TRUST AND OBEY
A Bible Study for Women using the Authorized King James Bible, the only inerrant Word ofGod
By Patricia Dowers
Introduction
Two words identify all that is required of the believer who desires to walk with Jesus. Scripture tells us those words are trust and obey. It sounds simple and for the most part, we think we do it. At least we profess it, we sing it, and we recite it to others. Yet, many times, we are prone to step off the path rather than proceed with Jesus to victory through trust and obedience. Please join me in searching the Scriptures for encouragement to trust and obey.
Please note: In this study, as in all others, it is important to read all Scripture references for yourself that you may know what God has to say.
Session 1
Dear friends, in our last study, Just a Closer Walk with Thee, we discovered that Jesus not only desires our hearts but also our company. It is a privilege to walk and talk with the Lord of the universe and we learned that this relationship is participatory. So, what is our responsibility in this amazing relationship? The Bible tells us we cannot proceed in our walk with Jesus unless we trust Him and obey Him. (Rom. 6:16,17)
As born again believers, our trust and obedience in the Lord is not forced. It is always of our free will. God would not have it any other way. (Josh. 24:15) You cannot obey what you do not trust and you are not trusting if you do not obey. Think about it for a moment. This is true in almost every situation. Obedience is the proof of trust.
Take a moment in your group to discuss this truth.
I am not by nature trusting or obedient. My parents will attest to that. I could be a very willful, unruly child. Likewise, in my walk with the Lord, I sadly and too often find myself stepping off the path to find my own way. If you can identify with this, join me in discovering the solution.
If we believe that Jesus is Who He says He is (the Son of God, Incarnate) and did what He says He did (shed His own blood to pay the penalty for our sin) then we are, indeed, trusting Him for salvation (Rom. 5:1,2). I pray that all of you can claim this statement. This is our first experience in trusting Jesus. For some of us, however, it was easier to trust Him with our hearts than to trust him with our lives, or for the welfare of our loved ones (Jude 24). We also wrestle against our fallen natures to rely on our own wits or in earthly resources (Psa. 146:3-5).
As born again Christians we cannot grow spiritually or progress in our walk with the Lord without studying His Word. But soon we begin hitting roadblocks. This happens every time the Holy Spirit reveals there is some portion of our minds or hearts that is not in obedience to God’s Word. We soon find we cannot move on until we deal with it. That is because the Holy Spirit is revealing that we do not trust what God has to say about this issue and we are not in obedience if we are not trusting. But, take heart, because our Lord is patient. As we read in Romans 15:5, He is called the God of patience. He wants to help us resolve the conflicts that interfere with our journey.
Let us take a moment to read what God has to say about the necessity of trust and obedience in our walk with the Lord.
Please read Prov. 3:5,6 and write it out in the space below.
The Bible gives us many examples to trust and obey even when the direction makes no sense to our finite minds. We think of Abraham, who was told to sacrifice his only son; of Noah who was told to build an ark; of Moses who was told to lead his people out of Egypt; of Joseph who was told to take Mary for his wife under extraordinary circ*mstances. Next time you read these accounts in Scripture try to feel the difficulty, pure emotion and conflict of trusting and obeying God. Note that in each situation God gives very little to no explanation for His instructions. That is what it means to trust Him. In each situation, trust is followed by obedience. Take a moment to imagine the possible outcomes if these men had not trusted and obeyed the Lord’s direction.
Can you think of some personal examples of the outcomes of trust and obedience in your own life? Perhaps you have some examples of times you failed to trust. Jot down some notes below to share with your group.
The Lord equips us to trust and obey by preparing our hearts, minds, and bodies to fulfill His will. If we trust the Lord, we can obey without fear. He will not ask anything of us for which He has not prepared us. Another important point to remember is God, in His perfect love for us will never put us in a situation that will not bring about our ultimate good and perfection. That is because God is good. He is the Author of good. Our concept of good can only come from Him. If we truly believe that God is good, it does not make sense to fear His direction or where our walk with Him is leading, even if the way leads through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. As frightening as that sounds, nothing in that valley can touch Him, and in Him, nothing can touch His own.
Please revisit Psalm 23. I can think of no better assurance of God’s protection.
The Lord has already sealed our eternal future. We can trust Him for our day-to-day journey. In our next session we will explore how the Lord equips us for the journey.
Session 2
The Armor of God
From the beginning of time man has sought ways to predict the future through science, mystics, and observance of the natural world. Only God knows the future and He has chosen to reveal precious glimpses to us through His Word. In order to instruct us in daily living and obedience, God gave us His law and His criteria for the Christian walk. That could have been enough, but in His perfect love, He wanted us to have more. Tucked strategically in the Old and New Testaments are prophesies and statements about the future that give us just the right amount of information to look forward to eternity with the Lord and security for the present. For the rest we must trust.
