What is “walking with God?” Walking with God is like what prophet Micah tells us in this verse:
Micah 6:8 "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?"
It is first and foremost “what is good” and then “what doth the LORD require of thee.” Jesus tells us in this passage of scripture:
Matthew 7:21 "¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."
Knowing “what is good” and “what is require of thee” is essential if we want to do the will of God. There are many Christians out there, but only born again believers who “doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. When asked by a lawyer what is the great commandment of the law, Jesus responded:
Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
The will of God is first and foremost “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” and secondly “thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Speaking of the commandment and law of the LORD, the psalmist tells us:
Psalms 19:7-8 "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."
The reason why we can love the Lord with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind is because the law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; and the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; and the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart. That is the earnest desire of the “honest and good heart” (Luke 8:15) of a born again believer. We can be wrong, but the 66 books of the Holy Bible can never be wrong. There is nothing that we can desire above the words of the LORD. The psalmist continues:
Psalms 19:9-11 "The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward."
The fear of the LORD is one of the seven spirits of God according to Isaiah 11:2, and we have a picture of that in the golden candlestick which comprise of seven candlesticks in one beaten work of pure gold. The “Holy Spirit” (found 7x in the 1611 King James Bible) is the seven spirits of God in one Spirit of God. It is the light of God coming from all the seven candlesticks, illuminating a born again believer with what Isaiah tells us in:
Isaiah 11:2 "And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;"
Just as Jesus is the “true Light” (John 1:9), every born again believer is the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14) that bears the true Light. When the seed of the word of God is sown in the good ground of an “honest and good heart,” (Luke 8:15) that is the beginning of knowledge, and the beginning of wisdom:
Proverbs 1:7 "¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."
It is the “fear of the LORD” that binds a born again believer to the will of God given to us in two testaments: the 39 books of the Old Testament, and the 27 books of the New Testament. When prophet Micah says “what is good” and “what is require of thee,” he was pointing us back to the 66 books of the Holy Bible, every word of God. That’s how a born again believer knows “to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” (Micah 6:8) Solomon tells us in:
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "¶ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
The keywords to note in this passage of scripture is “Fear God, and keep his commandments,” because this is the whole duty of man, or “what is require of thee” (Micah 6:8). It doesn’t matter what the world may do to you, but the whole duty of man is to fear God, and keep his commandments:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”
“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
That is “what is good” and “what is require of thee” according to Micah 6:8. You could be put into a difficult situation, but you must never forget “what is good” and “what is require of thee.” The Spirit of truth testifying to the word of truth in the 66 books of the Holy Bible, every word of God, will tell you “what is good” and “what is require of thee” in every situation. Jesus tells us in this verse:
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Our daily walk with God must begin with "the way." Jesus is "the way," but he is also "the truth." One cannot be decoupled from the other. So, to walk in "the way," it must necessarily be knowledge of “the way” according to scripture. Solomon tells us:
Proverbs 6:23 "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:"
The way of life must begin with knowledge of God’s commandment and God’s law (the truth). Apart from “the truth,” we cannot see the way” because it is “the truth” the illuminates “the way,” and without knowledge of “the way,” there is no eternal life. The way of life is what Jesus tells us in this passage of scripture:
Matthew 7:13-14 "¶ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
According to Jesus, “the way of life” is a narrow way that will lead to the strait gate, and few there be will find it. This is just like “the truth:” It is either “the truth,” or it's not “the truth.” It is either “the way,” or it's not “the way.” If it’s not “the truth,” then it’s not “the way” to God. There is no in-between, and every word of God is the narrow way to God.
To believe in Jesus Christ is to believe in every word of God in the 66 books of the Holy Bible. Jesus Christ is the Word of God made flesh, and the word of God is the spiritual manifestation of Jesus Christ on earth. One cannot be decoupled from the other, even as your spirit cannot be decoupled from your physical body. Therefore, a born again believer is a faithful believer of every word of God in the 66 books of the Holy Bible. James tells us in this verse:
James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
James compares a faith which is alive to a body which is alive, and contrast it with a faith which is "dead" to a body which is dead. Faith without works is like a body without spirit. A body which is alive will be evidenced by the presence of life, as much as a faith which is alive will be evidenced by an activity in the works of faith. It need not be compelled, and it cannot be faked. A born again believer is a faithful believer of every word of God in the 66 books of the Holy Bible. That’s how a born again believer, by the knowledge revealed unto him through the Spirit of truth testifying to the word of truth, knows to do the will of God. Going back to:
Ecclesiastes 12:14 "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."
Notice it is not you or any man or any angels that shall bring every work into judgment, but God is the one who shall bring every work into judgment. God is the one who will return the justice. Our whole duty as born again believers is to fear God, and keep his commandments, trusting when the bible says that he shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. God knows what you are going through in every stage of your lives. Bad things will happen to you along the way, and this is a test of your faith in the word of God.
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
God is looking for faith in his people. What you do in a situation is a reflection of what you believe in your heart, like what the bible tells us in James 2:26 "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in Daniel 3? Will you fall like everyone else, or stand like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego when your faith is put through the test of fire?
Hebrews 10:38 "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."
The just shall live by faith. That’s why Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego did not perish in the fire, but those who fell down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar hath made, having forgotten God’s commandment to them in Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," God will judge. According to Hebrews 10:38 “if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” God was not pleased with them, and they will be judged according to their works according to Ecclesiastes 12:14. The fear of the LORD was not in those men, but the “fear of man” according to:
Proverbs 29:25 "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."
Those men with Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego may thought that by falling down and worship the golden image which King Nebuchadnezzar hath made, they would be able to save themselves from certain death, but the bible tells us that the “fear of man” will bring a snare. They may save themselves today, but they may not save themselves tomorrow. That’s why Jesus tells us in:
Matthew 16:25 "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."
Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will put his trust in the LORD shall be safe. This links to what Solomon tells us in:
Proverbs 3:5-6 "¶ Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego did not perish because they trusted in the LORD. They trusted and obeyed his commandment in Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." They did not try to save themselves even when they were threatened with certain death for disobeying the king’s commandment. If you are going through a rough patch in your life for trusting in the LORD and keeping his commandments, be sure that he will remember you for the rest of eternity. You will be rewarded like what Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Read also:
Thanks for writing a post which is so true.