The Critical Nexus Between Disobedience To God’s Word And Answered Prayers

In the book of 1 Samuel, we encounter the account of King Saul, the first king of Israel, who fell out of favor with God through disobedience—in fact he—became God’s enemy. Despite being chosen by God through the prophet Samuel, Saul repeatedly chose to disobey God’s commands. As his reign neared its end and Samuel had passed away, Saul’s spiritual connection with God had weakened to the point where, when confronted with the impending war against the Philistines, he was overwhelmed by fear and sought divine guidance from the Lord. However, God did not respond:

“When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets.”

1 Samuel 28:5-6

In his desperation for answers, Saul resorted to seeking a sorceress who could summon the spirit of Samuel. Surprisingly, God utilized this unconventional means to communicate with Saul. When Samuel appeared, he questioned the reason for Saul’s disturbance, and Saul poured out his distress, confessing that God had departed from him and was no longer responding to his prayers. At that moment, Samuel revealed the grim consequences of Saul’s disobedience: The kingdom would be stripped from him and given to David. The Bible recounts the narrative:

Now Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” 

And Saul answered, “I am deeply distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God has departed from me and does not answer me anymore, neither by prophets nor by dreams. Therefore I have called you, that you may reveal to me what I should do.” 

Then Samuel said: “So why do you ask me, seeing the Lord has departed from you and has become your enemy? And the Lord has done for Himself as He spoke by me. For the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, David. BECAUSE you did not OBEY the voice of the Lord…therefore the Lord has done this thing to you this day.” ‬

I Samuel‬ ‭28‬:‭‭15‬-‭18

It scares me to death to think about becoming the ENEMY of God!

In the times when I begin to feel distant from God, invariably, it is due to my disobedience. The key to restoring my close relationship with God has always been repentance for my disobedience and a rededication to living according to His Word. God desires for us to be close to Him; thus, throughout the Bible we are commanded to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind. God is WITH those who love Him. The Bible says: 

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is AGAINST those who do evil.”

1 Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭12

Disobedience makes us the enemy of God; thus, we should not expect Him to answer our prayers. However, when we live in obedience to Him, His ears are open to our prayers, and we KNOW He hears us. Saul’s fall from God serves as a powerful reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of repentance and living according to God’s Word. By doing so, we invite His presence back into our lives and experience the blessings flowing from a close relationship with Him.

There’s not a more blessed way to live than knowing God hears and answers our prayers.

We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.

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