Listen to Insight

1. Introduction: Redefining Love, Obedience (Doing), and Success

In today’s culture, love is often reduced to emotion, obedience is viewed as bondage, and success is defined by fame, wealth, or influence. Yet Jesus Christ offered radically different definitions. In the Kingdom, love is demonstrated by obedience, obedience flows from relationship, and Success is the result of walking in divine alignment. In fact, in biblical terms, success is not merely achieving personal goals or prosperity but achieving God’s goals or securing His promises—it is the fulfillment of God’s promises through faithful obedience. Consider Joshua: he was called to lead Israel into the Promised Land, the fulfillment of the covenant promise made to Abraham and reaffirmed through Moses. Though Moses was faithful, he did not bring Israel into that inheritance. He fell short because of disobedience but Joshua succeeded. He had good success. Thus, success in God's eyes is not simply starting the journey or laboring in the wilderness—it is possessing the promise. True success is crossing the Jordan, overcoming the Anakim, and entering into what God has declared. Joshua was not only a servant but a finisher—and that made him successful by divine standards. In a generation driven by subjectivity and self-expression, these truths are not only countercultural but urgently needed. For pastors, leaders, and believers alike, understanding and applying these foundational principles can transform personal walk, ministry impact, and community influence.

This blog post explores how the themes of love, obedience, and meditation are interwoven in Scripture, and how they provide a biblical pathway to true success.

2. God's Covenant Loyalty and Our Responsive Covenant Faithfulness: Jesus’ Definition of Love

John 14:15 (KJV): "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

In Jesus' words, love is not merely a feeling but a demonstration of covenant loyalty. We are not directly in covenant with God, but we are beneficiaries of His covenant with Abraham—the Seed to whom the promises were made. As it is written, "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ" (Galatians 3:16, KJV). Paul continues, affirming our inclusion: "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29, KJV). This reveals that our status as heirs is not based on law-keeping but on our union with Christ.

This covenant relationship obligates God to extend His steadfast kindness and loyalty—often referred to as chesed in the Old Testament. Yet covenant also implies mutual responsibility. Our role is covenant faithfulness: a love demonstrated through obedience. This obedience does not earn His favor but positions us to walk in the blessings already made available through Christ.

Obedience, then, becomes the pathway to divine success and the manifestation of our faith in God's covenant integrity. The Greek word for "keep" in John 14:15 is tēreō (τηρέω), meaning to guard, preserve, or watch over. It is not casual compliance but intentional, affectionate loyalty. Jesus expands on this in John 14:21 (AMPC): "The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me."

In a culture where love is sentimentalized and obedience marginalized, Jesus anchors love in action. True love listens, guards, and responds to the Word of the Lord. This is the basic definition of faith—the corresponding action to the Word of God. Faith, then, is not passive belief but the living, obedient response to divine instruction—rooted in covenant loyalty and expressed through covenant faithfulness.

Modern love is often driven by sentiment or personal convenience. In contrast, Kingdom love is revealed through obedience even when it is inconvenient. Jesus' love for the Father was proven in Gethsemane, not just in Galilee.

3. Obedience in the Old vs. New Testament: From Law to Life

Old Covenant Obedience was rooted in external legal demands: "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death... Now choose life..." (Deuteronomy 30:19, NIV). Israel was required to follow laws written on stone tablets.

New Covenant Obedience, however, flows from inward transformation. "I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts" (Hebrews 8:10, NIV). It is no longer mere compliance, but Spirit-enabled doing. Obedience becomes the fruit of a new nature:

Ezekiel 36:27 (KJV): *"And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes..."

Old Testament Obedience

• External Commandments: The Law was written on stone tablets (e.g., the Ten Commandments).

• Driven by Obligation and Fear: Often enforced through blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience (Deut. 28).

• Powerless Flesh: The people wanted to do right, but lacked the spiritual power to fulfill the Law (see Romans 7:14–24).

• Mediator: Moses/Law: Access to God was mediated by priests and rituals.

Summary: Obedience was demanded, but not enabled.

New Testament Obedience

• Internal Transformation: The Law is now written on hearts, fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah 31:33.

• Empowered by the Holy Spirit: The believer is born again, and the Spirit empowers them to delight in and do God's will (Ezekiel 36:26–27).

• Obedience from Love, Not Fear: As Jesus said: “If you love me, keep my commandments”—love becomes the motivator.

• Mediator: Christ: Jesus is the High Priest, and by Him, we’re united directly with the Father.

Summary: Obedience is now loved, desired, and enabled by the Spirit.

Key Verse to Capture This Shift

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to act/do in order to fulfill His good purpose.”— Philippians 2:13

Obedience in the New Covenant is no longer something forced upon a rebellious heart—it’s the natural fruit of a transformed heart, indwelt by the Spirit of God. If you truly love Him, you will OBEY or DO—and this doing is the measure of your LOVE in Christ but more importantly in heaven. It is FAITH in action. Faith without works (obedience, doing) is DEAD.

Obedience Is Not a Dirty Word

Obedience is not legalism in the New Testament—it’s the evidence of love, the mark of maturity, and the fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work in us. It's not a condition for salvation, but a natural response to grace

4. The Word of God: Spirit, Life, and Power

Jesus said in John 6:63 (KJV): "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

The Greek word for "life" is zōē (ζωῖ), indicating divine, eternal vitality. The Word is not information; it is impartation. Scripture operates as:

• Seed: "The seed is the Word of God" (Luke 8:11)
• Sword: "The sword of the Spirit... is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17)
• Sustainer: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word..." (Matthew 4:4)

The Word produces inner change and powers the believer to live victoriously.

