THE WALK
“That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who
WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” ((Romans 8:4))

PART 1

WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE

In 1985 I was in Freemont Ohio to attend a prophetic worship conference. I had just ministered a song the Lord had given to me called “unmeasured love” and went down to go sit in my seat. The music started and it was just a time of soft free-worship, when the symposium leader (Larry Dempsey) called me back to the stage. He asked for Cheryl to also come up along with my pastor (Mark Workman) that had brought us to the meetings and for them to lay hands on me while they prophesied over me. I received lengthy words of wisdom and encouragement from two of the prophets and another from the pastor of the church that was hosting the event. The heart of the message was that God had given me the new song of His Spirit and put His Word into my spirit to write and release to the body of Christ. There was a personal warning included – I would have to WALK OUT every word that I write, and it was said openly that, “it would be some hard walking”! Since then I have been sensitive to the word “walk” and have inscribed “Walking Thru Ministries” on everything I have released for many years. The point is the same with all of God’s children; our journey with God in this life is to be much more than just TALK, or as many have said just “talking the talk”. It is easy to write a book of our own opinions about every topic in the world (whether we really know much about it or not). The real proof of our devotion and conviction is when we WALK according to Father’s will no matter how much our flesh cries or how much the world hates us. It is putting feet on our faith and actually living according to the words we are speaking. WALKING THE WALK separates the doers from the pretenders, the workers from the couch potatoes. The churches are filled with lazy complainers and negative, prideful opinions of how things should be and then there are the ones that have decided to labor and sacrifice because they desire to be faithful to God. The “WALKERS” are not waiting on a church organizations approval, a sign in the stars, a tax exemption or a media endorsement – they just want to listen to God’s voice and do His will! The church is moving forward and on the rise – it just might not be the one sitting on the hill with the steeple!

DO NOT WALK LIKE THE UNBELIEVER:

Most all of you that read these articles either have worked or still do work a regular job. How many of you have wondered about the genuineness of individuals you have worked with that professed to be Christians? I know – we are not to judge their heart – unless their actions reveal who they really are and prove the type of fruit they bear! If a stranger began to work in your place of employment, would they be able to tell if you were a Christian? When people cannot notice a difference between the lost and the saved, do you think something is wrong? “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you henceforth WALK NOT as other Gentiles walk, in the VANITY of their MIND. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians 4:17-18)

“But now you also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that you 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.” (Colossians 3:8-10)

IF YOU HAVE THE REAL THING – WALK IT:

I realize that when we are first born-again, it is exciting and it seems we have no pride or embarrassment. But after a while our old nature regains its composure and tells us to stop acting like a fool because people are staring. This is the last hour of the age and if we are ever going to stand for our faith it is now. Do not be ashamed to be counted as a full-blown disciple of Jesus and count it an honor to be called a peculiar – freak!
“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so WALK in Him. Rooted and built up in Him, and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6-7)

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them and WALK in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be separate, say’s the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, say’s the Lord Almighty.” (II Corinthians 6:16-18)

WALKING IN HIS SPIRIT:

Abiding in God’s divine reality is a constant theme with our spiritual journey. Staying in the awareness of His presence is a revelation that is crucial in our understanding of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We may hear these statements thousands of times before all of a sudden it dawns on us what it actually means. This is called a personal revelation and is something each one of us must have if we are to progress into spiritual wisdom. The law is just paper and ink unless they are absorbed into our spirit and mind through spiritual enlightenment which is the difference between empty religion and knowing Father intimately. As I have said before speaking in tongues is not evidence of being filled with His Spirit. The evidence of being filled with God is talking, walking and living like Jesus. “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who WALK not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:3-6)

WALKING IN HIS WISDOM:

“WALK in WISDOM toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:5-6) It has been said that you may be the only Jesus that someone may ever see. How important is it for all of us to live right, say the right things and do what Jesus is calling us to do? It could mean the difference between a soul finding Christ and that is what us being a light and salt is all about. When we speak of being aware of God’s presence we are talking about being keenly sensitive in the spirit realm. When our antennas are up and functioning we can hear what God is saying about others around us. Divine appointments are very special occurrences that Father arranges so that He can use His agents to say and do special things at certain times. This is all for the purpose of ministering to people directly and revealing Himself as a revelation to them. If we are not walking in the Spirit we cannot be used in these special assignments because we are not tuned in to the right frequency and have no clue as to what God’s desires are. The closer we live with Father the more He will use us to do His will. “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called in one body; and be thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all WISDOM; teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.” (Colossians 3:14-17)

WALKING WITH SPIRIT EYES:

Faith is such a giant word in the language of the spirit. We as Christians throw it around like we throw the other popular words of prayer and love, but its difficult to know what it means. We can believe and hope but faith is even deeper. Faith is KNOWING that we have heard what God is saying. Faith is standing in the face of fear and not being afraid. Faith is a confidence that does not come from this realm. It is being one with God. Selah. “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. But without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:3, 6) “We having the same spirit of FAITH of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (II Corinthians 4:13, 18) We have seen a small glimpse into sanctification and how the dividing line is becoming more defined. As the days grow nearer to the coming of the Lord we will no longer be able to straddle the spiritual fence and expect the principals of God to operate in our lives. The humanistic world is becoming more aggressive and harsh against those who believe in the Word of God and His holy doctrines. We will WALK together, unified in the faith and the absolute perfection of His truth, because we are grounded and established forever in His covenant love. May we WALK out this coming year – what we already know – for His honor and glory. Selah.