Walking in Step

Walk in step with the Spirit. Christians speak these words as instruction and encouragement. It’s also the desired way for Christians to live their lives. The apostle Paul, in a letter he wrote to the Ephesian church, said, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV). Christians believe that God has prepared good works for them to accomplish and that they are, as Paul says, to “walk in them.” In other words, a Christian’s life is to be about doing and accomplishing the good works that God has prepared for them.

Walking in step with the Spirit is the way to accomplishing these good works. As a Christian, this is a reality for me every day. I believe that God has prepared things for me to do, things that He wants me to walk in, things that He wants me to accomplish and not so that I can attain to a certain level of status or renown but so that God’s Kingdom advances. How do we accomplish these good works? We walk in step with the Spirit. Sounds easy. Until we try to do it. Then, we discover it’s anything but easy.

This afternoon we visited the children's home, Casa Libertad y Sanidad. We played with the children on the trampoline and enjoyed a long game of soccer (the photo that leads this post shows the soccer game). (Pictured from left to right: Chloe with Jeremy, Amanda, Liz, and Margine)

In 2 Samuel we find David preparing for two separate battles against the Philistines.

"When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. But David heard of it and went down to the stronghold. Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?” And the LORD said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.” And David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. And he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me like a breaking flood.” Therefore the name of that place is called Baal-perazim. And the Philistines left their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the LORD, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” And David did as the LORD commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer." (2 Samuel 5:17-25, ESV)

Two battles. Two victories. Two different strategies. In the first battle (verses 17-21) David hears that the Philistines are preparing to search for him and to come against him and Israel in battle. David’s response is not to sit down with his top commanders and develop a plan. David’s response is to ask the Lord if He will give the Philistines into David’s hands. And the Lord tells David that He “will certainly give the Philistines into [his] hand.” David goes and defeats the Philistines. 

In the second battle the Philistines returned to the same valley and prepared for battle. David is not prideful because of his first victory. He goes to the Lord again and the Lord replies, but this time the Lord replies with a specific battle plan. That battle plan includes David waiting to “hear the sound of marching in the tops of the ballast trees” and then and only then rousing himself and his army to go and fight the Philistines.

In both cases Israel defeated the enemy and won the battles. Was David walking in step with the Spirit? He was certainly walking in step with the Lord. David sought the Lord, listened for and heard from the Lord, and then ordered his and his army's steps based on what he heard. If we view God as one God in three persons then we can see David walking in step with the Lord as a template, of sorts, for what it means for us to walk in step with the Spirit. 

Why is it difficult for us to walk in step with the Spirit? 

If walking in step with the Spirit is tantamount to our ability to accomplish the good deeds that God has prepared for us then we need to know the Spirit and how to discern where He is leading us. 

Our team visited an old abandoned house in El Crucero, a small town outside of Managua, as part of our discussion on spiritual realities. (Pictured on the right is Chloe, Liz on the left, and Bethany in the background)

So, how do we do this? 

I don't fully know. At least not in a way that I can describe in five easy steps or in some spiritual formula that can be applied in any setting or situation. What I do know well enough to communicate is that we should listen to Jesus. 

In the Gospel written by the apostle John we overhear Jesus say, "Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:23 ESV) Specifically, Jesus is answering a question posted to Him by Judas (not Iscariot). Judas asked Jesus why He wasn’t going to manifest Himself to the whole world. Jesus’ reply indicates that He will manifest (make Himself known) to those who obey Him. Even more than that, Jesus and the Father will make their “home” with every man and woman who is obedient. Obedience, according to Jesus, means keeping His word. It stands to reason, then, that what Jesus is saying to Judas and all of the disciples and, by extension, to us, is that when a man or a woman is obedient to Jesus by keeping His word the Spirit will come and dwell inside of them. They will have the Spirit in them.

David kept the Lord's word as Jesus is instructing the disciples (and us) to keep His word. David was obedient, going into battle when the Lord told him and building his plans based on the Lord's instruction. David walked in step with the Lord in obedience and he defeated enemy armies. Would the same type of thing happen in our lives if we walked in step with the Lord in obedience? Would the Lord defeat armies, push back darkness, and reclaim territory for His Kingdom if we walked in step with the Spirit in obedience? 

Obedience is what enables Jesus and the Father in the form of the Spirit to take up residence in the life of a Christian. This is a simple conclusion and it is not exhaustive. The point, though, is clear. Want to be able to walk in step with the Spirit and accomplish the good works that God has prepared beforehand for us? Then, we must be obedient by keeping Jesus’ word and the Spirit will dwell inside of us. 

Is it possible to accomplish good things and not be lead by the Spirit? In other words, is it possible to accomplish good things and not be a Christian? Yes, it is. It absolutely is. We see people all around our city loving people well, improving people's lives, and creating beautiful things who are not following Jesus and who are not seeking to walk in step with the Spirit. I also believe that we can accomplish more good, in fact, a good that is eternal in the lives of people and families in our city and world when we follow Jesus and seek to walk in step with the Spirit. 

Want to do today or tomorrow what God has prepared for you to do before time? Then, seek to be obedient to God and His commands. Walk in His ways. Develop His character. This isn’t an easy three step process and it isn’t a formula. It’s an encouragement. It’s me sharing with you one of the things that our team is learning this week, something that everyone who calls themselves a Christian should learn. Want to see God at work in and through your life? Practice obedience.

Our team gathered together at the house in El Crucero as part of our discussion of spiritual realities.(Pictured left to right: Bethany, Chloe, Amanda, Sam, and Christine)