SHOW UP ANYWAY
When Love Makes Obedience Non-Negotiable - September 18, 2026
There are moments when obedience feels easy.
And then there are moments when showing up costs you something.
You’re tired.
You’re uncomfortable.
You don’t feel prepared.
Circumstances aren’t ideal.
Your emotions are pulling in another direction.
But the assignment remains.
During this livestream, the Lord kept bringing us back to a simple truth:
Show up anyway.
Not because we are trying to prove something. Not because we are performing for people. Not because we never become tired.
We show up because we love Jesus.
GETHSEMANE: LOVE SHOWED UP
My thoughts turned to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:36–46 gives us one of the clearest pictures of surrendered obedience in Scripture.
Jesus knew what was ahead.
He wasn’t casually approaching the cross. He was experiencing deep anguish. Yet in that place of agony, Jesus surrendered Himself to the Father’s will.
“Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
— Matthew 26:39 KJV
Jesus showed up for His assignment when showing up was costly.
That changes the way I think about my own inconveniences.
When I am tired, He showed up.
When I don’t feel like doing what God has asked me to do, He showed up.
When obedience requires sacrifice, I remember:
Jesus showed up for me.
So my response becomes:
Lord, I will show up for You.
OBEDIENCE ROOTED IN LOVE
There is a difference between obedience motivated by obligation and obedience flowing from love.
Jesus said:
“He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…”
— Matthew 10:37 KJV
Those are sobering words.
Kingdom living requires Jesus to occupy a place in our hearts that belongs to no one else.
People cannot come before Him.
Comfort cannot come before Him.
Fear cannot come before Him.
Convenience cannot come before Him.
Even our own plans must remain surrendered to Him.
The question becomes:
Jesus, what do You want?
And once He answers, love says:
Yes.
GUARD YOUR GATES
Showing up for God isn’t only about being physically present for an assignment. It also means becoming intentional about what we allow into our lives.
What are we watching?
What are we listening to?
What are we repeatedly thinking about?
What are we allowing through our eye gates and ear gates?
Philippians 4:8 gives us a Kingdom filter for our thoughts:
“Whatsoever things are true… honest… just… pure… lovely… of good report… think on these things.”
We cannot continually consume one thing and expect something completely different to flow from us.
What enters us matters.
This is why the Word must become more than something we occasionally read.
We meditate on it.
We speak it.
We live it.
We allow it to renew our minds and govern our responses.
ABIDE BEFORE YOU SPEAK
Jesus said:
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
— John 15:7 KJV
Notice the order.
Abide first.
Before declarations.
Before warfare.
Before ministry.
Before intercession.
Abide.
Our authority is not rooted in volume. It is rooted in relationship with Jesus Christ and submission to His Word.
The enemy has devices, but God has given us His Word.
When lies come, answer with truth.
When fear comes, answer with truth.
When discouragement comes, answer with truth.
When circumstances appear contrary to what God has spoken, remain anchored in truth.
The Word is our weapon.
UPROOT WHAT GOD DIDN’T PLANT
Jesus declared:
“Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.”
— Matthew 15:13 KJV
During the livestream, we prayed against witchcraft, ungodly influences and anything attempting to interfere with what God has planted.
But spiritual warfare also requires personal consecration.
We cannot spend all our time examining what may be happening around us without allowing God to examine what is happening within us.
Lord, cleanse our hearts.
Cleanse our hands.
Purify our motives.
Expose anything we have allowed that does not belong.
Root out what You did not plant.
If we are going to stand in the gap for others, we want to stand before God surrendered and clean.
STOP WORRYING ABOUT TOMORROW
Then we came to Matthew 6:25–34.
Jesus speaks directly to worry.
What will I eat?
What will I drink?
What will I wear?
How will this work out?
How will God provide?
Jesus redirects our attention from anxiety to the Father.
The same God who feeds the birds and clothes the lilies knows exactly what His children need.
And then Jesus gives us the priority:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
— Matthew 6:33 KJV
Seek first.
Not after we figure everything out.
Not after every bill is paid.
Not after circumstances become comfortable.
Not after we understand the entire plan.
First.
God is our Provider.
Our responsibility is obedience.
His responsibility is everything He has promised.
SHOW UP ANYWAY
Maybe that is the word someone needs today.
You don’t have to feel powerful to obey.
You don’t have to have every answer.
You don’t have to understand how everything will work.
And you certainly don’t have to wait until circumstances become convenient.
Remember Gethsemane.
Jesus showed us what surrendered obedience looks like.
When His flesh faced agony, He remained yielded to the Father.
And because He showed up, we have salvation.
So when God calls—
Show up tired.
Show up when it’s inconvenient.
Show up when you don’t understand.
Show up when you have to trust Him for provision.
Show up when obedience costs you something.
But above all:
Show up because you love Him.
Let His Word abide in you.
Guard your gates.
Keep your heart clean.
Reject what God didn’t plant.
Seek His Kingdom first.
Trust your Father to provide.
And keep going.
Temporary circumstances do not cancel eternal assignments.
PRAYER
Father, in the name of Jesus, give us hearts that are completely surrendered to You.
Teach us to obey from love rather than convenience. Help us guard what enters our hearts and minds and fill us continually with Your Word.
Search us and remove everything You did not plant. Give us clean hands, pure hearts and motives that honor You.
When worry tries to speak louder than Your promises, remind us that You are our Father and our Provider.
Give us grace to seek Your Kingdom first and courage to keep showing up when obedience costs us something.
May our lives continually say what Jesus demonstrated in Gethsemane:
Not my will, but Yours be done.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Charnette Kay ⚔️
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