Category Archives: Walking

Abiding, Bible, Forbearance, Gentleness, Humility, Patience, Scripture, Walking

HOW TO WALK WORTHY

EPHESIANS 4:2

“with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,”

I was walking the other day and stepped up on a sidewalk jamming my right hip. It took a few steps to work that “kink” out, but it got better as I walked. Until… The next day and each day since then (it seems), that hip has been bothering me. I guess I am due to go see my chiropractor and get him to check it. One little misstep has caused some lasting pain.

In yesterday’s verse (Ephesians 4:1) Paul tells us “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling.” We talked about the calling yesterday, but what about this walk? What did Paul mean by walking worthy? Well, he went on to explain what he meant in today’s and tomorrow’s verses. Let’s take a look at what walking worthy means and how we can do that.

APPLICATION

Paul gives some descriptions in today’s verse of what it takes to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. First of all, he says we should walk (live our lives) “with all humility.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that. I don’t want to be humbled by anyone or anything. But wait a minute. Scripturally, that is a good thing. The word here for humility is tapeinophrosýnē. HELPS Word studies says it is “(lowliness, humility) an inside-out virtue produced by comparing ourselves to the Lord (rather than to others). This brings behavior into alignment with this inner revelation to keep one from being self-exalting (self-determining, self-inflated). For the believer, tapeinophrosýnē means living in complete dependence on the Lord, i.e. with no reliance on self (the flesh).” That’s a pretty exhaustive definition, don’t you think?

Then Paul continues in our verse by saying, “and gentleness.” Wow, not only must we be humble. We must be gentle. The word here is prautés, which is a gentle strength. It does not mean you are weak. Think of a strong, beautiful stallion that has been broken for a rider. That animal still has all the strength it had before, only now it is under control.

Next, we are told to have “patience.” What? That’s asking way too much. Makrothumia means to be long suffering. This really applies towards people, not circumstances. This is the same word used in Galatians 5:22 where Paul gives us the fruits of the Spirit. This is God’s patience towards us.

Lastly, Paul says we should walk worthily by “bearing with one another in love.” The Greek word for “bearing with” literally means “to put up with.” Now, just think of the number of people that may apply to in your life. But don’t get too cocky about that. You are probably on their list too.

Listen, walking worthy of our calling is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. You cannot walk humbly, gently, patiently or with forbearance apart from God. He knows that and will give you all these things if you ask. Back to my opening illustration – I made a misstep that caused me pain. I can get help with that. The same applies to your walk with Christ. You may have mis-stepped, but God can correct it. Go to Him.

O Lord, I want to walk in a manner pleasing to You

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Bible, Flesh, Holy Spirit, Scripture, Submission, Walking

WALK BY THE SPIRIT

GALATIANS 5:16

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

Walking the right way is important. When our feet are messed up, that makes it difficult. If we walk improperly, it can throw our whole gait off and affect our back. If our back is bothering us, that can affect our neck and head. And it all began with our feet not being healthy. As one who suffers from bad feet due to neuropathy, I can relate to this combination effect on my body.

Following up from his previous statement in verse 15, Paul makes a simple, yet profound truth. That little word “but” means a contrast from the previous statement is coming. Paul is about to get into a major contrast between flesh and Spirit in verses 19-23 of this chapter. Hang on to your hat. But here, he simply says to walk by the Spirit. Actually, the Greek says, “Spirit walk.” And the verb “walk” is in the present imperative, which means it’s a command to keep walking.

APPLICATION

What does it mean to walk by the Spirit? That sounds awfully churchy, doesn’t it? It really isn’t that complicated. I like what Albert Barnes says about this verse, “the only way to overcome the corrupt desires and propensities of our nature, is by submitting to the influences of the Holy Spirit. It is not by philosophy; it is not by mere resolutions to resist them; it is not by the force of education and laws; it is only by admitting into our souls the influence of religion and yielding ourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God. If we live under the influences of that Spirit, we need not fear the power of the sensual and corrupt propensities of our nature.”

