2025: A Year of Radical Obedience
Each year I ask the Lord where our focus should be. For this past year, I heard the single word “intentional.” For the upcoming 2025, I continue to hear simply, “Radical Obedience.”
Of course “ Radical Obedience”should always be characteristic of the church but I believe there are times that “tweaking” and “emphasis” are needed.
As we have just gone through the most important election in the history of our nation, this is not the time for us to get slack and over confident. For those on the other side, neither is it the time to fill our hearts with hate and fear. Both sides must cling to God’s word.
So what can we expect to see if we are radically obedient?
I believe the fruit of radical obedience is:
- Signs, wonders and miracles that honor God and not man.
- “Fruit that remains” because it was produced from a right foundation.
- Balance in the message from the church which includes the full Scripture and not pet portions that support personal agendas.
- A return to glorifying God alone and not man, denomination, tribe or political party.
- Church government built on the foundation of apostles, prophets and teachers where a Mt 16:18 Ekklesia is revealed and an Ephesians 3:10 purpose is accomplished where God’s wisdom is revealed through the church to the unseen rulers in the heavens .
- True discipleship
Radical obedience was the obedience of the disciples that left all to follow Jesus. It was the obedience of Esther who said “if I perish, I perish.” It was the faith of a young maiden who said, “be it unto me according to your word,”. It is the obedience that will love its God more than its sin.
We have told our children that partial obedience is disobedience. Jesus said it another way. He said if we do not take up our cross and follow Him, we are not worthy of Him. (Mt. 10:38). In Luke 9:62, Jesus said if a person puts his hands to the plow and then looks back, he is not fit for the kingdom. In other words we may start out strong, but then lose focus on the job at hand.
Radical obedience says Sunday morning church attendance is not enough because it will not reach the masses. Radical obedience will drive us into our prayer closet to get the moment by moment and day by day instruction from God.
Radical obedience will plunge us deeper into the truth and power of God’s word where we find true joy and peace in serving Christ. If it becomes a burden rather than a pleasure we are doing it wrong. Radical obedience is the display of ultimate love for our King and the place where we are satisfied only in our walk of obedience.
I believe Jesus is calling His church to come up higher and learn the true walk of love that is only found, and then displayed, in Radical obedience. Which comes first, love or obedience? It is our love that requires us to be obedient and it is our obedience that perpetuates His love in us. (John 14:21-26)
Anything outside of radical obedience is idolatry because we love our own ways more than we love God.
It is not size nor financial fortune that reveals a church’s level of obedience. It is God’s power flowing through and out of that church, changing lives and communities with the power of His gospel.
Unfortunately, the past has revealed it is the minority, those one or two, that generally bring revivals and transformation. It was Gideon’s 300 not the 32,000 that brought the victory. It was Jesus’ 12 that turned cities upside down. It was a cupbearer, an orphan, a fisherman, a you and a me if we allow.
What distinguishes those who are called from those who are chosen? It is Radical Obedience! We may be surprised one day just who those radical ones were.