Walking With God
Gen 5:24
And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. Gen 5:24 (KJV)
This verse we read today in our Bibles is a short verse. Amongst all the geologies of from Adam where we read "and he died" multiple times it almost seems as if you could pass over this whole section as a little piece of insignificant human history for every man born of woman will have the same testimony "and he died." Without doing anything at all. I know that because the Bible say "it is appointed unto man once to die" so it stands to reason we are all headed for the same fate as everyone mentioned here and we die. But what if we don't? As strange as that would sound to today's society what if we don't? For among all these whose testimony is they died, one man didn't...Enoch. Why didn't Enoch die? Before I go into this, there may be some theologians in here that would say well he did die He was just so close to the Lord that he didn't acknowledge that he died, he just stepped over, and his earthly body fell dead. Really well let me burst your bubble the book of Hebrews says He was not found, so obviously they formed a search party to go see if they could find the body and there was none found. Just like when the rapture takes place, you will not find my body here on in the grave because God will take it. It is His, He purchased it so He has every right to take it. So why did Enoch not die, as seemed to be the popular thing in his day? I know the answer and this is very deep theology. The reason that Enoch never died was because he lived. I don't mean he just existed he lived, my Bible says that Enoch walked with God which means he lived more than any man lived as the apostle Paul said for me to live is Christ. The is only two men in all of the Bible that the Bible specifically says they walked with God, and both of those men were spared from death in unique ways. Now this lets me know a couple of things. First), Because there were only 2 men in the entire Bible that had the testimony that they walked with God it leads me to believe that there is not as many of you walking with God as you think. Secondly), I find by looking at these men who did walk with God there is some things required to walk with God, and I don't believe a lot of church people have the discipline to do these things. I do not believe that these men were half-hearted Christians, I don't believe they were just Sunday Christians, I don't believe these men just gave God some kind of lip service but they were wholly surrendered to God's will. The Bible specifically says out of the 365 years of Enoch life, He spent at least 300 of those years walking with God. We don't know a great deal about Enoch, but just knowing he walked with God 300yrs, lets me know the kind of man he was. Most of us haven't walked with God 300 minutes. Our walk with God is sort of like us walking through a crowded airport with some stranger beside us that we ever so often look at and say do you know what time it is? The only time we ever look His direction is when we want something. I think it is imperative that we learn how to walk with God, but not just learning how to do it but learning to do it. I am going to preach "Walking with God" I hope the Word will encourage you today to do it. I want you to notice:
I. A Commenced Walk-The name Enoch means initiated, or brought it about. Enoch initiated the walk. It began with-
A. A Desire- Do you have the desire to walk with God, do you want to walk with Him. I will say that you will never walk with God until you get saved. Maybe through Adam, Seth or Enos, Enoch had heard of God. Seth’s line was the Godly line. What he heard about God caused a desire in his heart to be close to this God. God will not force himself upon you. You have to have a desire to be in His company. (a couple of time in the Bible, Jesus passed by and would have kept going, but the people requested His company Luke 24:28-29)
B. A Determination- He was determined to be more than his ancestors. I am not talking who's better or who's best. I am not talking about pride. I want to be closer to God whether you are or not. He dared to be different. I am not talking about arrogance, but a determination to walk as close to God as you can. That was Enoch, his desire created a determination, and he was so determined that he said God can I walk with you?
Just because your saved, don't mean you walk with God.
(Enoch had the desire and the determination but how to get started, that’s next.)