The capacity to trust and obey comes from the Holy Spirit. (Gal. 5:16, Eph. 3:16) Once we are sealed through salvation, Satan can only attack us by undermining our trust and obedience in God. He does it well and his schemes have been working since the Garden of Eden. None of our own strength, intelligence or resources can protect us from his wiles.
I believe Satan does not waste much of his energy on the unsaved. They are already lost, and when left to their own designs, can do enough damage to themselves and others. Satan’s focus is on Christians. He must thwart God’s work by neutralizing God’s people. He does this by personal attacks and distractions, sometimes obvious and sometimes quite subtle. (Gen. 3:1) As I write this, many examples from my own life are flashing before my mind. Perhaps, this is a good time to share some of your own experiences in this area with your group.
Jot your thoughts in the space below:
Make no mistake. Satan has already lost the war and he knows it. That does not mean he isn’t throwing himself full force into the battle. His anger and bitterness against God make him unrelenting. (Eph. 6:12)
What is our defense against such a formidable foe that attacks our trust and obedience to God? The answer is the armor of God. God has prepared a complete and perfect defense system that He promises will thwart Satan’s strongest weapons. This armor covers all of our vulnerability, but we do not wear it naturally like our skin. We need to consciously and purposefully claim and put on each piece. Let us take a moment to examine our armor.
Read Ephesians 6:10-18
Fill in the blanks for each piece of armor.
Loins girt about with ________________
Breastplate of ________________________
Feet shod with _______________________
Shield of ______________________________
Helmet of______________________________
Sword of ______________________________
Years ago my church was offering new Bibles to any of the Sunday school children who could memorize Ephesians 6:10-18 and recite it to the pastor. At that time, my daughter was only five and could not read but she wanted a Bible and asked the pastor if she could participate. He explained to her that it was a long passage for such a little girl and maybe she should wait until next year but she was determined. I believe she had two weeks to learn her verses and each day I would read her a verse or a phrase and she would memorize it and add it to what she had memorized the day before. As you can imagine, in the process of helping her, I also memorized those verses and they have served me well through the years in many circ*mstances. In two weeks Amanda stood by herself before the pastor and recited all of her verses perfectly and received her Bible. I was very proud of her. The memorization of those Scripture verses brought us both a gift. I would encourage you to do the same and we will be less apt to leave an important piece of our armor behind when we go into battle for the Lord.
Can we trust and obey in half measures? Let us look to the Scriptures for examples.
Please read the following passages to determine whether these describe half measures or full measures of obedience:
Ex 12:21-28 __________________________
Num. 20:7-12 _________________________
II Sam 6:1-7 __________________________
Acts 10:25-32, 44-45 ________________
It is possible for nominal Christians to be sealed with the Spirit but not walking with the Lord. This is the danger of neglecting Scripture and purposely remaining ignorant of God’s expectations. When we study His Word we learn that we are not just saved from sin and death but saved to obedience in accomplishing God’s perfect will. We need to view this as important work that requires training. We receive this training from Scripture. Again, to be perfectly clear, our salvation is free and permanent by the grace of Jesus. Our service is ongoing trust and obedience to His will. This will determine our walk or fellowship with Jesus and the fruit we bear in His name.
In the next session we will spend some time evaluating our fruitfulness for Jesus.
Session 3
Fruit-bearing Trees
Why should we be concerned with bearing fruit for the Lord? According to Scripture this is a critical aspect of our usefulness in the body of Christ (the Church), and our walk before those on the outside. Without this fruit we have no use to the Lord in this world. (John 15:5,6) This is a sobering statement but we must trust that God in His desire to include us in fulfilling His will warns us of the consequences of being unfruitful.
What is this important fruit, mentioned throughout the Gospels and New Testament? Essentially, it is living a righteous, Christ-filled life before the world (Col. 1:10) and fulfilling your God-given purpose in the Church. (II Cor. 9:10-12) How is this possible? For our old human nature it is not possible. Only our new natures received as believers through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit equips us with the elements necessary to grow fruit for the Lord.
Read the following verses and fill in the blanks:
Matt. 7:16 Ye shall __________ them by their____________.
Matt. 13:23 he that __________ the word and ______________ it; ... also beareth ___________.
Jam. 3:18 And the ___________ of _________________ is sown in ______________ of them that make _____________.
We cannot fulfill our function in the Body of Christ unless we are bearing fruit for Him. Indeed, we can actually do harm. Remember, God has an ultimate plan for this world and He must accomplish His will.
