’s fatherly heart was so moved that he did not want to leave his nephew Lot, because he felt that he was abandoning him. Nevertheless, he got to the point where he felt a separation was necessary and he gave Lot the right to choose. Thinking he was making the best decision, Lot never imagined that he was leading his family to destruction. Lot overlooked one small detail. He neglected to find out what kind of people lived in that place. Because of lack of knowledge, his wife and children learned evil habits. So much so, that when they had to leave Sodom, they didn’t want to leave and the angels had to drag them out. Even though their bodies left, their hearts remained in Sodom. For this reason, Lot’s wife turned to a pillar of salt, and his daughters came out afflicted because their spouses did not want to come with them. All the prosperity that Lot acquired at Abraham’s side disappeared in an instant. The moment Abraham separated himself from his nephew, he was able to recognize the promised land for himself and his descendants.

However, the greatest test of all was when God asked Abraham for his son; something that He obeyed without hesitation. After he showed God his faithfulness, God gave Abraham the promise. He said, “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies” (Genesis 22:17).

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
“On September 10, 2010 I started to feel an irritation in my eyes, and an inflammation in my ears and throat. After examining me, the ophthalmologist diagnosed me with Sinusitis. On the 4th of November I lost all of my vision, hearing, voice and was completely disabled. On the 5th of November I was admitted to Gran Colombia Clinic’s emergency room. The result of the resonance and CAT Scan was that my own immune system had attacked my eyes, ears, and throat and was now directed towards my heart. The only solution the doctors gave was to start applying steroids in order to stop the defenses so that the infection wouldn’t reach my heart. The specialists gave a prognosis that the damage to the organs was irreversible. Through extensive periods of treatment, perhaps I would be able to get used to my new life. After more studies they determined it was a condition called ‘Cogan’s syndrome.’

But on November 7th, at three in the afternoon, God started His work in me. I received my sight when Pastor Claudia Restrepo prayed for me and ordered my organs to come alive. She declared the word in Romans 8:11. To this day my sight is restored 100% and my hearing 80%. I have returned to my university activities and I am waiting to graduate in April with a business administration degree. I will be working for the Interior Ministry of Justice and I plan to get married in November 2011. In this test of fire, our faith as a family was tested. We learned to trust only in God. In the desert I came to know the God who heals. I understood that as a child of God, I was tested in order to be shown strong in my faith. He confirmed my calling to the healing ministry.” (Jonatan Obregón Forero)

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“God called me, tested me and found me faithful. Now, He will bless my generation.”

Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Four.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING

    • Old Testament: Amos 3-4; Job 31:24-40
    • New Testament: John 16:25-33; Revelation 6

THE REWARD FOR OBEDIENCE