The Blessings Of Walking In The Ways Of God
I was really impressed with Dr. Charles Stanley’s TV broadcast message from a week ago Sunday, and meant to use it in a SOF post before now, but something else always seemed to come up. And even though I have quite a few other things on my mind today, I feel led to get back to Dr. Stanley’s message about the importance of walking in the ways of God.
Even though we’re already pretty familiar with verses holding out great promise if we “commit” to His way (Psalm 37:5-6) and if we “acknowledge” God in all of our ways (Proverbs 3:5-6), it might be surprising to learn that there are a LOT of other verses clearly spelling out the benefits and blessings we attain and are guaranteed when we walk in the ways of God. And I hope and pray that seeing some of the verses below and listening to Dr. Stanley’s awesome message, will dispel the mistaken idea anyone might have that obedience has anything to do with doing “good works” to insure our salvation or to make up for the sin and mistakes of our pasts. Because that’s a lie straight from the pit of hell, and something Satan loves to use to steal our peace and joy and cause us to live under the bondage of legalism, which ultimately leads to condemnation. But Romans 8:1-2 assures us, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. So the ONLY thing that makes our salvation possible and the ONLY thing that atones for our sin is the blood of Jesus Christ, so it’s important to dispel any mistaken notion that we live in obedience to “prove” that we’re saved or to atone or make up for our past mistakes, which the following passages of scripture ought to make pretty clear:
Deuteronomy 10:12-14
And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.
1 Kings 2:2-3
“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
Deuteronomy 5:32-33
So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.
Deuteronomy 8:5-10
Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
Deuteronomy 11:22-23
If you carefully observe all these commands I am giving you to follow—to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways and to hold fast to him-then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and stronger than you.
Deuteronomy 26:17-19
You have declared this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.
Deuteronomy 28:9
The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways.
Deuteronomy 30:16
For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
2 Chronicles 17:3-4
The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because in his early years he walked in the ways his father David had followed. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel.
Isaiah 26:8
Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.
Isaiah 30:21
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Jeremiah 7:23
but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.
So besides numerous Bible verses making it clear that if we love the Lord we will obey Him, BECAUSE we love Him, such as John 14:15, which says “If you love me, you will obey what I command., and John 14:23, which says Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him., and even John 14:24, which says He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me., we obviously have a LOT of totally self centered reasons to obey the Lord and walk in HIS ways. So I recommend getting a pen and notepad to take notes while listening to this awesome message from Charles Stanley from October 8, 2006, The Best Way, because the BEST reason to walk in the ways of God is that it is indeed THE BEST WAY! And when we’re standing for marriage restoration or any other miracle, we can’t afford to do less than our best to make sure we get ALL of God’s best!