Walking With the Lord
by Bart Nelson
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Have you ever stopped to think about
the simple act of walking? Most take it for granted, but examining it may help
our walk with God. For example, when we step out from a standing position, it
takes risk. To take a step requires, for the briefest moment, that we be on one
foot, while we transfer our weight to the other foot. In that brief time, we
are the most vulnerable.
Do you see how that relates to your
walk with God? When we’re about to take a step of faith, isn’t that when fear,
worry or doubt comes or the enemy strikes in some other way? It’s just another
step, so why do we fret? When the Lord has directed us, we need to be bold, have
faith and take that step!
Have you ever stumbled, missed seeing
something or bumped into something? You probably realized that it happened
because you weren’t paying close enough attention to the task of walking. You
took for granted that you could do it well. Well, for regular walking, the
implications probably weren’t that drastic. But for our walk with God, it can
be quite important to pay attention! We need to ‘watch and pray’ and be
sensitive to what Holy Spirit says!
In that same vain, let’s think about
momentum for a bit. While walking, it is invaluable. In our walk with Jesus,
however, it can be a dangerous thing. We can be so assured that we’re on
the right track, when the Lord nay have been trying to get us to veer, turn or
u-turn for a long time.
What follows isn’t an exhaustive
list of those who walked with the Lord, just the ones I could find where the
word specifically said so. They serve as an example to us! Gen. 5:22
Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father
of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. 24 Enoch walked with God;
and he was not, for God took him. Gen. 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of
the LORD. 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a
righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. 1 Kings 9:4
"As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked,
in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded
you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances. 2 Kings 22:1 Josiah was
eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in
Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
2 He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of his
father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left. 2 Chron.
20:32 He (Jehoshaphat) walked in the way of his father Asa and did
not depart from it, doing right in the sight of the LORD. Mt. 14:27 But
immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be
afraid." 28 Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to
come to You on the water." 29 And He said, "Come!" And Peter
got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Lk. 1:5 In
the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of
the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her
name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking
blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
Here we see Jesus walking with
Adam and Eve. Isn’t it encouraging that He is with us as He invites us to walk
with Him. Gen. 3:8 They
heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the
day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God
among the trees of the garden.
The rest of the study deals with how
we are or are not to walk…
Ex. 16:4 Then the LORD said to Moses,
"Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go
out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether
or not they will walk in My instruction. What is in our lives to
prove whether we will walk correctly with God?
Lev. 18:3 You shall not do what is done
in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the
land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes.
Ps. 1:1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the
wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of
scoffers! 1 Cor. 3:3 For you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and
strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
Eph. 4:17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no
longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind.
Dt. 11:22 "For if you are careful
to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD
your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him. Jer. 6:16 Thus
says the LORD, "Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient
paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for
your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.' 18:15 'For My people have
forgotten Me, they burn incense to worthless gods and they have stumbled from
their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, not on a
highway. Mk. 7:5 The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, "Why do Your
disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat
their bread with impure hands?" 6 And He said to them, "Rightly did
Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME
WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 7 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY
WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' 8 "Neglecting the
commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." 9 He was also
saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God
in order to keep your tradition. 10 "For Moses said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER
AND YOUR MOTHER'; and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER, IS TO BE PUT TO
DEATH'; 11 but you say, 'If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I
have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),' 12 you no
longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother; 13 thus invalidating
the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many
things such as that." On the surface, it would appear that the OT and
NT scriptures are conflicting in this paragraph. However, the OT references
truth, which however old, never changes and Jesus is coming against tradition
which twisted the truth for selfish reasons.
1 Kings 2:4 so that the LORD may carry
out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons are careful
of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with
all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.' 9:4 "As
for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity
of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you
and will keep My statutes and My ordinances. 2 Cor. 4:2 but we have renounced
the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or
adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending
ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
Neh. 5:9 Again I said, "The thing
which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God
because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies?
Ps. 37:23 The steps of a man are
established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. 24 When he falls, he
will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.
Prov. 16:9 The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.
20:24 Man's steps are ordained by the LORD, how then can man understand
his way? Jer. 10:23 I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, nor
is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. 24 Correct me, O LORD, but
with justice; not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.
Ps. 89:15 How blessed are the people
who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your
countenance. 16 In Your name they rejoice all the day, and by Your righteousness
they are exalted. Jn. 8:12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am
the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but
will have the Light of life." 11:9 Jesus answered, "Are there not
twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not
stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 "But if anyone walks
in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." 12.35 So
Jesus said to them, "For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk
while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who
walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. Eph. 5:7 Therefore do not be
partakers with them; Eph 5:8 for you
were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children
of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and
righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11
Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose
them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by
them in secret. 1 Jn. 1:5 This is the message we have heard from Him and
announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6
If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie
and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He
Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of
Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. All these verses talk about walking
in the light, but with a different emphasis. Psalms talks about His presence
affecting how we walk. The verses in John reveal having the light within us
rather than darkness. Ephesians discusses our walk being pleasing to our Father
as children of Light. Walking in openness before God and our brothers and
sisters is what 1 John tells us.
