"Sometimes God will not reveal more truth about Himself until you have obeyed what you already know"

Oswald Chambers

In Matthew 4:1-11 Jesus resists the devil in three areas and offers us a powerful example of what can happen when we do the same.

1. ____________________ (Matt. 4:1-3)

2 ____________________ (Matt. 4:4-6)

3 ____________________ (Matt. 4:7-9)

Obedience is one of the most often mentioned ideas in the bible. It is clear that there are some powerful implications here. God makes it clear that He desires obedience. Our lack of obedience is a major obstacle in coming closer to God and stifles us from ever realizing all that He want to flow through our lives.

For most men this is our greatest struggle. We must commit to living a disciplined, obedient life so that we do not accumulate more negative garbage to release.

Ecclesiastes 8:8 "No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it."

1Thessalonians 4:3-6 "It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you."

1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams".

Proverbs 21:3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

Acts 21:24 Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law.

Romans 1:5 Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

Romans 6:16 Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?

2 Corinthians 9:13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.

Hebrews 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.

1 Peter 1:2 ...who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

2 John 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

Jeremiah 7:21-23 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves! For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.

Micah 6:8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Mark 12:33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Hebrews 10:8-9 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second.

Deuteronomy 6:3 Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Leviticus 25:18 Follow my decrees and be careful to obey my laws, and you will live safely in the land.

Galatians 5:3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

1 John 5:3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome...

Ecc 12:13 Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments

In which areas do I have the most difficulty resisting? What are some specific things I can do that will help me to be more disciplined?