Single-Minded Obedience

Whenever God speaks to you — regardless of how insignificant it may seem to you, regardless of how foolish it may sound, regardless of the consequences, regardless of how impossible it may seem — do it in the fear of God, in a single-minded obedience.

God’s people need to rekindle the fear of God in their hearts. We need to have a fresh revelation of God in all His holiness, as Isaiah did when he fell on his face before God and said, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips…” (Isaiah 6:5). Once we see Him in the beauty and greatness of His holiness, the fear of God will be rekindled in our hearts and we will be empowered to walk in one-hundred percent obedience to Him all the days of our lives.

God is loving and forgiving. He is merciful and long-suffering. We have entered into a covenant relationship with Him where we no longer fear to come into His presence but can enter boldly into the throne of grace, whereby we cry out, “Abba, Father!” (Romans 8:15).

However, God is also a holy, pure, righteous God of judgment and wrath. He hates sin. He hates rebellion and disobedience. He does not overlook these things, but in His great love and mercy He forgives and pardons, just as He did Israel. He has provided salvation through the blood of Jesus and those who fail to repent and turn away from sin will be judged.

Do not be deceived. Every man must give an account of himself before God (Romans 14:12). Paul told the Romans that God will render to every man according to his deeds (Romans 2:7-8). Under the New Covenant God made with us, He has placed His fear in our hearts and has promised:

They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. (Jeremiah 32:38-40, NIV)

God has circumcised our hearts (Romans 2:29). He has taken our hearts that were once hardened and rebellious against Him and given us new hearts, placing His fear in us so that we have the desire to walk in obedience to Him. He has placed His Spirit within us giving us the power to obey. It is this fear of God that must now motivate our lives to walk holy before Him in single-minded obedience.