“Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). For an obituary of a righteous man, those words seem insufficient; but in reality, they sum up what truly matters. When the Lord calls you home, will it be said of you that you walked with Him? In this message, Dr. Stanley explains how to fellowship with God like Enoch did—daily, faithfully, and obediently. Learn to live your life in step with God. For more messages from Charles Stanley, including this week’s broadcast, go to www.intouch.org/watch
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living a godly life which is the
requirement of God the blessing of God
the promise of the help of God is to do
exactly we’re we’re talking about
walking in step with him walking in the
same direction
walking walking in the power of the Holy
Spirit
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four decades ago we started in touch
ministries to lead people worldwide into
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ
throughout the years we’ve seen God’s
greatness his love and his blessings in
such awesome ways that we just want
everyone to know him so let’s open God’s
Word and seek Him together next on
InTouch are you walking with God
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when you come to the end of life what do
you want to be remembered for your
kindness your love the generosity your
knowledge your wisdom your abilities and
skills that you knew how to relate to
other people or would they remember you
for your stinginess your pride your
antagonistic attitude your dishonesty
you didn’t love anybody
you’re just an angry person what what
are people gonna say about you when
you’re gone well you may be the kind of
person who says well I hope they don’t
remember anything about me well they
will not much maybe but they will so
well anybody say I don’t know a lot of
things about him what about her but this
I do know he walked with God she walked
with God that much I know about him and
about her how could you have anything
more uplifting and the Christ life than
that to say that somebody walked with
God so let me ask you this how does a
person walk with God how do you know
when you’re walking with God or not so
what I like to do is to give you a brief
statement to just to define what it
means to walk with God to walk with God
means to keep him at this
center of our thinking in everything we
do everything we say everything we think
in our relationships and our finances
our plans and in every area of our life
that’s what it means to walk with God
it’s the wisest way to walk so I want
you to turn for just a moment and look
if you will in Genesis chapter 5 and
here is Enoch about which the Bible says
that he walked with God and then he was
no longer there God took him so look in
the fifth chapter if you will verse 21
Enoch lived 65 years and became the
father of Methuselah then Enoch walked
with God 300 years after he became the
father of Methuselah and he had other
sons and daughters remember that his son
was lived the longest of anybody in the
Bible so all the days of Enoch were 365
years
Enoch walked with God and he was not for
God took him so if somebody says are you
walking with God I wonder what you would
say would you say yes I am and then if
they said well what are you doing in
order to walk with God could you even
answer that so I want to give you an
answer and I want to give you a list of
things absolutely essential to walking
with God to walking after God and to
walking in a way that pleases and honors
God and brings you the best life that
you could possibly have so the first
thing is this and that is to accept the
Lord Jesus Christ as your personal
Savior that’s the beginning in other
words if I want to walk with God I can’t
even get to God except through his son
the Lord Jesus Christ no man comes to
the Father he said except by me you want
to walk with God come to Jesus face the
cross the resurrection that’s where
walking with God begins anybody who
tells you they’re living a good life and
everything is fine and
rejected Jesus Christ as their Savior
are either ignorant or living in sin and
totally blinded by it so first of all
you have to accept the Lord Jesus Christ
as you say that’s where we get to God so
but if I’m gonna walk with him I’ve got
to be with him how do I get to be with
him by receiving his son forgives my sin
makes it possible for me to have a
personal intimate relationship with him
first step secondly that is I must learn
to listen to him if I don’t listen to
god I’m not gonna follow him if you
don’t learn to pray and to listen to God
you are not going to follow and you’re
not gonna walk with Him and prayer is
absolutely essential this is why I say
so often that is our prayer and
meditation the time we spend alone with
him
is absolutely essential because when
you’re reading the word and talking to
him and listening to him he’s gonna be
showing you things you listen you’re not
gonna find that any other way somebody
says well I don’t think I need that yes
you do God gave us his word because we
needed to know how to follow him to walk
in his ways and to be obedient to him so
if I’m gonna walk with the god I’ve
gotta listen to him thirdly you’ve got
the trusting if you don’t trust them
you’re not going to follow him and
oftentimes I’ll be talking to somebody
I’ll say we’ll just trust the Lord I am
trusting you well show me how you trust
them and when they get through telling
me they’re not trusting God at all
they’re just hoping and wishing and
bidding and this that the other things
are gonna turn out right and and most of
the time they have they say but they’re
not walking with God to walk with God
I’ve got to listen to him and I have to
trust him if I don’t trust him I’m not
gonna walk with him trust in the Lord
with all your heart lean not to your own
understanding and all your ways
acknowledge him and he will direct your
path so he’s not going to lead me to
walk without following him because
that’s what that passage is all about
trust in the Lord with all your heart
don’t lean to your own understanding in
all your ways acknowledge him and he
will make your paths straight and so if
you’re gonna follow him if you’re gonna
walk with him if you’re gonna be the
person you God wants you to be then
you’ve got to decide at some point I’m
gonna trust them now watch this why do I
put that emphasis on trust because
