Q: Do I have to do what my sponsor suggests?

The programme asks us to follow God's will.

God's not a terribly noisy fellow. He speaks quietly. Often He speaks only when spoken to. So it takes some determination to seek God's will, then follow it, because God doesn't shout at me so much if I don't follow His will. He leaves me to the consequences of my own actions, which shout loudly enough.

How much easier to follow another person's direction, a sponsor's, maybe!

You can hear their voice, loud and clear. They'll call you out if you don't do what they suggest. There might even be consequences, like suggesting you get a different sponsor. Their suggestions will be super concrete.

A good test of a person's willingness and ability to do God's will is their willingness and ability to follow another human being's suggestions.

When I became willing to do what others in AA suggested, regardless of whether or not I approved of the suggestions or found them agreeable, it trained me to follow God's will, which was tougher.

I suspect this is why the practical mode of sponsorship is so successful. Action first, discussion later. No bargaining; no negotiation. Start with the actions at hand and then evolve from there.