If you were to be asked how your walk with the Lord is what would you say? Would you give a surface level response like ‘it’s good’ or would you actually reflect upon your walk and give a real answer? I believe this question is something we should ask ourselves often as it can help us progress if we answer it honestly and are willing to address anything in the way of a closer walk.
In my own walk I know I always want to be progressing with the Lord. I do not want to look back in a year and think nothing has really changed, I haven’t grown much at all. I want to grow in my walk with the Lord! I want to be able to hear him more, I want to get deeper revelations, I want to be able to love like he loves, I want to be able to pray like he prays, I want to see more healings, I want to be able to sense what he is doing in an atmosphere, I want to see him change lives, I want to walk in the will of God for my life! I am so hungry for more, I am burning with a desire to see him rule and reign in my life. I am not content, I want more, I need more, I will have more. I hope you feel the same way.
So, how is your walk?
In order for us to progress in our walk, we will often be required to give up some things that aren’t necessary anymore. They may be distracting us from spending time with God. They may even be offending the Lord as they have become idols. What these things are will be different for everyone. Right now, I feel the Lord leading me to give up Netflix so I can spend more time with him.
Is there anything that you feel the Lord is asking you to give up?
Story
I was watching one of those funny clips on Facebook the other day (girlfriend deletes 2k). There was a guy who loved playing NBA which is a basketball game. His girlfriend was sick of him spending so much time playing it instead of spending time with her, so she deleted his account. She set up cameras to see his reaction. He came home and went to play the game and realized it had been deleted. He snapped, started screaming and even cried a little. His girlfriend came out and they started arguing and he said he was done with their relationship.
That can be what it is like in our relationship with the Lord.
That game had become an idol in his life, he was spending more time playing the game and thinking about it then he was with his own girlfriend. She got frustrated, she was jealous for him. She knew that it was a distraction and that it was hindering their relationship. She had obviously spoken to him about it and he ignored her so she deleted the account.
The Lord will often speak to us about things that are distracting us in our walk. If left unchecked these things can become idols. We have freedom to choose whether we want to give up anything that is in our way of a closer walk or if we are going to choose to serve that idol instead.
While it may be hard to give these things up, we may even get angry and shed a tear, but nothing compares to our God, we should be willing to give up anything that gets in the way of our relationship.
Bible story
This story reminds me of the rich man that came to Jesus in the book of Matthew.
The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Matthew chapter 19 verses 20-22.
Jesus knew that money had become an idol in this man’s life, that is why he asked him to give it away. He had a choice and he chose to keep his riches because they meant more to him then Jesus did. So, he walked away from Jesus sorrowful, just like the man in the first story walked away from his girlfriend. That game meant more to him then their relationship, those riches meant more to that man then his relationship with Jesus. May nothing ever get in the way of our relationship with Jesus.
Question
A good question to ask the Lord is ‘Father is there anything in my life that is hindering my relationship with you?’ After you ask the question wait for an answer. A few thoughts will come to mind, if you feel convicted about a certain thing, that is something in the way of a closer walk with the Lord.
The next thing to do is to ask the Lord for help to give up whatever it is. Ask the Holy spirit what to do. Ask the Holy spirit for his strength to give it up. Ask him for a strategy. Ask him to give you a deeper conviction when you continue to do whatever it is. If you start to listen and obey that conviction it will help you walk away from whatever is hindering your walk.
Shane Rowney lives in the Gold Coast and is currently studying a bachelor of arts at university. He loves Jesus and is passionate about seeing people walk in their destiny. This is his email if you have any questions icryabbafather101@gmail.com
Shane Rowney is currently living on the Gold Coast attending a local church. He enjoys surfing, gym and music but most of all spending time with his Father.
