And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. – Philippians 2:8
I have heard so many people say that they were disobedient in one way or another and that God is now teaching them through a certain sickness or disease to be obedient. I want to bring some light on this subject. The God of the Old testament and the God of the New testament is the same God, but the way that He relates with people and how they are to relate to Him changed completely. First let us look at the old covenant to see the consequences of disobedience. In 1 Samuel 15 verse 22, Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” By reading this story we can clearly see that obedience was extremely important. God wanted the obedience of Saul rather than his sacrifices. Saul did not obey God and the end result was that he has been rejected from being king (1 Sam 15:23.)
Jesus came to do the will of God and it was His will to do away with the old and bring in the new. Look at what Hebrews 10 verse 9 says: “He went on to say, Behold here I am, coming to do your will. Thus He does away with and annuls the first order so that He might inaugurate and establish the second.” Verse 10: “and in accordance with this will of God, we have been made holy, through the offering made once for all of the body of Jesus Christ.”
In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed: “Lord, if it be Your will, let this cup pass from me. But yet not My will be done, bur Your will be done.” Jesus knew what He was going to go through, but stayed obedient even unto death! Jesus Christ died on a cross, and He obeyed God till the end. He was beaten, the nails were put in His hands and His feet, and He was ripped apart on the cross. I look at that and in my heart, I know that I can never put my trust in my own obedience. I choose to obey Him as my response to His amazing love for me, BUT my trust is in His obedience and what it accomplished for me. Today you can rest in the obedience of Christ. “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” – Rom 5:19.
God is not teaching you obedience through sickness and disease. You can believe and trust in Him and His obedience and receive your healing today. Stand on His work and not on your own works.
I will never boast in my “obedience” to Him. I will boast in His obedience. You do not get from Him what you deserve. You already got what He deserved and you receive it by faith.