sometimes in fact many times God will
require something of us that makes no
sense doesn’t fit than me the timings
not right couldn’t be him couldn’t be
her couldn’t be that no no no no no but
God says that’s what I want you to do no
where does he promise us that we will
understand you remember the old gospel
hymn will understand it better and bind
by when the Saints got together at home
well a lot of things we don’t fully
understand here but listen if I’m gonna
walk with Him I’m gonna do what he says
whether I understand it or not and so
you have to decide for what are you
gonna trust him or not
and then of course if you’re gonna walk
with him you’ve got to agree with him if
you don’t agree with him you’re not
gonna walk with him so let me ask you
this have you ever disagreed with God
yes we all have at some point foolishly
ignorantly maybe maybe before we really
were in touch with God the best we could
be and so what happens we think somehow
that we can make everything work what’s
this we’re not taught by the scriptures
that God is to agree with us we’re
taught by the scriptures that we are to
agree with him he’s the one who is
omniscient omnipotent omnipresent then
of course it’s not enough just agree
with it you have to obey Him if you’re
gonna walk with Him you have to obey Him
because he’s gonna require some things
that you’re not gonna like
oh he’s gonna require some things that
you don’t fully understand obedience to
him is absolutely essential and people
oftentimes wonder well why doesn’t God
bless me well then I say well are you
begging him well I think so well like
what for example do you have a private
community you do you talk to him every
day well I’m
you know and they start off with all the
examples reasons why they don’t obey the
Living God obey Him disobedience implies
they are no better than he does now
watch that if I don’t obey God and I’m a
follower of the Lord Jesus Christ god is
my Savior my father if I don’t obey Him
I’m saying I know better than God who is
omniscient and so I’m going this way I
know what he says but this is not too
far off listen one step off is
disastrous if we are to follow him we’re
to walk with Almighty God obedience is
necessary well you say well how much
obedience
well partial obedience is what
disobedience so if I’m going to obey Him
I’m gonna do what he says do when he
says do it and the way he says do it
period
so are you walking with God in other
words is obedience watch this is
obedience a lifestyle for you when you
wake up in the morning your intention is
to obey God today Almighty God is a
leader our guide our God to guide us
every single that we’re to walk with Him
and walking with him means I’ve
surrendered my will and I’m willing to
obey Him because I trust him and because
I trust him I will obey Him because I
don’t trust him is the reason I disobey
Him
so ask yourself the question and I hope
you’ll ask it all the way through this
message am i walking with God or am I
not it’s easy to say I am but there’s
some criterion all we’re doing is saying
let’s give it a test and see if you are
if you’re not dangerous to walk in
disobedience to God but likewise if I’m
walking with him I’m gonna walk in the
same direction he walks if I’m really
and truly walking in his will in his way
I’m obeying him
and I am walking in the same direction
now it doesn’t mean that you are like
somebody else God hasn’t got the same
will for two different people he has a
way for you to walk and what you now
have to do is to know in our heart it’s
best I know my heart Lord I’m walking in
obedience to you I go wherever you want
me to go do whatever you want me to do
and watch this somebody says well I was
saved 40 years ago what’s it got to do
it today
in other words listen every day we have
to make a decision
am I gonna follow him or am I not am I
gonna walk with God around my not you
say well now you mean to tell me I’m to
get ever every day and say am I gonna
follow God no you should get up every
day and say thank you and Laurel I’m
gonna follow you but the power of the
Holy Spirit walking you away whatever
you want today we should wake up
committed to him we walk with God
because that’s who we are we are indwelt
by the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit
always leads us to make wise gather
decisions because we’re his children and
we are walking in his spirit and we’re
walking in his path and so obedience is
absolutely necessary
now some ways may seem to be shorter and
faster and cheaper notice I said seem to
be because the ways that seem to be that
way are not God’s ways if I’m gonna walk
in his way and in the direction with him
I’ll have to part ways with a lot of
people probably you can’t have the
world’s friendship close friendship and
walk in the ways of God the world I
didn’t say just anybody in the world
because they’re people who want you to
follow them if you have to follow the
ways of the world you’ll have to lay
down everything we’re talking about you
will not walk with God you’ll not listen
to you want to babe you find yourself
going in the opposite direction so ask
yourself the question am I really
intuitive walking with God or am I just
fooling myself well you certainly don’t
have to stay in step with him if you
walk with him think about it it’s one
thing to go in the same direction but
what about keeping in step and this is
where many people get in trouble they
may be walking in the right direction
but not in step with him oftentimes we
get ahead of him you say well how might
I know that I’m walking in step compass
never fails never fails you listen you
read the Word of God and you’re going to
know whether you’re walking in the right
path or not and if you’re in step with
God
what does instep mean instep means that
he and I are together living a godly
life which is the requirement of God the
blessing of God the promise of the help
of God is to do exactly we were talking
about walking in step with him walking
in the same direction walking walking in
the power of the Holy Spirit and so many
people wonder why I’m a Christian been a
Christian for years was God letting all
this happen to me and I talk to people
all the time who are going through
difficult problems sometimes they’re
used on the telephone usually or maybe I
meet them and they’ll bring up something
and they can’t figure out why this has
happened to him well if you’ve been
listening to God oh yes
