Moses told Israel that because of their rebellion in refusing to enter the Promised Land God would not go to battle with them, but in rebellion Israel persisted and went forward, depending upon their own strength to deliver them from their enemies. God had positioned them for victory but through their self-will they chose defeat.

Satan's strategy is to cause you to reject God's Word and follow your own way. He will deceive you into compromising what God has told you to do and make you think you have obeyed God when you are actually following your self-will.

In the Old Testament account of King Saul, God had anointed him as king to rule over the people and commanded him to attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belonged to them including women, children, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys. Yet, Saul followed his own will and disobeyed. Instead of destroying everything as God had commanded, he spared the best of the sheep, the cattle, and lambs.

God told Samuel, “I am grieved that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions…” (1 Samuel 15:11, NIV). When we refuse to allow our lives to be governed by God and His Word and choose to live as we please, we have actually rejected God and turned away from Him.

Early the next morning Samuel went to see Saul. When he reached him, Saul said, “The Lord bless you! I have carried out the Lord's instructions” (1 Samuel 15:13, NIV). Saul was deceived. He thought he had obeyed God.

Samuel asked: “What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears? What is this lowing of cattle that I hear?” (1 Samuel 15:14, NIV).

Saul justified his actions. He answered, “The soldiers brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord your God, but we totally destroyed the rest” (1 Samuel 15:15, NIV). Saul did not accept responsibility for his disobedience. He was in authority over the soldiers and had the ability to command them to do whatever he desired. The soldiers did not make him disobey God. No man or woman has the power to make you disobey God. You disobey by an act of your will.

God doesn't want just ninety-five percent obedience. A man who is ninety-five percent faithful to his wife is one-hundred percent unfaithful to her. Are you walking in total, one-hundred percent obedience today?

I will govern my life by the principles and promises of God. I will walk in one-hundred percent obedience.