WALKING WITH GOD

WALKING WITH GOD

“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him… By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God” Gen 5:24, Heb.11:5 

Walking with God denotes doing what is pleasing in His sight always and setting God always before us knowing He literally sees what we do, how we do it, when we do it, where we do it and with whom we do it at all times. Nothing done under the earth is hidden from this righteous judge for His eyes goes to and fro over all the earth.

It is to make God's word our rule and his glory our end in all our actions knowing that good things come to those that are doers of His word and the glory of God is revealed in those that walk uprightly and do nothing to offend him. It is to comply with His will, to concur with his strategies and schemes, and to be workers together with him. It is to be followers of him as dear children doing the will of God from our heart.

“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sit on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God come on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” Col 3:1-10 

The people that walk with God must be entirely dead to this world, and did not only walk after God, as all good men do, but he walked with God, knowing that his eternal bliss is dependent on that factor. Like Elijah and John the beloved, they are on the earth realm but constantly perusing in the heavenly realm where they see how the angels walk, reverence and follow the dictates of God and they do likewise, seeking only those things that are above and the ways things are done in the heavens, obeying the ordinance that God’s will be done on earth as it has been done in heaven.

Enoch walked with God for it is the life of a good man to walk with God. It was the occupational thrust of Enoch's life, and his constant care and work to thus walk; while others lived to themselves and the world, he lived to God. It was the joy and support of his life. Communion and sitting [dwelling] with God in the heavenly was to him better than life itself. Enoch did not start true walking with God until he was sixty five years old but after that, he held on tenaciously to outright devotion and following God with all his body, soul, and spirit. Corruption was far from Enoch and he persevered to the very end walking as one who want to walk forever [even after his earthly sojourn] with God and God translated him. He walk worthy of God.

God himself will put an honor upon those that by faith, walk with him so as to please him. He will own them now, and witness for them before angels and men at the great day. Those that have not this testimony before the translation, yet shall have it afterwards. Those whose conversation in the world is truly holy and sanctified shall find their removal out of it truly pleasing. Enoch's translation was not only an evidence to faith of the reality of a future state, and of the possibility of the body's existing in glory in that state; but it was an encouragement to the hope of all that walk with God that they shall be forever with God. We must know that godly piety shall be crowned with godly honors.

Blessedness of walking with God has not only to do with being translated to heavenly places but includes living on earth as if one is put back into the Garden of Eden where all things has been prepared for us to enjoy.

“He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands” Psalms 78:70-72 

David was a man that walked with God despite his obvious sin in the issue of Bathsheba and Uriah because he genuinely repented of his sins [Psalms 51] and afterwards did what was right in the sight of God. His walking with God was described as uprightness or purity of heart, moral rectitude, integrity, truthfulness or reliability, and the skillfulness, divine competence and ability of his work. The latter being the ability to combine hard work with godly wisdom to get godly and good result.

That is why David was promoted from shepherding the sheep of his father Jesse to shepherding the people of God the Israelite. He pleased God with the best of his abilities and willingly submitted to all the ordinances, statutes and judgments of God. That was why God revealed this secret to Solomon before he manned the throne as king so that he can get same godly result that David got.

“The LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel” 1 Kings 9:2-5

Solomon did serve God but not with a perfect heart like David for he allowed his wives to lure him to serve other gods and did not walk like his father. He took his father’s love for women to an outrageous level and they caused him to err from the path of godly lifestyle. He dotted on strange women and did not apply the wisdom that his mother taught him [Prov. 31:3]. The love of women cast down his head from place of glory [Prov. 7:26]. Unrestrained lust will be uncontrolled, and the loosened hind will wander endlessly!

“For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father … And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee” 1 Kings 11:4, 38

Length of days and good life are promised to those that walk with the Lord and do what is right in His sight.

“Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess” Deut. 5:33

“And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul” Deut. 10:12 

The activities and affections of our souls and in the actions of our lives, our moralities and our performs should be to fear and love God, serve Him in an acceptable manner [Job 36:11], and obey God’s commandment. These are basic requirements for walking in the footstep of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” Josh. 22:5 

We must fear the Lord our God by abstaining from evil, adore his majesty, acknowledge his authority, cleave to Him, stand in awe of his power, and dread his wrath. This is our gospel duty [Rev. 14:6]. Walking with God entails conforming to His holy will, desire that we will walk according to His heartbeat, and delight in the meditation with and communion with God so that we can do what is right in His sight.

Such ardent Christians must devote themselves to his honor, put themselves under his government, and lay out themselves to advance all the interests of his kingdom among men. And we must be wholehearted pleasing Him and passionate in his service. We must engross and employ our inward man in God’s work, and what we do for him we must do cheerfully and with a good will.

“But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what GOD is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously-- take God seriously” Micah 6:8 MSSG