I read somewhere else that “If the spirit that is in us can be at ease under sin, it is not a spirit that comes from the Holy Spirit.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary) The two cannot co-exist. There is not enough room for both to work in your life. You are either in the flesh or in the Spirit. Look what Paul says in Romans 6:8, “For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit.”

So, let me ask you – how are you walking today? Are you walking to please that old fleshly heart of yours, trampling underfoot anyone who gets in your way? Or are you submitting your will to His will and letting the Holy Spirit guide you? He will never, ever lead you astray. Every step you take under the influence of Jesus is one step closer to God. Trust that!

O Father, help me walk by the Spirit and not my flesh this day and every day.

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Abiding, Bible, Direction, Following, Scripture, Walking

WALK IN HIS NAME

ZECHARIAH 10:12

“‘And I will strengthen them in the LORD, and in His name they will walk,’ declares the LORD.”

Call me crazy (and many people do, lol) but when I read today’s verse, I immediately thought of the phrase “Walk like an Egyptian.” You’ve seen people imitate that. (If any Egyptians are reading this right now, I mean no disrespect.) I remember the comedian, Steve Martin, and his skit on King Tut. I don’t think Zechariah was thinking about that when he wrote this verse. Do you?

But seriously, the LORD declares that the people of Israel will walk in His name. That sounds simple enough, right? The Hebrew word for “walk” has a lot of meanings. It can mean to march, to move speedily, to walk back and forth and so forth. It doesn’t just mean to walk. Every move they make will be in His name. When they walk to the market, when they walk to worship or when they walk their children to school, they are to be walking in His name.

APPLICATION

We are told in Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Again, in 1 Thessalonians 2:12 we read, “so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”
Walking in His name didn’t stop with the Israelites in the Old Testament. We are commanded to do the same today. Each of our steps should be directed by Jesus. Everywhere we go we represent Him if you are a believer. People are watching you. They are looking to see how you behave and how you live your life. How are you walking right now?

I am very conscious every day of every step I take. I have some pretty severe neuropathy in my feet. I can’t feel my toes which causes me to be off balanced (no jokes please). I can easily trip. So, I am careful. But I am also careful of my spiritual steps. I want each of my steps to be a witness for my Savior. I pray that is your goal too.

Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it Jesus is my plea

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Bible, Looking, Obedience, Scripture, Sin, Trust, Walking

WATCH YOUR STEP

HAGGAI 1:5

“Now then, the LORD of armies says this: ‘Consider your ways!’”

As I get older, I am much more cautious of the steps I take. By that, I mean my physical steps. I suffer with peripheral neuropathy in both feet which makes walking challenging at times. One of my biggest concerns is not being able to feel my feet, especially my toes, and making a misstep. When I am walking outside, I am very conscious of the ground and am constantly monitoring myself to avoid holes or uneven ground. It is a little scary at times.

Haggai shares in today’s verse a similar admonition. But this warning isn’t about physical steps. He is referring to the Israelite’s spiritual steps. The Hebrew word for “way” is derek, which can mean way, road, distance, journey or manner. The LORD is telling them to seriously consider, to give thought to, to be aware of their manner of life, their journey, their relationship with Him. That’s a word we could all use.

APPLICATION

How is your walk? Are you watching your steps? Are you walking in the light or darkness? I don’t know about you, but I prefer to walk in the light, both in this physical world and in the spiritual world. I know there are hazards out there that can trip me physically, especially with my numb feet. But there are also plenty of spiritual hurtles out there that can cause me fall into sin if I am not watching.

John tells us in 1 John 1:7 “but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” Walking in the light benefits us and others. If I trip and fall, I can bring others down. I definitely don’t want to do that.

When I was going through my chemo treatments a few years ago, I was having some issues with fainting. My wife was so fearful I was going to fall, so she would walk beside me or behind me, as if she could stop me if I started falling. I knew if I fell and she tried to stop me, she was going down too. That is so true spiritually, as well. We must guard our steps to protect others and ourselves. Watch your feet!

Make my feet like hinds’ feet, Lord. Make me surefooted as I follow You.

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