Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice:Experiencing God

“But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22, NLT)

Early in my walk with God, about six years in, I began experiencing God in such amazing ways that I still can’t explain. I had experienced God before, but during this season, the experiences were a different kind of experience; supernatural experiences. One incident happened at a church I was attending. On this particular Sunday, I was on the church bus headed to church services when I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Go tell your pastor I am going to do something special in the house today.”

I didn’t know what he meant by that, but immediately upon arrival at the church, I went to the pastor’s office and relayed the message. “Sister, I know you're not lying because someone just came and gave me the same message,” he stated.

After I left his office, I made my way to the sanctuary and sat down in the second row and immediately went into prayer, which is what I always did on Sunday mornings along with fasting. My time at this church was very peculiar to me. The pastor and his family showed me favor, so that God could use me. But this day, God really used me.

During my prayer, I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Look up and tell me what you see.”

I looked up toward the stage area. We were in a large warehouse, and a stage had been built for the pastor to preach and the praise team to minister in song. “I see the instruments on the stage,” I responded.

“I want music in my house,” he declared. We had a keyboardist, an 8-year-old drummer (who was amazing) and a bass player (the bus driver).

“I want you to lay hands on the musicians and tell them, I want music in my house. Then I want you to play the piano,” he instructed.

Sweat broke out on my forehead, accompanied by trembling, with an intense heat that overtook my body as I lay draped across the chair next to me. I almost fainted, literally! As the praise team took their places, I could only lie there, weak with fear. Then the First Lady took to the podium to open the service. As she spoke, I heard, “Get up now!” He ordered, and I jumped up from my seat and interrupted the service.

“Excuse me, First Lady, but God told me he wants me on the stage with the musicians,” I declared, trembling and embarrassed.

She paused for a moment, then returned, “Okay, do what God is telling you to do.”

I wasn’t shocked because anyway the Holy Spirit wanted to move, they just let him. So, I gingerly meandered to the stage, laid hands on each musician declaring that God wanted music in his house and took my place at the electric piano. As I did, one deacon came up onto the stage, tapped the 8-year-old drummer and relieved him of his seat, then he sat down at the drums. As the praise team got into position, I turned to the keyboardist who sat behind me and inquired, “How to you cut this thing on?”

He pointed to the button on the side of the electric piano, which I clicked on and just sat there. Musicians played as the praise team sang melodiously, but I just gazed in despair at the electric piano in front of me. Briefly, I took a quick glance at the congregation that I was actually facing from the front of the stage; the other two musicians were seated behind me. With a front-row seat, I put my hands on the keys and utter noise came out. I pulled my hands back, raising them to God, closed my eyes, and looked up to heaven declaring, “You will have to do this through me; I release control to you.”

Then I heard the Holy Spirit say, “Find middle C.”

I remembered middle C as a child, yearning to play piano, but only having about three lessons. My desire was still present, but my skills were definitely lacking. I found middle C, then played a C-chord. With both hands on the keys, suddenly, I heard what sounded like an explosion in the atmosphere, and the entire congregation gasped, “Ahhh.” I kept my eyes closed and began to play beautiful music, following the lead of the other musicians and their melody. I didn't open my eyes again until I heard the pastor's voice. That was a memorable Sunday morning. After the service was over, the pastor approached me as I was exiting the stage, asking, “Sister, did you rehearse that with the band?”

“No, sir, I didn’t,” I answered, with my head hung low, not wanting to make eye contact with him. I just knew I was in big trouble. As I made my way to the church bus and took my seat, my neighbor and friend, who was seated in front of me, scolded, “Hussy, you never told me you can play the piano.”

I froze like a deer in the headlights, trying to figure out how to explain what had happened. “I can’t, God played it,” I responded, realizing she probably didn’t believe me. I wouldn’t have. You probably don’t either. I can’t blame you. Stop laughing, I’m trying to.

After I returned home, I sat quietly reflecting on the events of that morning, but I just couldn’t make any sense of it. “Lord, how did you do that?” I shouted.

It was then that one of the greatest lessons of my life was taught to me. The Holy Spirit spoke, “All I need is a yielded vessel, and I can do anything through you.”

Then I remembered 1 Samuel 15:22, which tells us that “…obedience is better than sacrifice.”

He also showed me something I really had not noticed in that season; I was not knowingly active in any form of sinful behavior, and I was completely yielded to the will of God. Whatever he told me to do, I did it; whatever he told me to speak, I spoke it, without question. I did not say without fear, for there was much fear, but not doubt. I fully obeyed his will and his words spoken to me.

The Lord continued to expound upon that understanding in later years, when at another church we were doing a Bible study on the book called “Experiencing God” by Henry Blackaby. One statement caught my attention when the author said, “If you want to experience God, go find out what God is doing and be a part of it.”

That was the defining statement of my life. I live by it even now. I learned God can and will do amazing things through his children if we are obedient to his will and faithful to his word. He is always moving and doing extraordinary things, but if we are out of his will because of sinfulness or disobedience, we will miss him.

God played that electric piano through me for almost three months until I let fear run me off the stage. I didn't get the memo that it was only a onetime event. Every time I sat down after that day, I would hear the devil remind me, “You know you can’t play.”

I should’ve countered him with, “I am not playing anything. God is. And 'I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength'” (Philippians 4:13, NLT). I had submitted to God, but I neglected to “…resist the devil, which would cause him to flee” (see James 4:7). Instead, I let him cause me to flee.

As I often have to remind myself, I urge my brothers and sisters also to stay in the Will of God and Obey the Word of God. From this vantage point, you will experience the supernatural power of God, and you will most definitely stand in awe of him. I still do!!! And one more reminder: don't let fear debilitate you. The devil is just angry that he has no control over what God is doing in you and through you, which is interrupting his evil plans.

Prayer:

Father, I desire to experience all your goodness and your amazing grace, and power. Help me hear you and walk with you in complete intimacy and trust. Help me also to obey you; especially when fear is present in my heart and mind. I thank you in advance for doing supernatural marvelous works through me and for doing amazing things for me. You are so awesome, and I am so grateful that you share yourself with me and through me. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!