Taking the step of faith
by Abri Brancken
God's blessings are often dependent on obedience. When the Lord calls you to do something for Him, He expects of you to trust Him and take a step of obedience in the direction He leads you. To take the first step of obedience is not always easy. In fact, taking the first step is often the hardest step to take, but it is necessary in order to experience the blessings that the LORD wants to bestow.
What makes taking the first step difficult is the fact the one most often does not have a clear picture of exactly how the LORD wants you to do whatever it is that He has called you to do. Many believers fail to follow God simply because they want to wait until they see the full picture before they obey God's call. His Word is a light unto our feet and a lamp unto our path, which means that He will provide the light you need for each step of the way. It is here that faith comes in. Biblical faith leads to action. It implies trusting the LORD to lead you on your journey even though the road may appear unclear at times. When you know that the time has come for you to take the step of obedience into His call, do it whole heartedly, because if you do not begin, you will never finish the race God has set before you. Disobedience is not an option for true believers. Total obedience is very often difficult, but partial obedience will surely not make anything easier. Partial obedience is in fact disobedience!
The enemy will most probably try to stop you from obeying God by meeting you head-on with fear and doubt, which you must resist. Fear and doubt have the tendency to paralyse you as the victim. Stand firm against fear and make the decision to fully trust God. The believers' walk of faith is a holy and powerful one. It is the Kingdom of God in action and therefore it will be opposed by the enemy. The devil often comes with lies, presenting it as truth. He will try and direct you towards taking 'the easy way out' option when in fact it is escorting you towards failure and destruction. Embracing the enemies' lies will rob you from experiencing the real blessing that God wants to bestow upon you.
Does following God guarantee that you will not experience difficulty and challenges? The answer is a definite NO, but the reality is that God is with you every step of the way. He holds the future in His hands, and thus He holds you too. No one is immune to problems, but with God you can easily triumph over and overcome any challenge that may come your way. Remember, where the LORD leads you, He awaits you. He is intensely involved in your life and will provide the right answers at the right time. Even though the way may seem long and the process difficult, you cannot afford to disobey the LORD. By obeying God, you become a blessing to those around you and thereby experience God's blessing upon your own life too.
The LORD bless you. Abri Brancken
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