Know His Ways

“…They always go astray in their hearts; they have not known my ways.” Hebrews 3:10

God says in His word, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9

Do you believe that? That His ways are higher than yours? 

So why is it sometimes hard to obey God when we know His way is the highest and best for us?

I heard a preacher recently say, ”You will not obey something you don’t believe.” 

When we are walking in unbelief to God’s word, then we will not obey His word.  This thought reminds me of the scripture in Hebrews that says, ”And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.”  Heb‬ ‭3:18-19‬ ‭

Belief plays a part in obedience. For this reason, it is important to be fully convinced that what God says about Himself and in His word is the absolute truth. When we wrestle with unbelief, we can be led astray to follow our own heart’s desires, will, and way instead of following His. 

There is a danger with following our hearts, though. The scriptures say, ”The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9‬ ‭

The Merriam Webster defines deceitful as having a tendency or disposition to deceive or give false impressions. 

When there is deception, we are not walking in truth, but the scary thing is we believe we are. 

This reminds me of the story of Eve and Satan in the garden. When the crafty serpent got her to doubt God’s command, then she sinned. 

“He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”…. But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”” Genesis‬ ‭3:1-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

‭You see, the sliver of unbelief towards God’s word was dangerous, and consequences followed her disobedience. 

Because what we believe is tied to our obedience, it is important to test the spirits and learn to recognize anything that opposes the word of God. What we hear whispered in our ears or from others may not always be from God. The Bible says that even the devil disguises himself as an angel of light, and his servants will too. Do you know what that means…? There will be people who are going to look good on the outside, even like they are servants of righteousness, but underneath, they are truly servants of the devil. Satan can even try to hinder us through well-meaning believers who are speaking from the flesh and not the Spirit, like Peter’s words to Jesus in Matthew 16:21-23.

This is another reason why Believers should know God’s word and BELIEVE God’s word. The Lord has given us His Holy Spirit and the Bible to help lead us into truth and direct our paths. If we are not walking by the Spirit of truth or reading the Word, how will we know what is true or not? There needs to be a plumbline to measure the things we hear whispered in our hearts or spoken to us. I encourage you to stay connected to the vine, read your Bible, and pray for discernment. God is faithful to help us.

‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3:16-17 says, ”All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

‬The above scripture sounds encouraging, right? It can be, but sometimes reproof, correction, and training can be tough. There is often wrestling with our pride, flesh, and own desires. It truly takes humility to submit to God’s words and ways, forsaking our own. 

There is hope, though, for those who choose to walk humbly before God. James 4:6-7 says, ”…God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” 

‭I see this scripture as a call to lay down pride, control, and ultimately our own will. To submit ourselves to our faithful Creator and resist the works of the devil, believing that he will flee. 

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…” Galatians ‪5:19-21‬ 

When we are dealing with sin, we’ve got to know God’s ways. Then we’ve got to believe Him. Believe God and what He says is truth, not part truth but the absolute truth. Being fully convinced that He is a good Father, leading us in paths of righteousness, glory, and truth. 

“Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. Don’t participate in the things these people do. For once, you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.” Ephesians‬ ‭5:6-11‬ ‭

There is a clear exhortation in the New Testament to turn from evil and walk in righteousness. This exhortation is not “legalistic” or “religious,” but rather, knowing and walking in the WAYS of the Lord, Jesus Christ. Following Him just as He walked in the WAYS of the Father. For even Jesus had to learn to refuse evil and choose good. 

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey when he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good.” Isaiah‬ ‭7:14-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”‭‭ 1 John‬ ‭2:3-6‬ ‭

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” Hebrews‬ ‭3:12-14

Remember that God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance, not to stay in sin. He loves us too much for that. It is also important to know that God is not mocked; for whatever one sows that he will reap. For the word of God says; “Do not be deceived:… For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians‬ ‭6:7-8‬  In other words, if you plant evil, you are going to reap evil, so do good! This is the way of the Lord! 

Remember that God has not left us to do this alone, but has given us His precious Holy Spirit to help us walk in His ways. Our Helper and Teacher. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in us and has power to put to death all fleshy deeds. When we walk by the Spirit, not apart from Him, we will walk in victory! 

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but IF BY the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Romans‬ ‭8:13‬ (Emphasis mine.)

 “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” Galatians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭

This is such good news for us who have put our faith in Jesus Christ. God is not asking us to obey Him apart from Him but has graciously sent ‬‬His Son to cover the penalty of our sin and then given us His very own Spirit so that we can obey and follow Him.

“For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”‭‭ Romans‬ ‭8:3-4‬ ‭

So you see we have everything we need to walk in obedience to God’s ways. Himself. Remember we are called to follow Jesus. Follow Him, as He followed the Father. Walk as He walked. In belief, obedience, love and truth. We are called to walk by the Spirit.

“For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭4:7-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:12‬ ‭

Dear Christians, those who belong to Jesus, whose blood has covered our sins and washed them clean. Do not forsake the truth. The glorious inheritance that Christ purchased for you on the cross, where His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of sins. Turn from your wicked ways. For Christ came to destroy the works of the devil. Turn to God, our blessed Redeemer, to be sanctified, cleansed, washed in the water with the Word. To become holy as He is holy. 

Jesus is returning for His bride. Be dressed and ready in your bright and pure linen garments, which are the righteous deeds of the saints. He loves you with an everlasting, steadfast love. Receive of that love and be changed. He is taking you from glory to glory.

May the Lord bless you. May your hearts be encouraged, strengthened, and your minds renewed. I pray that your lives are built up in His ways, ”so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;” Colossians‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭

“Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!” Lamentations‬ ‭3:40‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways!” Psalms 128:1