UPGA SERMON FOR SUNDAY SERVICE:
ENOCH: UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF WALKING WITH GOD.
Study Texts: Genesis 5: 22 - 24; Hebrews 11: 5 - 6
Introduction:
- God is always looking for a walking partner, someone whose heart can be after His own heart, and who will only do what is well pleasing to Him.
- God created man for the enjoyment of a walking relationship that involved companionship, dialogue, intimacy, joint decision-making, mutual delight, and shared dominion.
-- God longs to walk with you, which is why his arms of grace have been pulling you into a closer walk with him.
- Enoch was the first man in the Bible who walked with God. Even though men began to call upon the name of the Lord in the early days (Genesis 4:26), Enoch was the first man to uncover the true delight of walking with God.
- He found something even Adam didn't experience. He pressed into God until he learned how to commune with God through every facet of life.
- Enoch's example continues to witness to all generations of the great zeal God has to walk with man. When the zeal of God captures you, it will ignite you with a great passion to walk with God and to be his friend.
- As you draw closer to God, he may not likely take you up to heaven as he did Enoch. However, he does desire to reveal the beauty of his face to you.
- When we walk with God, we enter the dimension where God unfolds the secrets of his kingdom. Through Christ, we can explore the glorious riches of knowing God to a greater degree than Enoch because of the Spirit of God which has been given to us.
- We shall discuss this topic under three subheadings:
1. The Subject of Walking with God
2. The Secret of Walking with God
3. The Stumbling blocks of Walking with God
1. The Subject of Walking with God:
- Enoch walked with God, continually conversing with him and growing closer to him. In him, we see a new kind of believer. He walked arm in arm every day with the Lord – the Lord was his very life — so much so that at the end of his life, he did not taste death but was translated out of life.
- Like Enoch, those who walk closely with God are translated out of Satan's reach — taken out of his kingdom of darkness and put into Christ's kingdom of light (Col 1:13).
- Enoch learned to walk pleasingly before God in the midst of a wicked society. He was an ordinary man with all the same problems and burdens we carry. He was involved in life with a wife, children, obligations and undertook all his responsibilities. He cared for his family: he worked, ministered and occupied; but he was not earthbound. None of the demands of this life could keep him from his walk with God.
- In his spirit, Enoch was not a part of this wicked world. Each day as he walked with the Lord he became less attached to the things below. Like Paul, he died daily to this earthly life and he was taken up in his spirit to a heavenly realm.
- All around Enoch, mankind grew increasingly ungodly. Yet as men changed into wild beasts full of lust, hardness and sensuality, Enoch became more and more like the One with whom he walked.
- Though he had no Bible, no songbook, no fellow member, no teacher, no indwelling Holy Spirit, yet Enoch knew God.
- Hebrews 11:5 says of Enoch: "Before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." What was it about Enoch that pleased God so much? It was that his walk with God produced in him the kind of faith God loves. Hebrews 11:5 - 6.
- If the church is walking with God daily, communing with him continually, the result will be a people full of faith — true faith that pleases God.
- What does it mean to "walk with God"? It means several things:
1. Walking with God implies that the prevailing power of iniquity in a person's heart has been taken away by the blessed Spirit of God.
2. Walking with God implies that the person has actually been reconciled to God the Father, by accepting the free gift of Salvation through the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
3. Walking with God implies that the person has an abiding communion and fellowship with God in regular prayers, praises and meditation in the word of God, and walking in total obedience to it.
4. Walking with God implies our making progress in the divine life. Living victoriously above the dictates of the flesh and overcoming sins and pollutions in the world.
5. Walking with God implies yielding ones life as a vessel unto honour for various services in the Kingdom of God.
2. The Secret of Walking with God:
- There are certain things we need to know and do regularly to ensure our sustained healthy relationship with God. Some of these include:
1. Walking in the Spirit
-. God is Spirit, and we can not relate with Him in the flesh.
-. Walking in the Spirit, is so vital to what God wants to do, and it will enable the believers not to fulfill the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5: 16.
2. Fixed your heart to please the Lord only, not minding who will be displeased.
-. If you begin to walk with the Lord, you won't have to worry about giving up your friends; they will give you up first.
- Your love, obedience and loyalty to God must be given the highest priority above that for any other person or possession.
3. Be strong against the Devil at all times.
- In I Peter 5:8, "...your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" The Devil hinders and interferes in relation to our walking with God.
- Satan uses his forces and oppressive spirits to hinder us from walking in the Spirit. To overcome him, you must be strong in the Lord. Ephesians 6: 10 - 12.
4. Be prepared to o obey His words at all costs.
- James 1:22-24 says, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving you own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was."
- The apostle is reminding us of the tragedy of not being a doer of the Word. This secret was given to Joshua for him to be successful in life and ministry. Joshua 1: 8
5. Exercise unconditional love towards others and follow peace with all.
-. No one can see the face of God unless he first love the people around him and be at peace with them. Hebrews 12: 14.
6. Maintain a regular, healthy personal devotion with God.
- You need to pray without ceasing, praise Him regularly and meditate daily in the word of God. 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Psalms 55:17.
7. Grow in the grace of humility.
- No one can effectively work with God, unless he can humble himself. God will not want a proud person around Him, but will always resist him. James 4: 4
8. Seek to glorify God at all times.
- God created us for His own glory and He want to enjoy the glory maximally without sharing with any man.
- Every step we take in life should be done with God in mind, and we must be willing to allow Him to take all the glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31.
3. The Stumbling blocks to Walking with God.
- There are various things in our life that can hinder our relationship and intimacy with God. Some of these include:
1. Unconfessed sin
- At all times, we must confess our sins unto God and receive the assurance of His forgiveness if we are to walk with Him effectively. Psalm 66:18.
2. Unbelief, lack of faith or doubt
- But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord.” James 1:6-7
- Without faith it is impossible to please the Lord.” Hebrews 11:6
3. Deliberate disobedience to God.
- Each time we deliberately walk in disobedience to a clear instruction from God, we are denying His Lordship over us and this will hinder our effective walk with Him. 1 John 3:21-23.
- Our obedience to Him is the acceptable evidence of our love for Him. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15.
4. Keeping malice, bitterness and unforgiveness.
- If we keep malice with people, and do not forgive those that offended us, our walk with God will be hindered. Matthew 6:14-15
- Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
5. Keeping idols in our hearts and in our lives.
- Whatsoever we cherish above God is an idol in our hearts, and whosoever we give the first position in our lives become an idol unto us.
- Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all ?” Ezekiel 14:3
6. Not being grateful and lack of thanksgiving:
- God want us to be grateful and give thanks to Him at all times over every situation in our lives. When we ignore this, our walk with Him will be hindered.
- In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
7. Not being faithful in Church attendance and participation.
- God gave us the Church for our blessings and for our spiritual development, so that our lives will be pleasing to Him and our walk with Him will be effective. Hebrews 10: 25.
- If we don't attend Church services regularly, and don't maximize the blessings for our spiritual growth and development, our walk with the Lord will be adversely affected.
Conclusion:
- God desires that we have a healthy and effective walk with Him at all times, and if we do, it shall be for our blessings and uplifting and for His own glory.
- We need to understand the secret and put all of them into practice, and also do everything that the Holy Spirit will guide us to do at all times.
- We also need to recognise all the stumbling blocks and avoid them through the grace of God and help of the Holy Spirit.