II. A Confirmed Walk-Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3
I think this verse is taken out of context a lot, because we do not understand the Biblical definition of the word "agreed" Agreed means an appointment, a set time. The Bible is clear that two cannot walk together except the have an appointment or a set time. To walk with God you need to set an appointment. Now don't misunderstand me You can talk to God anytime, to walk with God you need a set time. So Enoch had a-
A. A Date- He set a time each day that he would meet with God. You say preacher I don't know about that, let me ask you this when did God walk through the garden of Eden? According to Gen 3:8 "And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day..." There was a certain time when God would walk through and in order for Adam and Eve to walk with God they had to do it at this time. Our biggest failure in walking with God is we don't have the discipline to set a time to walk with Him. (Now it doesn't matter when you set the time, just as long as you have a time set. My suggestion would be first thing in the morning because I find it helps my day go better, I have found if I set in for the evening I have to spend most of my time repenting for what I did during the day before we can start our walk.) The reason for a set time is it requires a discipline, and if you can discipline your will, it will make you more responsive to God's will.
B. A Discipline- Because Enoch set a date with God, I seriously doubt that he was going to stand God up. We are afraid to set a date because we don't have the discipline to abide by it. I guarantee when you set a date with your girlfriend or boyfriend you showed up early and looked your very best, you were not bound to stand them up. But yet we won't do that with God, get you a date with God and I promise you if you will, you will start to see things in you life come together because you have finally started walking with God. Enoch for 300 years kept his date with God.
III. A Consuming Walk-I don't use consuming here in a negative way, look what the Bible says Enoch walked with God, and he was not; Now I want you to notice the last phrase "and he was not" This means 2 things first that he was not because God took him, but secondly and practically it meant that when he would walk with God, that Enoch would become so consumed with God that he lost his identity, he forgot who he was, Enoch was on the back burner and God was in front, he presented himself a living sacrifice so that if you looked at him, you would not see Enoch but God. This meant that-
A. God picked the Direction- Enoch did not have to ask every minute, God is this your will, He was going God's direction of course it was His will. Enoch never offered opinion as to where they would go understand the Bible says that Enoch walked with God, not that God walked with Enoch. The reason you have to ask God all the time if something is His will, is because your will is too big. It is like God leading us on a path and we stop and say God you want to try this way it look pretty good maybe that's your will, walk with God and He will lead you the right way. Enoch will was consumed by God's will.
B. God picked the Destination-Notice the phrase God took him, it wasn't anything Enoch did. God took him where God wanted him to go. That is what happens when you walk with God, He will take you to the point he wants you to go. Enoch was so consumed with God that he crossed into the heavenlies with Him. Maybe as God and Enoch fellowshipped God looked up and said "look there's my house just ahead" and God took Enoch by the hand and headed toward His house God took Him. When you walk with God you will not look back on your life with regrets, you will arrive exactly where He wants you to because He took you.
IV. A Contagious Walk-Look with at Gen 5:21,25,28-29 Gen 6:8-9 We find in these verses the 2nd man that walked with God. Amongst the evil and corruption in the world where men were dying, another man lived Noah. Now Enoch walked with God and was saved from death altogether, Noah walked with God and was saved from death during God's judgment of the flood. Enoch represents the raptured Church, Noah represent the tribulation Jew whom God will protect and preserve from judgment (I don't have time to go into that now) Noah walked with God I guess he heard how Great-grandpa Enoch lived. Guess what? He got a desire to walk with God, and a determination to be more than what was the norm, so He set a date with God, and was disciplined enough to keep that date, and Noah let God pick the direction: the ark, the flood and He let God pick the destination, the top of Mt Ararat with all eight of His family members, Walking with God protected his heritage, and here we stand today. Enoch's walked rubbed off on Noah and today we stand direct descendants of the 2 men that walked with God. Why don't we let that rub off on us, why don't we get the desire to walk with God, it just makes sense.
Conc. Do you want to walk with God? If you do you are going to have to commence it you are going to have to start it. Do you have the desire and the dedication? Then why not come and set the date, a date to take a walk with God, and have the discipline to keep that date. Let God pick the direction, then you don't constantly have to ask Him for them. And you will reach your destination. If you are not saved I can tell you your destination it is hell, but God wants to walk with you too! Jesus Christ stands with His arms open wide beckoning you to come and take a walk, you begin that walk by walking down to this alter and asking Jesus to be your saviour. Won't you come?
