The Tribune

By CARLOS SPENCER

Believers in Christ understand the significance and connotation of walking with God. It represents a way of life that requires that we adhere to God’s commands and that we live in harmony with God’s will for our lives. For many this can be extremely challenging notwithstanding the depth of one’s faith. Micah 6:8 (KJV) tells us: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

The Apostle Paul makes an important point in Galatians 5:16-17. He wrote: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

Paul is essentially letting us know that if we are truly directed and guided by the Spirit, we will not obey our self-centered wants and desires. The Spirit and our desires are adversaries and cannot co-exist.

Paul also wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV): “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Our daily spiritual walk with God causes us to move nearer to Him. We look forward to our quiet moments with our Creator as we speak to Him through prayer. In return God communicates with us though His word….or directly to our hearts and minds as we pray. The prolific Paul again wrote in Ephesians 5:2 (KJV): “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.”

For a Believer, what could possibly be more saccharine and desirable than a close walk with our Almighty God? I could not imagine life otherwise.

Once we begin our walk with God we are expected to remain focused and continue to walk this path, whatever level we are at. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:16-18 (KJV): “Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.”

The is a most important passage and well worth careful study. The book of Genesis is opulent with examples of individuals who walked closely with God. For example, Enoch, Noah, Abram, and Joseph to name a few. (See Genesis 5:22, 5:24, 6:9, 17:1, 24:40, 48:15)

Our Lord Jesus Christ puts our walk with God into clear perspective. Jesus says in John 15:4 (KJV): “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” Our Lord also tells us in John 8:12 (KJV): “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

In my view, a walk with God is vital for a happy, productive and fulfilling life, where inner peace is limitless. Amen. Thanks be to God for the sharing of His Word.