TRUE HOLINESS IS OBEDIENCE

Open Heaven

Sunday, 18 October 2026 · Pastor E.A. Adeboye

Bible reading

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But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. – (KJV)

Holiness, as far as I am concerned, is complete and prompt obedience. I learnt this from my study of Elijah’s life. Whenever God instructed him to do anything, his response was always, “Yes, Lord.” God told him to hide by a brook, and his response was, “Yes, Lord.” (). When God told him to go and live with a widow, he obeyed (). Even when God instructed him to go and show himself to King Ahab, he did as the Lord asked, even though the king wanted to kill him (). When you begin to live in complete and prompt obedience to the Lord, you will not have the time to do the things He hates. Elijah was so sold out to the Lord that he did everything that God instructed him to do. No wonder, as soon as he finished praying in , fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice he had prepared. When you are willing to obey God completely and are prompt in doing His will, He will be willing and prompt to answer your prayers. Some years ago, four other people and I started a Bible study fellowship at the University of Ibadan (UI). The Bible study was held in the home of Professor Aboaba. The fellowship grew, and more professors joined us. At a point, the sitting room could no longer contain us, so we moved to the backyard. One day, as we were settling in for Bible study, it started raining, and the professors prepared to leave to avoid getting drenched. In response, I lifted my hands and said, “Rain, you can’t fall now.” That day, it rained everywhere in UI, except in the compound of Professor Aboaba. People often try to put the cart before the horse in their walk with the Lord. They want God to do all their bidding without bothering to do the things He wants; however, it doesn’t work that way. When you obey God’s instructions to abstain from the things He hates and keep yourself unspotted from the world, He will do whatever you want, even before you ask Him. This is because a person living a holy life will desire only what God loves, and this makes it easy for God to do whatever such a person requests. Beloved, delight yourself in living in complete obedience to the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart ().

Prayer point: Father, please help me to live in complete and prompt obedience to You, so that my life will glorify You, in Jesus’ name.

Hymn

When We Walk with the Lord

1. 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.

Chorus: Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

2. 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.

3. 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 blest if we trust and obey.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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