Prevailing Strategies: Doing What He Says

Some of us are fond of copying others as if we have no designated path to a glorious future in Christ which the Lord has purposefully preordained for us in Christ. When you hear a believer say, you did it for Sister A, come and do it for me or you did it for Brother Q come and do it for me without any regard as to what God wanted Sister A to do as against what God desires for you.

A brother is traveling abroad, as soon as you heard of it you started planning to travel abroad too. You didn’t bother to think if this was in line with God’s plan for you or not. This is a recipe for disaster, and it cannot lead you to the fulfillment of your destiny in Christ.

Jacob fought for something that belonged to his brother, he felt unless he got that thing, he would not be great in life, but the entire fight and his agitation were irrelevant at the end of the day. God had a better plan, and the plan had nothing to do with “birthright”.

We must excel at doing whatever the Lord asked of us to do and not do beyond that in the name of Zeal or too know. Jesus didn’t pray for the World; he prayed for the Church. He was deliberate in mentioning this to us so that we know how specific he was in obeying divine instruction.

When he told Peter to let down the net, Peter obeyed and had a great catch even though the circumstances pointed to the opposite.

When he would turn water into wine, it was the same principle “Whatever he tells you to do, do it”

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless, at thy word, I will let down the net (Luke 5:5).

God’s Word has integrity. Whatever He says is truth, absolute reality, and you can bet your life on it. The Lord Jesus had just used Peter’s boat to preach, and when He was done, He instructed him to cast his net into the sea for some fish. Peter and his crew had toiled fruitlessly all night trying to catch fish; so, he said to Jesus, “Sir…we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing…” (Luke 5:5 TLB).

But thank God Peter didn’t stop there; he continued, “…but if you say so, we’ll try again.” Peter acted because the Master said so, and the result was a harvest so great that he needed partners to help him with the multitude of fish to shore (Luke 5:6-7). Yes. Acting on the Word activates the power of God!

Oftentimes, people have no doubts as to the power of God being able to put them over in life, but what they lack is how to activate that power and take advantage of it in their personal lives. Some will say, “I know what the Word of God says, BUT…!” That’s their problem; there’re no “ifs” and “buts” when it comes to the Word; just act on it! When you do, the Lord will confirm it with His power, and there’ll be divine results.

Recall when the Lord Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding ceremony in Cana of Galilee. Before the miracle, Mary had said to the servants, “Do whatsoever He tells you to do” (John 2:5). That’s the secret. The Master then instructed the servants to fill the water pots; that didn’t make sense, but they acted on the instruction, nonetheless. When the guests drank of it, it was the best wine they ever tasted (John 2:1-10).

There’s always a miracle, a testimony, for the one who acts on the Word. Always speak and act in consonance with the Word, and God’s power will overwhelm you and enable you to lay hold on the results that you desire.

Each one of us is called to fulfil a unique role in Christ; we all have varied assignments given to us by God. It was the same in Bible days. Some assignments could be greater or more far-reaching than others, but how you perform in your assignment is judged by your faithfulness. The Lord will judge and reward you on the basis of your faithfulness in service, in the assignment given to you, not the one given to someone else.

Remember, He’s the One who gives you the ability to do whatever He assigns to you. If He gave you more to do than someone else, He doesn’t think that makes you greater as a person; it’s about His placement and choice. So, it matters that you’re diligent in carrying out what He’s assigned to you.

Proverbs 22:29 says, “Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men.” Take God’s admonition in our theme verse to heart; whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.

If you serve the Lord as though you’re serving man, whatever reward you get won’t go beyond this world. Therefore, whatever assignment God gives you in His Kingdom, do it with joy, passion, and with faith, as unto the Lord. Practice it, and you’d be amazed at the demonstration of His grace in your life.

I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine (John 17:9).

The above scripture captures part of Jesus’ prayer for His disciples, as He rounded off His earthly ministry. He said, “I pray not for the world.” How come He wasn’t praying for the world? He knew it wasn’t necessary, because He knew what the Father wanted, and He was going to do just that, rather than praying about it. This is an example for us to follow. Don’t find yourself praying for something for which you already know the Father’s heart. For example, Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” This is God’s instruction to His children to not neglect church meetings. Knowing this instruction, you’ll be remiss to pray to God, “O Lord, please move me to go to church.” That’ll be completely out of place because He already told you to take such gatherings seriously! The same goes for soul winning. It’s pointless for a Christian to say, “Father, make me win souls into your Kingdom.” Just do what He’s told you. He already said, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). This is His instruction to you; and when He gives you an instruction, the ability to act accordingly comes with it. You ought to simply do what He says. Jesus knew the will of the Father about the world. What the world needed was a sacrifice; they needed salvation. So, He didn’t have to pray for the world. He only prayed for His disciples. Shortly after praying for His disciples, He was arrested and was on His way to the cross to die for the world. Glory to God! Whatever instruction you have from God, don’t hesitate, for you’re enabled and equipped to produce results.

God has His structures and systems and operates by principles, but there are those who always choose their own way. The Bible says there’s a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Proverbs 14:12). It pays to listen to God and follow His ways. Never walk in disobedience.

For example, as a result of Adam’s disobedience, the Bible tells us “Death ruled like a king…” (Romans 5:17 CEV). The Amplified Classic translation puts it this way: “…because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one….” Well then, as one man’s disobedience led to condemnation for all men, so also did Christ’s act of righteousness lead to eternal life and divine acquittal of all men. Jesus, the second and last Adam, did this by obedience.

We also read that He “…being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even death on the cross.” Remember that Jesus is Himself God, but nothing was going to make Him rebellious against the Father. He was going to be obedient unto death, even death on the Cross. God had to respond to the obedience of Jesus: “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9). He was given the highest title that could be conferred, because of His obedience. Glory to God!

Obedience is a great blessing in the realm of the Spirit. Being born again, you have an obedient spirit; the Bible calls us obedient children (1 Peter 1:14). So, it’s natural for you to walk in the light of God’s Word and be completely yielded to spiritual instructions.

When the believer learns to listen to the voice of the Lord and to obey his voice, he or she will find himself free from issues in the long run.

Doing what He says is a prevailing strategy that works for the Believer at all times.

–GSW–