And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams – 1st Samuel 15:22.

Obedience has been a challenge for all Christians at one time or another, but as we grow in God’s grace, it becomes easier and more willing.

King Saul was instructed to destroy the Amalekites, nothing was to be left of them including the animals. Saul spared Agag the king and the best of the sheep, oxen, lambs, and fatlings. When Samuel came and asked him about his disobedience, he blamed the people rather than confessing that he had disobeyed the commandment of the Lord.

Samuel told Saul that rebellion was the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness was iniquity and idolatry. Because of his disobedience, God took His anointing from Saul and gave it to David. God has not changed nor His Word. What He has instructed in His written Word; He is expecting His people to do.

God loves His people, but He does not love the sins they commit. Christians sin sometimes in their thoughts or speech, but they don’t practice sin. When there is known sin in our lives, we repent, meaning we will confess our sin and no longer commit that sin.

Sometimes in this Christian walk, we may have to repent for weeks or months for the same sin. Sometimes the stronghold in a person’s life is stronger than the Christians. When this is the case, you have to get reinforcements. Find a sister or brother in the ministry you can trust and tell them about the stronghold in your life.

A true Christian will meet you where you are and begin to pray and fast with you until the stronghold is destroyed. There is not a stronghold in a person’s life that can’t be destroyed, but the person must want to be delivered.

The reason why some people can’t receive their deliverance is because they don’t want to get rid of it, they enjoy it. As Christians we shouldn’t want anything in our lives Scripture has instructed us not to have.

Judgment is coming and it’s going to start at the church (For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall be the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God – 1st Peter 4:17)? It is so much hypocrisy in the church; some Christians are living as the nonbeliever and attends church Sunday after Sunday and continue to practice sin. This is why judgment will begin with the church because Christians should know they can’t live double lives. Sunday Christians and weekly sinners.

Our affections should be towards the things of God rather than the things of the world. We’re passing through to go to eternity. We have to keep our focus on the things of God and not be influenced by the world’s actions. Jesus is returning for His church, a church without sin, a church that has committed and dedicated themselves to Him.

If you want to change spiritually, it starts with having a consistent and persistent prayer life. It takes commitment to the Word of God and applying it to our daily lives. Fast, read, and study the Word of God. Read books and look at ministry programs that will strengthen your faith. If you don’t put anything in you spiritually, you will not get anything spiritually.

Knowing Scripture and not following the instructions is rebellion. Not knowing the Scripture brings about a cause-and-effect which will not be in the person’s best interest! God does not want our Sunday worship sacrifice and through the week we don’t talk to Him, we don’t praise Him, and we don’t take the time to read His Word. We live and talk like nonbelievers, this is called hypocrisy!

Obedience is better than sacrifice.