people are quick to say I listen to God
because watch this you listening save in
listening to him and thinking about him
are not the same I can think about him
that’s the mean I’m listening to him if
I’m listening to him I’m gonna think
about him and I am gonna be receptive
and sensitive what is God saying is he
saying slow down is he saying speeded up
is he saying this direction that
direction God is so willing and what the
what do you do your children come along
and one of the first things you do is
you teach them to listen to you
they learn to listen because they go oh
they’re listening
to be obedient to you and that’s all for
their good but when I think about the
whole idea of walking and following our
Lord think about this
you can’t improve on this timing here’s
the reason why because he’s omniscient
think about this he knows all about your
future he knows all about your
opportunities he know hey let’s watch
this he knows every weakness you have he
knows the things that are most
susceptible to you to disobey Him and so
God God has your whole life before him
he knows what’s best he doesn’t want you
to get ahead of him or to lag behind and
so you can trust him about everything
and if you’re gonna walk with God you
have to trust him follow him as we’ve
said about all these other things and
you can’t improve on his timing and so
if you’re going to live a godly life
following him trusting him
listening to him obey Him every single
step is important and then I think one
other thing that’s very important here
and that is I have to love him if I
don’t love God I’m not gonna follow him
really
not really if you love him what will you
do you want to obey Him if you love him
you’ll wait for his timing if you love
him you’ll keep your ear open to his
heart all the things we’ve said before
are involved in expressing your love for
God walking in his ways in his step
trusting him listening to him all of
those things are a part of loving him
and if I love him I will obey Him so ask
yourself the question am I really and
truly walking with God or am I not
and nobody knows hints of that but you
then I think about if I’m gonna walk
with god I’m gonna forsake sin now what
does that mean that means I’m gonna keep
my heart clean all the time and if
something comes up it causes me to
stumble in my thinking or action I’m
gonna deal with it right then doesn’t
mean you’re gonna be perfect
forsaking sin turning away from it
doesn’t fit who we are doesn’t fit what
God has planned for us and so if you’ll
think about this sin always caused us to
stumble in some fashion of the other are
you walking with God ask him is there
something in your life that you know
shouldn’t be there is there some sin
that just it’s just attached to you you
just think well well one little one
listen I can’t be perfect doesn’t mean
that we are perfect everybody stumbles
along the way you can walk most anywhere
and there’ll be a rock here or a little
hole there and you may stumble but you
keep going you don’t just lie down and
say anything you make changes in your
life when you need to make changes but
if you’re not willing to lay that down
then you’re not gonna walk in obedience
to God you’re not gonna enjoy life’s
best you’re gonna miss out on God’s best
blessing for your life you can’t have
sin and holiness at the same time it
just doesn’t work so if I’m gonna walk
with God I’m gonna pursue a life of
holiness that what does that mean a holy
life is not a perfect life but it is a
life committed to surrender to the
perfect will of Almighty God does it
mean we will always without exception
though there are times that’s why he
says if we confess our sins he’s
faithful and just to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness John was writing that
firmly
so that that’s that’s what we do with
sin we confess it we walk away from it
so you have to ask yourself the question
in light of all of this how many of
these are true in your life if you’re
gonna walk with God all of them all of
them unnecessary so let’s go back to the
first question when God calls you what
will people know you for you may be very
gifted in some areas and you may be very
famous you may be very wealthy you may
be one of many things but will they be
able to say you walked with God only if
you do walk with him and if you do
follow these simple steps of accepting
Christ as your Savior
listening to him trusting him obey him
abiding by his will for your life all of
these issues are part of living in
obedience to him and being a part of the
kingdom of God and make a difference
where you are so ask yourself the
question am i walking with God and you
might conclude at nighttime but before
you if I should ask you do you pray
right before you go to sleep
do you well some of you do the rest of
you in trouble you listen the truth is
why not go to bed every night talking to
God listen if it only takes you a few
moments to look back during the day and
say Lord did I walk with you today and
when you wake up in the morning you
begin to begin the day the same Lord
enable me to follow you today and to
walk with you today and to become what
you want me to be
if you’ve never trusted Jesus Christ as
your Savior which is the first step you
know walking with him and I want to
encourage you to look at your life ask
God to show you what he sees and then
you’re gonna be confessing and repenting
of your sin asking God to forgive you
which he promised that if we confess our
sins he’s faithful and just yeah that’s
a right to forgive us because of the
cross and get your life straightened up
not about what you do but about what
he’s going to do in you and through you
and then start your walk with God look
how long you’ve walked without him you
may be one of those person who says well
I’ve done pretty good without him no
it’s his grace love and mercy that’s
allowed you to come this far he could
take you off the scene in a split second
the issue is are you willing to walk
with God and that’s my prayer for you
father how grateful we are
but that simple verse that says Enoch
walked with God and he was not because
you took him
may it be said of each of us and every
one of us we walked with God do whatever
is necessary change whatever is
necessary to get us back in step with
you
not ahead of you not behind you just in
step with you in Jesus name Amen
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