The Word of God is not just information—it is Spirit and life (John 6:63). When received properly, it doesn't merely instruct; it imparts. Even in the Old Testament framework, we see this truth in Joshua 1:8, where God commands meditation not for meditation’s sake, but so that “you may observe to do.”

5. The Forgotten Discipline: Meditation on Scripture

Joshua 1:8 (KJV): *"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night..."

The Hebrew word for meditate is hāgāh (הָגָה) — to murmur, mutter, muse, or speak under one’s breath. It begins with internal pondering, leads to spoken confession, and ultimately to roaring declarations as the Word dominates one’s spirit.

Biblical meditation differs from eastern stillness; it is Word-focused and participatory. Meditation is a spiritual technology that facilitates transformation:

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalm 1:2, KJV)

6. How Meditation Fuels Obedience

You meditate to do. Joshua 1:8 continues: "...that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein..." Meditation births observation. Observation leads to execution. Meditation empowers obedience. The Word, when meditated on deeply, shapes your thoughts, commands your desires, and eventually governs your actions.

James 1:25 (NIV): *"Whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do."

Meditation internalizes the Word until it governs thought, speech, and behavior. Jesus meditated on scripture to defeat Satan (Matthew 4). David said, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you" (Psalm 119:11, NIV).

The early church, full of the Word and the Spirit, walked in miraculous power because their lives were Word-aligned. This is not passive reading. The Word becomes a living force inside of you—first informing the mind, then filling the mouth, and finally steering the will. The same Word that instructs you also enables you, if allowed.

The doing is born from the meditating. You don’t force obedience from the outside in; it flows from the inside out, because the Word has taken root. And how much more under the New Covenant, where the Holy Spirit now writes the Word on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10) and gives us the power to walk it out (Ezekiel 36:27)?

Under the New Covenant, Jesus is the Living Word (John 1:1). Meditating (hāgāh) on the Word is not mere study—it’s spiritual transformation.

As Romans 10:17 says:“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

When hāgāh reaches the level of roaring, it’s because faith has been formed, and authority is released. That’s how Joshua could take territory, and it’s how believers today walk in victory.

"Hāgāh" is a process of transformation:

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7. True Success: The Kingdom Formula

God defines success not merely as achievement or visibility but as fruitfulness in His will and Word. The word is seed and when planted in good soil (heart), yields a rich harvest. The divine blueprint for success is clearly revealed in Joshua 1:8 (KJV):

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

It is noteworthy that God did not say "I will make your way prosperous"—instead, He says "then thou shalt make thy way prosperous." The responsibility for prosperity and success is placed squarely in Joshua’s hands, conditioned upon his meditation, observation, and obedience/doing the Word. In essence, Joshua himself would unlock and walk into the divine outcome through active, consistent engagement with God's instruction.

This formula stands in contrast to modern ideas that see success as either a divine lottery or purely the result of hustle. Instead, biblical success is alignment. It is a fruit of intimacy, obedience, and Word-saturated living.

In possessing the Promised Land—the very land sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—Joshua became the embodiment of covenantal fulfillment through his covenantal faithfulness. Moses saw the land but did not enter. Joshua, however, led the people in, defeating giants and establishing a measure of inheritance. He was not only a faithful servant but a finisher, fulfilling God's covenant promises through obedience. In that light, Joshua’s life becomes a model for kingdom success: entering the promises of God by meditating on His Word and obeying it completely.

8. Faith-Fueled Obedience: The Spirit of Faith in Action

Hebrews 11:6 (KJV): *"But without faith it is impossible to please him..."

Faith is not mental agreement but a Spirit-born assurance, persuasion, confidence and conviction in GOD’s Word that moves one to act. James 2:17 (NIV) declares: "Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."

James 2:26 (KJV) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Obedience in the New Testament is not legalism. It is the spirit of faith in motion. We obey because we believe:

2 Corinthians 4:13 (KJV): *"We having the same spirit of faith... we believe, and therefore speak."

New Covenant obedience avoids two ditches:

• Dead Works: striving to earn God's favor
• Dead Faith: professing belief without practice

The true believer walks as a doer of the Word (James 1:22), transformed by faith, powered by grace.

9. Practical Pathways: How to Meditate, Obey, and Walk in Love

1. Daily Word Discipline: Schedule intentional time for the Word. Read, ponder, speak.

2. Verbal Confession: Speak the Word aloud; let it enter your spirit through your ears.

3. Practice the Presence: Obey small promptings from the Spirit. Build intimacy.

4. Journal Revelation: Write down what the Spirit reveals in meditation.

5. Apply Immediately: Obedience delayed is often obedience denied.

6. Pray the Word: Turn meditation into confessions and prayer.

10. Conclusion: Love that Listens, Obeys, and Triumphs

Jesus' life modeled love-fueled obedience. "I do always those things that please him" (John 8:29, KJV). He loved the Father and thus obeyed even unto death (Philippians 2:8). That same life is now in us by the Spirit.

Philippians 2:8 (KJV) – “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

This verse highlights the ultimate extremity of Christ’s obedience—not just obeying in life, but obeying to the point of death, and not just any death, but the shameful and excruciating death on a Roman cross. This perfectly illustrates that obedience in the Kingdom is not defined by convenience or comfort, but by covenant commitment—a truth that also exemplifies love.

Let us be those who:

• Love deeply
• Obey joyfully
• Meditate consistently
• Walk in true success

Revelation 14:12 (AMPC): *"Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints... those who keep the commandments of God and [their] faith in Jesus."

Closing Prayer:

Father, grant us the grace to walk in love, to obey Your Word not by compulsion but by faith, and to meditate until Your truth becomes our lifestyle. Let us be doers of the Word, rooted in revelation, and faithful to Your call. In Jesus' Name. Amen.