“And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24)
Our number one calling as Christians is to “walk with God,” and in order to fulfil this calling we have to clearly understand how God “walks” and choose to walk similarly in all aspects of our lives. This is why walking by faith in God and pleasing God go hand in hand. Enoch who “walked with God” and was raptured by God, did so by walking in a manner that pleased God. This truth is clearly revealed in the Bible, as it is written, “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.” (Hebrews 11:5). Walking with God simply entails doing the things that please God. This is the main reason why our Lord Jesus Christ prayed in John 17:17 that God, our Heavenly Father, should sanctify us (i.e. set us apart) by His Word while we are in this world. In a nutshell, therefore, living a lifestyle of pleasing God by obeying His Word is the basis of “walking with God”.
To successfully walk with God, the following basic things are required:
Humility
To successfully walk with God, humility is required. The Bible teaches us that God is displeased with the proud and He resists them, but He is pleased with the humble and gives His Grace to them. As it is written, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6). Also, “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5).
Furthermore, the Bible teaches us that Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, was humble to God the Father while He lived here on earth and, as His followers, we are encouraged to have the same mindset as Him (Philippians 2:5-8).
Knowledge of God and His Will
It is virtually impossible to walk with God without a clear knowledge of Him and His Will. As the Bible says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). In other words, to walk together with God, you need to be in agreement with Him through clear knowledge of Him and personal submission to His Will. This is the reason why Paul prayed for the church as it is written, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;” (Colossians 1:9-10).
Furthermore, the Bible teaches us that in order to successfully do the Will of God we need to have the Word of God in our heart! As it is written, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8).
Faith and Obedience
Walking with God requires Faith and Obedience. This is because God’s Ways and God’s Thoughts are higher than our human ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). This is the reason why the Bible says that we should not rely on our own understanding but trust and acknowledge God in all our ways! As it is written, “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.” (Proverbs 3:5-6). Therefore, we need to spend quality time studying and meditating in the Word of God (Joshua 1:8) so that our minds are renewed thereby (Romans 12:2) in order to facilitate our walk of faith and obedience to God. Also, it is written, “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.” (Hebrews 11:6). And, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17).
Finally, let us pray this prayer for one another daily, “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