Please read Isa. 55:11 and copy it in the space below.
The Lord Jesus uses the visual example of the vine and the branches to describe the importance of bearing fruit for Him. (John 15:1,2) Pruning of dead and non-bearing branches is critical to the health and over-all production of the vine or tree. Anyone who has had the opportunity to spend time in a successful orchard or vineyard has observed how carefully each tree is examined on a regular basis for any non-essential branches that are then lopped off. This accomplishes several benefits to the tree. Strength from the tree is no longer flowing into these branches to no purpose. New, fruit-bearing growth is encouraged. The tree is not burdened by the weight of the non-productive branches.
The outreach efforts of many Bible churches today are thwarted by the need to spend so much energy bearing up the burden of unfruitful membership. This means if the Lord has blessed us with a particular gift and the strength to accomplish it and we do not use it, then that can be a burden for others. If we are not an encourager and a willing giver, that is also a burden. The Body of Christ is a functioning body that allows for growth of Christians at different spiritual rates. (Rom. 15:1) Those who are mature in Christ will come alongside those who are less mature to nurture and mentor in the Lord. When we allow this to work as the Lord designed, eventually all will be bearing fruit. We do not want to short-circuit the Lord’s process in ourselves or anyone else. (I Cor. 8:9, Rom 14:12,13)
This may be a good time to discuss with your group some ways in which we can bear fruit within the church and reflect Christ in the community. Jot some notes in the space below.
I would like to remind us all, at this point, that age or physical ability or any disability are not barriers to the Lord. Scripture and my own experience have shown me that the Lord uses young children, elderly people, and everyone in between to bear fruit in accomplishing His will. That is because we go in trust and obedience in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is foolish to think we can limit His ability by our own inability so we need not fear when opportunities come our way. Just be sure it is the Lord’s will and way and you are not trying to proceed in your own direction.
In the next session we will discover the joy of trust and obedience.
Session 4
The Gift of Joy
The following is an old familiar hymn by John H. Sammis. Please read through the lyrics, noting specifically the importance of the Lord’s presence in our journey through life. The only way to experience and enjoy His presence is to trust and obey.
Trust And Obey
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Scripture convinces me that the only way to experience pure and lasting joy is through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the author of joy and neither Satan nor the world can copy it. At best, happiness can be achieved on a temporary basis but too soon it vaporizes and becomes elusive. That is why we think of it as the
“pursuit” of happiness. Does anyone really know what happiness is? It always seems to be just beyond our reach.
Thankfully, God does not do anything in half measures. His gifts to us are lasting and His lasting gift to us is joy.
Please read Isa. 51:11 and copy it in the space below.
Joy comes to us in the form of eternal security through the knowledge of being cleansed in the blood of the Lamb. The culmination of that joy is life in glory with Jesus. Could we ask for anything more than this? But there is more.
True joy in the Lord is a deep well within, constantly bubbling up during moments of prayer, praise and worship. It quenches the thirst during suffering and pain. It flows quietly in the corners of our souls during times of grief and sorrow.
Ladies, if you are not experiencing your joy in the Lord, take another look at the lyrics of the hymn above and ask yourself if you can claim all of these statements. The barrier that dams up our joy is usually neglecting to trust and obey.
Our mortal minds are not capable of containing the joy that is yet to come. (I Cor. 2:9) I am sure it is a good thing that God does not divulge any more information about our future joy than He does. Otherwise, our minds would be dwelling on it so much that we would be no earthly good to Him now. Also, we would overlook the joy of the present in following the will of God and seeing the miraculous ways He answers prayer.
As believers, we share in the joy of the Lord. Let us take a moment to look at what makes the Lord joyful.
Read the following Scripture references and fill in the blanks below:
Neh.8: 9, 10 God is joyful when we understand and obey his __________.
Matt. 25:21 The Lord joys in our ______________.
Luke 15:7 Scripture tells us there is joy in Heaven when one sinner _____________.
Heb. 12:2 Jesus joyfully endured the ________ knowing it would bring us salvation.
The significant thing that stands out to me in these references, as well as elsewhere in the Word, is that all of the Lord’s joy is directed at us. As we learned earlier, all of our joy flows from Him. This is another wonderful manifestation of the oneness that Jesus speaks about in His prayer to the Father in the Gospel of John, chapter 17.
Conclusion
Friends, I hope you are encouraged to continue your journey with the Lord in trust and obedience. In the process you will experience the full joy of bearing fruit for Him. I look forward to sharing more studies with you and in the meantime…
May we ever be willing to trust and obey.
