The Walk

April 07, 2024

The Walk

Just because two people have the same support and opportunities doesn’t mean they will have the same outcome in their life. Receiving a life doesn’t mean that it will be walked out to its full potential. Living in America alone is a great example of this as people from the same part of town and the same culture can often have very different lifestyles. It has everything to do with how one chooses to take advantage of what’s available, how they walk out what they’ve been given. It will require acquiring the necessary information and applying diligence and persistence to whatever it takes to walk out its potential. For it to become their life and not just wasted potential, though, it will also have to be more than just an event, but a purpose given to each step of life. For it to become life it will have to be a part of every one of life’s moments.

When Christ rose from the grave it was to provide a new life with unlimited potential to every man, woman, boy, and girl. Its provision alone, however, does not mean that it is experienced and enjoyed. To benefit from the abundant life Jesus won for us, He must be received as Lord and Savior and then His walk must become ours. For it to affect at all, though, it must affect all. From the moment of reception when sins are forgiven and new life is formed, His presence must become an uninterrupted awareness with honor. This means that old behaviors will no longer be acceptable and the purpose of life itself will take on a much greater significance. While old things are let go, it’s not with a sense of loss as the new ways of freedom are so much more gratifying than those abandoned behaviors ever were. As the New Life in Christ is in the Spirit, the new walk will be in the Spirit, where things from the Father’s heart displace the passions and purpose that used to be directed by the worldly flesh. In Him is true life, but it’s only by walking there in Him that this life will be experienced and shared.

Notes

The purpose of Christ’s rising – a walk.

Romans 6:4 (NKJV) 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

To Walk:

  • Destination
  • Path/Way
  • Steps/Movement

New Walk – In Light

John 8:12 (NKJV) 12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

On a righteous path

Proverbs 4:18-19 (NLT) 18 The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day. 19 But the way of the wicked is like total darkness. They have no idea what they are stumbling over.

In the Light of His presence – behaviors change

Romans 13:13-14 (NKJV) 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

God’s working – prepared walk

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

God wants to walk together

2 Corinthians 6:16 (NKJV) 16 And what agreement has 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 AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.”

New Life = Spirit – has indicators

Galatians 5:16-25 (NKJV) 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

The walk of love cannot step in the flesh

Ephesians 5:2-4 (NKJV) 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. 3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

The walk will be contested – but…

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV) 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Overview:

  • A reason for Jesus’ rising from the grave was for us to walk in newness of life.
  • We’ve been given a gift of new life, but it’s up to us to walk in it and have it become our life.
  • Jesus is the Light for our walk, providing clear understanding and direction by His Spirit and Word.
  • The new walk is in the Spirit, with freedom from the perilous path of the flesh.
  • There are indicators that will reflect which path the walk is taking.
  • The walk will be on love’s path where only good things are thought and acted out.
  • Though contested by worldly influences, the new life walk will be defended by Truth from the Word.

Prayer:

Father, I am so very grateful for Your gift of new life in Christ. As I have received it and have become a new creation in Him, help me now to walk in the full potential of this life, living holy, victoriously, and effectively for Your kingdom.

Declarations:

  • I have been buried with Christ through baptism into death so that just as He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so I should also walk in newness of life.
  • The new life I’ve been given has become a walk that gets brighter and brighter in revelation with each step taken along the path of righteousness with Him.
  • This walk in new life is a walk in the Spirit where steps in the flesh are no longer possible.
  • This new life that is mine is a love life, where every step taken is motivated by love.
  • When challenged with opportunities to walk in the flesh, I am equipped with the Truth of God’s Word that is powerful enough to tear down every high thought and imagination and keep me walking on the path of righteousness.