Genesis chapter 5 gives us a genealogy of the patriarchs of old. Beginning with Adam, we read how long they lived and how old they were when they died.
An important difference is recorded in the account of Enoch. He didn’t die! Scripture says, “Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (Gen. 5:24).
Genesis 6:5 describes the conditions Enoch lived in: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Enoch must have shone like a star in the midst of darkness. He must have been like an oasis of righteousness in a desert of wickedness.
What made Enoch stand out? It was that he “walked with God.” What does that phrase mean? First, Enoch walked in divine direction.
We often talk about getting direction from God. But the first step to receiving guidance is choosing to walk with Him. We must choose to follow God’s plans and purposes instead of our own.
As you walk with God, you can have continual fellowship with Him. You can talk to Him as a loving Father, and He will show you what you need to do.
Walking in divine direction means keeping in step with God. Enoch didn’t lag behind, and he didn’t run ahead.
In my younger days when I received a revelation concerning God’s plans for my future, I sometimes ran off with it. Although it was something God wanted me to do, I ran out ahead of Him.
I had to learn I didn’t have to immediately stop what I was doing and pursue that direction. Keeping in step with God’s timing is as important as walking in His will.
Once during a vision Jesus said to me, “I would rather you be too slow than too fast when acting on what I show you. If you’re too fast, you’ll get ahead of me and lose direction. At least if you walk behind me, I’m still leading you.”
We should endeavor to stay in step with God, obeying His will and moving in His timing.
When people know and confess who they are in christ and take advantage of that fact, they cannot fail in their christian life.
Walking in Agreement
Second, Enoch walked in agreement with God. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” The answer is no. To walk with God, Enoch must have agreed with Him.
God won’t agree with our plans and opinions that don’t line up with His Word.
A certain Full Gospel pastor I knew learned that lesson. He was concerned that his church wasn’t growing as it should. So he spent time waiting before God in prayer and fasting.
After several days, the Lord showed him the problem. He would make his plans and then ask God to bless them. But God wanted the pastor to find and follow His plan.
As this pastor began walking in agreement with God’s plan for the church, attendance grew.
Walk in Faith
Third, Enoch walked with God in faith. Hebrews 11:5 says, “By faith Enoch was translated . . . for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”
One of Enoch’s outstanding characteristics was, God could trust him. Enoch pleased God with His faith.
Hebrews 11:5 begins with “by faith” and ends with “he pleased God.” Together, those phrases tell Enoch’s story: “By faith, Enoch pleased God.”
Notice that verse 6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Faith pleases God. If we want to walk with Him, we must walk by faith.
Enoch’s Rapture
Enoch walked with God day by day until one day, he walked right into Heaven. The Bible teaches that in the last days, something similar will happen. Scripture points to the catching away of the Church. Believers will be caught away to Heaven in what is commonly called the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51–54).
Many believe that Enoch is a type of the Rapture of the Church. I’m also of that opinion. In Genesis chapter 5 we read that Enoch was taken away to Heaven. Genesis chapter 6 records the account of God’s judgment on the world’s wickedness.
God destroyed the earth by water (Genesis chapter 7). But before He did, Enoch was taken out.
Another judgment day is coming. This time the earth will be destroyed by fire. But just as Enoch was taken out before the Flood, the Church will be raptured before the Day of Judgment.
Although the word rapture isn’t in the Bible, the event is written about.
1 THESSALONIANS 4:16–17
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
One dictionary definition of rapture is “the carrying or transporting of a person to another place or sphere of existence.” That is what these verses refer to. A day is coming when the Church will be supernaturally transported to another sphere of existence—Heaven.
We are in the Last Days, and a “catching away” of the Church is coming. As never before, we need to walk with God.
Walking With God Today
Enoch lived under a different covenant than we do. The New Testament teaches us how we should follow God today.
First, just as Enoch did, we are to walk by faith. Second Corinthians 5:7 says we are to walk by faith and not by sight.
Second, our walk with God is a walk in the spirit. Romans 8:1 tells us to “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”Rather than allowing our flesh to dominate us, we should let our spirit man dominate.
Third, we are to walk in the light of God’s Word (Ps. 119:105). We are to feed upon the Word of God daily and walk in the light of its truth.
Fourth, we are to walk in fellowship with God and one another. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin so we can walk in fellowship with God and fellow Christians (1 John 1:3, 7).
When we get to the end of our lives, people should be able to say that we walked with God. The time is short, and the day is fast approaching when Jesus will return to the earth. Today, more than ever, we need to learn how to walk with God.
[Editor’s Note: This article was adapted from Kenneth E. Hagin’s book Classic Sermons.]
Author
Kenneth E. Hagin
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One Comment on “We Can Walk With God”
Very timely word.
The holy spirit this morning led me to check word of faith articles for dec 2022 on purpose.
Thank you Holy Spirit for your divine guidance.