The phrase “walking with God” is used in the Bible to describe a close, intimate relationship with God. It is essential to understand that walking with God is a journey, not a destination, and is not without trials and troubles. It is a lifelong process of growing closer to God and learning to live according to His will. Walking with God may not always be easy, but when we allow Him to, no matter what ups and downs we face, God will walk with us, guide, protect, and provide for us.
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There will be times when we experience great joy and peace as we walk with God. We will feel His presence in our lives and know He guides us. There will also be times when we experience pain and suffering. We may feel lost and alone and question why God allows these things to happen. Remembering that God is with us during the good and the bad times is essential. He loves us, and He wants what is best for us. As we continue to grow in our faith and knowledge of God, we learn that He may not always answer our prayers the way we want, but He will always work things out for our good. As we walk with God, we will better understand His will and purpose for our life, but what does walking with God really mean?
How to Walk With God
Knowing how to walk with God is crucial because it leads to peace and assurance that we are never alone. Walking with God and moving forward with Him means spending time with Him. When we spend time with God in specific ways, we learn to stride with Him. Being in stride allows our steps to follow His desires for our lives. We want to see everything from God’s perspective and standards and walk so that our lives stay hidden in God. When we walk with God, we strive to be in sync as we move in the same direction and instep with His plans. There are four critical things to do to walk with God:
- Pray and spend time in His presence.
- Read the Bible and learn more about Him.
- Obey and do what He asks you to do.
- Trust Him and obey Him.
Walk With God By Spending Time in Prayer
Although we can do several things to ensure we walk and stride with God. The most impactful thing to do is to communicate with Him through prayer. As we begin our mornings and throughout our day, we should pray to ask God to lead us and guide us. Praying invites God into our lives. When we pray, we communicate what is on our hearts, but when we take the time to sit quietly and spend time in God’s presence, praying also becomes a time for God to speak to us about what is on His heart and, more specifically, what we can do to support His plans.
God will not force us to listen. Most of the time, the Heavenly Father will not yell over the busyness of our lives. Instead, He waits for us to find time to pray with Him. God wants us to prioritize our time with Him. Only when we do will we be able to hear His still, small voice. We need to listen to the Father’s voice to seek His guidance. If we feel that we have been too busy to hear from God, it may be time to add fasting to our prayers.
When we add fasting to our prayers, we give up food and instead draw near to God, allowing Him to satisfy us. In the Bible, God’s people often fasted immediately before a major victory, miracle, or answer to prayer. Fasting and praying are essential. Together, they prepare us for a blessing because they help us hear God better.
Walk With God By Reading the Bible
The second most important thing we can do to walk with God is read the Bible and learn more about His character and will. We understand more about God, his Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit when we read and study God’s Word. Additionally, we learn from the examples of all the people in the Bible.
We must evaluate the lives of the different characters in the Bible to learn what it means to walk with God. As we read the stories of Biblical characters, we will see that while some walked with God successfully, others did not. We can learn from these successes and failures to clearly understand what it means to walk with God.
There was a man named Enoch who walked so successfully with God that the Bible states, “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him (Genesis 5:24 ESV).” We understand this verse to mean that Enoch did not die a normal death but was taken by God because he walked with Him.
Walk With God By Obeying
Third, we must obey God. We must follow God’s commands and live according to His standards, but we must also learn to hear God’s voice so that we can listen and obey when He directs us toward His purpose. God will call us to do something, go somewhere, or do something, and we must “have ears to hear” and be willing to obey his voice.
Walking with God is a discipline. It is not a push-and-pull relationship. It is not a matter of us trying to force God to do our will or of God trying to force us to do His will. Walking with God is not running ahead of Him and then wondering where He is, nor is it waiting until we have a clear revelation regarding how everything will work out. Instead, walking with God is a relationship of listening and obeying because we trust God.
Countless stories exist in the Bible to remind us about the importance of obedience. A big fish swallowed Jonah (Jonah 1 ESV), King Saul lost his throne (1 Samuel 13 ESV), and Moses was forbidden to go into the Promised Land (Numbers 20 ESV) because Moses did not correctly carry out God’s directions.
Walk With God By Trusting and Surrendering
Walking with God is a journey of surrender. It requires letting go of our control and allowing God to lead us by His Spirit. When we walk with God, we trust He knows what is best for us, even when we don’t understand it, and we surrender to His will by allowing Him to lead us in the way He wants. Although we may have our own opinions or desires, we willingly put those aside and follow God’s leading, even if it is not what we would have chosen.
Walking with God is a journey of faith. It is a journey of trusting that our Father is good, loves us, and has a plan for our lives. It is not always easy to walk with God. There will be times when we question His leading. We may feel lost, alone, or uncertain, but we must keep walking by faith. We must trust and surrender, knowing that God will always lead us correctly.
The Benefits of Walking With God
Walking with God, we feel His peace, guidance, strength, and hope. We can also experience the joy of knowing that we are fulfilling His purpose. This peace we gain when we walk with God is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
As we walk with God, He will guide us and help us navigate life. He will show us the right path and help us make wise decisions. God will give us the strength to face the challenges of life. He will be our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). He will also give us hope for the future because God promises He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Walking with God through the ups and downs of life is not always easy, but it is always worth it. When we walk with God, we can experience His peace, joy, and hope. We can also share the satisfaction of living according to His will. Let’s pray together now and ask God to help us walk in sync with Him.
A Prayer To Improve Our Walk With God
No matter whether you are a new Christian or a more mature one. We must constantly maintain our walk with God. Praying and asking god to help us stay in sync with his steps is essential. He loves us, and he will help with whatever we need. Let’s pray to improve our walk with God.
