One of the fundamental reasons why we should all hasten to respect the divine command is that if we do not do God’s will, we automatically do the devil’s will. This is what the Apostle Paul reveals to us in chapter 6 of his Epistle to the Romans.

“Do you not know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” Romans 6:16

Jesus also informed us that he who is not with him is against him, and he who does not gather with him scatters.

“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Matthew 12:30

Knowing that I am obeying the devil when I disobey helps me personally to make the necessary efforts to stay in God’s will. If I do not give thanks to God in all things, then I am doing the devil’s will, for he alone is interested in us not giving thanks to the One who is worthy of our gratitude.

If we do not feel like giving thanks to God in certain circumstances, let us do so anyway to avoid obeying the devil and becoming his slave.

Doing God’s will is the best way to preserve our lives

One of the most important things that distinguishes human beings from all other creatures of God is free will. By creating human beings in His image and likeness, God endowed them with the ability to make choices and decisions freely. We are thus free to choose to do or not do God’s will.

In this case, we are free to continually give thanks to God in all things or not. However, God has informed us of the consequences of each of our choices and decisions. Thus, He said in the book of Deuteronomy that He has set before us life and death and recommended that we choose life in order to live.

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.” Deuteronomy 30:19

Choose life, so that you and your descendants may live. When we choose to give thanks to God at all times and in all circumstances, we choose life. But every time we fail to give thanks to God, we choose death…

This text is an excerpt from the book “A LIFE MOTIVATED BY GRATITUDE” written by Dominique MBOG.

We invite you to read the following article: “God Asks Us to Give Thanks Because He Wants to Bless Us.“

OBEYS THE DEVIL