Ps. 119:45 And I will walk at
liberty, for I seek Your precepts.
Pr. 11:20 The perverse in heart are an
abomination to the LORD, but the blameless in their walk are His
delight. Is. 35:8 A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will
be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it,
but it will be for him who walks that way, and fools will not wander on it. 9
No lion will be there, nor will any vicious beast go up on it; these will not
be found there. But the redeemed will walk there, 10 and the ransomed of
the LORD will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting
joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing
will flee away.
Is. 40:31 Yet those who wait for the
LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles,
they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.
Ecc. 5:1 Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near
to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know
they are doing evil.
Jer. 13:10 'This wicked people, who
refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts
and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them
be just like this waistband which is totally worthless. 42:2 And said to
Jeremiah the prophet, "Please let our petition come before you, and pray
for us to the LORD your God, that is for all this remnant; because we are left
but a few out of many, as your own eyes now see us, 3 that the LORD your God
may tell us the way in which we should walk and the thing that we should
do." Ps. 25:4 Make me know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your
paths. 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious
thoughts; 24 and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the
everlasting way. Prov. 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean
not unto your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and
he shall direct your paths. Mic. 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and
to walk humbly with your God?
Hab. 3:19 The Lord GOD is my strength,
and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high
places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments. It hit me
the other day what the high places are. They are the places of worship, where
we are supposed to walk!
Zec. 10:12 "And I will strengthen
them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk," declares the
LORD
Lk. 9:23 And He was saying to them all,
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take
up his cross daily and follow Me. 24
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever
loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25 "For what
is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
26 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be
ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of
the holy angels. 14:26 "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own
father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even
his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 "Whoever does not carry
his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. Jn. 10:4
"When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep
follow him because they know his voice. 5 "A stranger they simply will
not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers."
27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
13:15 "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to
you. 1 Cor. 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
Phil. 2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6
who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant,
and being made in the likeness of men. 1 Thes. 1:6 You also became imitators
of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with
the joy of the Holy Spirit, 1 Pet. 2:21 For you have been called for this
purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you
to follow in His steps. (The Greek word translated example meant a
writing copy, including all the letters of the alphabet, given to beginners as
an aid in learning to draw them. They could trace over them as well. Jesus,
being the alpha and omega, leaves us an example for every area of our lives,) 1
Jn. 2:6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in
the same manner as He walked.
Rom. 6:4 Therefore we have been buried
with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Mt. 7:13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the
way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through
it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is difficult that
leads to life, and there are few who find it. Jn.14:5 Thomas said to Him,
"Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?"
6 Jesus /said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father but through Me. (Jesus and dying to self is the
gate and the path.)
Rom. 8:4 So that the requirement of the
Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but
according to the Spirit. 5 For those who are according to the flesh set
their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the
Spirit, the things of the Spirit. Gal. 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit,
and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 25 If we live by the
Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Often we think that not
carrying out the desires of the flesh enables walking by the Spirit. Actually,
the opposite is true. It’s as we walk by Holy Spirit (doing the do’s) that we
overcome the works of the flesh (not doing the don’ts). I like how the NIV
translates walk by the Spirit in verse 25. It says, “keep in step with”.
1 Cor. 7:17 Only, as the Lord has assigned
to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk.
And so I direct in all the churches. Eph. 4:1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the
Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which
you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 11 And He gave some as apostles, and
some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and as pastors and teachers. What
Is your calling? Some can answer without blinking. Others might say, “Calling,
what calling?” Well, we’re all called to salvation, eternal glory, blessings,
suffer, his marvelous light, and holiness. And that is just 1 & 2 Peter!
2 Cor. 5:6 Therefore, being always of
good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent
from the Lord-- 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight-- 8 we are of good
courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home
with the Lord. The kingdom of God is an upside-down kingdom. Give to get,
serve to lead, humility to be exalted, rejoice in trials and persecution, die
to live, etc. We must know the word and the voice of our shepherd to avoid
mess-ups.
Eph. 2:10 For we are His workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so
that we would walk in them.
Eph. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God,
as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you
and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant
aroma.
Eph. 5:13 But all things become visible
when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is
light. 14 For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the
dead, and Christ will shine on you." 15 Therefore be careful how you
walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16 making the most of your time,
because the days are evil. Prov. 14:15 The naive believes everything, but the
sensible man considers his steps.
Col. 2:6 Therefore as you have
received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. (How? – believing, repenting,
confessing, accepting)
Bart Nelson - etsministries.info