HIGH ABOVE ALL BECAUSE YOU OBEY
1 “NOW IT SHALL COME TO PASS, IF YOU DILIGENTLY OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD YOUR GOD, TO OBSERVE CAREFULLY ALL HIS COMMANDMENTS WHICH I COMMAND YOU TODAY, THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD WILL SET YOU HIGH ABOVE ALL NATIONS OF THE EARTH.
2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, BECAUSE YOU OBEY THE VOICE OF THE LORD YOUR GOD."
Deuteronomy 28:1,2 (NKJV)
Obedience to the voice of God is the major secret to be high above others (Deuteronomy 28:1). Whatever you will get or become in God as a believer, It all started with your attitude to His Word, commandments, and the specific instructions given to you as a person. What any other person is doing does not matter like what you are commanded specifically to do. It is not a popular belief or opinions of others but about what you are told or instructed to do by God.
A lot of times, believers allow sentiments, they sentimentally follow other people in their views and opinions without minding what God has told them specifically and individually. What God told you as an individual believer is superior and higher than any popular opinion being propagated. The acceptable norm in the church or what is popular might not be of God.
The most important thing you should focus on is what the Bible has said and what God has told or commanded you to do. Irrespective of popular opinion, God's Word to you as an individual believer superseded all.
The Israelites were warned severally not to copy the doings of other nations but they should strenuously focus on what He has commanded them to do and abide in it (Deuteronomy 12:30). Learning from others could be a good idea but copying others should not be welcomed at all by whoever is being guided and led by God.
Thus, It is only when you are committed and stick to what God told you that you become whatever He wanted you to be (Deuteronomy 28:2; Leviticus 26:3-13). Success, wealth, living in health, and having good things of life are premised on how you treated the instructions or commands given to you by God (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Leviticus 26:3-13). You should take time to peruse or study the whole chapter of Deuteronomy 28, you would see how conditional it is If you wanted to relate with God.
The blessings of God are conditional. Whatever you would receive from God or whatever God will do for you is premised solely on your obedience or faithfulness concerning whatever He had already told you. Nothing is casually done by God! Also, nothing is casually received from Him! Whatever would exchange hands between someone and God, there usually would be an agreement. Nothing is done vaguely, casually, or without any concrete agreement. In other words, nothing is done haphazardly in a relationship with God. Nothing of importance is done without a proper understanding and mutual agreement to the terms and conditions.
A relationship with God and receiving from Him could start in a casual way but it cannot be built and sustained on casualness—done without serious intent or commitment. A measure of seriousness and commitment would be required If something of importance would come out of your relationship with God. In other words, a serious relationship with God cannot be developed on whim, It definitely has to be more than that.
There are conditions to everything you would want to receive or get from God. It is always thus: If you do this or that, I, God, will do this and that for you (Deuteronomy 28:1,2). It is always like that. You go through the whole Bible, both the old and the new testament, God would always talk about conditions on which whatever He wanted to do are premised or based. Nothing is done by God or gotten from Him haphazardly, arbitrarily or erratically, without any definite aim, direction, rule, or method.
Jesus Christ Himself said: "YOU ARE MY FRIENDS IF YOU DO WHATEVER I COMMAND YOU" (John 15:14 NKJV). This shows us that obedience to His commands and instructions is the key to a sustainable relationship and fellowship with God.
Peace.