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 2

WALKING IN NEWNESS OF LIFE II

Our heavenly Father did not provide salvation as an “enhancement” to the life we have already made. His intention was for His children to build their lives AROUND HIM! Many are proud of their accomplishments and satisfied with the way they have laid out their destiny but that does not mean they are WALKING in God. Some see the idea of religion as the icing on a cake they have already baked but this is completely missing the idea of grace and redemption. “And He spoke also a parable unto them; No man puts a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new causes a tear and the piece that was taken out of the new does not match with the old. And no man puts new wine into old wineskins; else the new wine will burst the containers and be spilled, and all will be ruined. But NEW WINE must be put into NEW CONTAINERS; and both are PRESERVED.” (Luke 5:36-39) Jesus is not in the business of patching people up He has come to completely transform our heart, conscience and thinking so that He can fill us with His Spirit. He is not the new “engine” on our ship where we remain captain – He IS the new ship, the new engine and most importantly our new CAPTAIN. Selah. “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that just as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should WALK in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead – is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:4-8) We all slip up from time to time but that is not what this passage is trying to reveal to us. We are not to be “servants” or SLAVES to sin if we profess to be born again. Unfortunately many who consider themselves Christians have fallen into the bondage of carnality and have not realized that something is seriously wrong. The old mind and nature is supposed to be a corpse but for many it still has a pulse (like a zombie – the walking dead). We are not to live like this! We can call out to God anytime we are fed up with being used by the devil and the Lord will hear our cries and will help us break the chains that hold us. If sin is using you there is no better time than right now to say “no more” and to remove (impeach) whoever or whatever is sitting on the throne of your heart. Whatever is controlling you has become your god! If Jesus is not sitting on the throne of your heart – He is not your Lord! Our determination to be what Jesus has died for us to be includes talking, WALKING, thinking and LIVING holy. “Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be DEAD indeed unto sin, but ALIVE unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore REIGN in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are ALIVE from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” (Romans 6:11-13)

THE WALK OF SELF-CONTROL: Whatever the addiction we realize there is a VICIOUS CYCLE and where there is a habit – there is always a CROSSROAD MOMENT! This is the place of decision that returns on a regular basis where we are faced with the CHOICE to continue going in the same old direction or change course. With food addiction, the “deal” is made when hunger is the most intense. This is when the body raises its awareness and becomes a craving, aggressive predator. In our weakness we are very vulnerable to temptation and where we privately decide if we are going to obey the red light of self-control or the green light of unrestraint. It begins with temptation that comes from a strong desire and ends with us accepting or rejecting its offer. When we “submit” to the yearning, we indulge until we are satisfied and our senses are submerged in a temporary feeling of ecstasy and euphoria. This emotional “dream state” can drift into emotions of sadness, regret, depression and guilt only minutes after we have mesmerized with pleasure. This “merry-go-round” prison of condemnation can become so powerful that some may fall into the pattern of even regurgitating the food along with all of the many different types of psychological eating disorders. The agony of failure remains until the satisfaction wears off, the hunger returns and the “beast” awakes to plan its next feast. We do not need a psychiatrist to help us find the answer to overcoming this deceptive enemy because it does not matter so much “why” we have come to this point – but how can we WALK in God’s perfect will! Even if we could write a book about our past it would not necessarily in itself cause us to automatically live the abundant Christian life. It is not the past that is holding us hostage – it is our inability to realize that we are holding the key to our own prison cell. Selah.

Can God’s power help me overcome my compulsive problems? Well, of course! He is always ready to respond to our faith! No doubt we all need His power to “help” us with everyday trials, but we cannot sit on the couch with a huge bag of potato chips and expect Him to “zap” us with a new sculpted, beach body! The same is true with any type of dependency and addiction – our amount of determination along with His Divine power will directly measure our success. In dealing with human behavior changes, it is more like He has given us the “WILLPOWER” to become determined to change and then in turn He watches over us and bless us with His love and support. He can ENCOURAGE us and INSPIRE us to be the best we can be – but we must have the “vision” and fervent desire to put on our track shoes and begin to run! “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us (attacking, surrounding, harassing) and let us RUN with patience the race that is before us. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” (Heb. 12:1, 12, 13)

Until the desire to be free from food addiction becomes GREATER than living incarcerated to the quest to fill our belly – there is no hope for deliverance. Those who continue in the over-eating (or bad food selection) addiction cycle have obviously made the decision to remain being CONTROLLED! Since we have the opportunity for instant gratification there is no one that can make us – make the decision to say no. This is the place that separates the talkers from the walkers. We can remain as spoiled children that always get what they cry for or we can finally grow up and become the mature Christian that Jesus gave His life for us to be.

Many, who are overweight eat their food fast and do not give the food time to tell the brain to stop. The perfect formula for “growing larger” is to swallow faster than our sensors can relay the “full capacity” message. The stomach and mind work together but if we swallow it down faster than the mind can receive the message to stop – we become “overloaded”. If we reduce the amount of content – the stomach will naturally shrink back to normal and as a bonus – the less we consume the less we will desire (over a period of time.) You will find yourself not driven by hunger but focusing on other things like enjoying the atmosphere and thanking God for the one you are dining with. I used to fantasize about the food that I had planned while usually not paying much attention to those who were with me. It is terrible to live to eat instead of eating to live. Eating is not to be a “lust filled affair” but rather a blessing that has been given by God for our nourishment and strength. A great idea is to only put food on your plate that you really enjoy. Do not load a spoonful of everything just because it is sitting in front of you. Try an experiment! When you have dipped out your food sit down and look at it very carefully. Many people are guilty of “mindless” eating. They do not think about what they are putting in their mouth they are just ready to devour it. Take small bites and chew it like you are enjoying it – not like you are a wild animal. This will allow you to focus on your favorites and the brain will have plenty of time to blow the internal alarm to stop. Also, do not convince yourself that you need to eat everything on the table just so it will not go to waste. If you are in a restaurant and you must save it, take a leftover box home with you and eat it later. If you are weighing yourself everyday remember that we all fluctuate throughout the day and this can become discouraging. Try peeking at the scales just once per week to reduce anxiety and depression.

The most important key is to meet with God face-to-face and simply ASK HIM to reduce our hunger and our passionate desire for food. It only makes common sense; the reason we gain is because we eat rich delicacies and we eat much more than we should. If our desire levels were to be turned down, our clothing sizes would also go down. If we could “break-up” this romance with food “idolatry” and realize we are being “abused” by our own conscience, we could go to the next level in drawing nearer to Him. Many will say, “Asking God to help me is just too easy”. But, wait a minute; don’t we believe that Father is interested in the little things that concern us? “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear:” (Isaiah 59:1) If our intention is to be a stronger witness through weight loss – HE IS LISTENING! If our motive to be healthier is so that we can serve Him more effectively – HE’S ALWAYS READY TO HELP US BE VICTORIOUS! Nothing is impossible with faith, but it’s not easy. Being “sold out” to HIS perfect plan for us, is being disciplined and under HIS control at ALL times! “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: Is there anything too hard for me?” (Jer. 32:27)

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.