Walking with God Part II

Working for God:
Introduction:

A man working for a company and has no stake in the company ownership can always leave at any time and work for another company if a seemingly better offer comes but the owner of the company would not leave his company as he would keep doing things to move the company forward and place it first. The same goes with those who work for God the could also work for the devil later on and produce the works of the flesh depending on which seems to be a better offer at that time. Those working for God or the devil are only loyal to themselves and God would never give everlasting reward to those who won’t put him first

 Luke 14:26 “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple”

Example of those that worked for God

Esau: Gen 25 and Gen 27
Esau wanted to do exploits like a serious man would want, he was hardworking and always pleasing his father and his father loved him, from the bible it is obvious he had been preparing meals for Isaac from what he had hunted many times indeed he was beloved of his father( Gen 25:28 “And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.”). What happened to Esau? How did he loose all after such hard work and being the firstborn also? Esau had a problem he sold is birthright because he valued his life more than the inheritance of God the bible highlights this in Gen 25:28-33 “And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:
And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint:therefore was his name called Edom.
And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do tome?
And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright. ”

 Esau despised the inheritance of God and hence he became the second born. He put his life before the things God placed value on. He was so ignorant of the value God placed on birthright therefore he was no more entitled to the blessing from God which God later declared through his father. How did the bible view esau?
He was described as a fornicator. Heb 12:16 “Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”
Rom 9:13 says “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”

Hence God hated him because he had no value for the inheritance of God therefore he was not
entitle to the eternal blessings when he came he preferred an earthly reward that fills his belly.
Esau repented and cried for it but it was too late because he was no more the first born.
Heb 12:17 “For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears” anymore
There are many like esau who trade what God values for worthless things even in our days. Esau worked hard but never walked with God. He did every other thing right without fault but he didn’t walk with his God therefore he couldn’t recognise what God valued. He worked for God by pleasing his father and was paid with a pot of porrage. May our lives not be like that of esau in Jesus name.


Saul: 1 Sam
Saul as a king ordained and anointed by God. God gave him a new heart and the spirit of prophesy, we could even call him a propthet but he became a lover of himself than a lover of God. He cared about the opinion people had about him than God’s own opinion. Let us examine Saul in the light of the scriptures.
1 Sam 13:10-14 “ And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him.
 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering. And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might salute him.
And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;
Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.
But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.”
Saul decided to offer an offering which is the duty of the priest or Levites to do he had no regard for God’s doctrines and this was his very first mistake and God told him his kingdom would be given to another. He never even asked God for forgiveness. That was not just enough for saul to repent he also committed rebellion against God.
1 Sam 15:11 “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.”
1 Sam 15:16-24 “Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal. And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.”

Saul still argued with the prophet Samuel even after he was convicted of his sin 1sam 15;20. He was full of himself and cared more for the things of the world that were beautiful and also for the respect of the people against the fear of God. You would realise that even after God scolded Saul in 1Sam 13 he still conquered the philistines and also after the evil spirit came upon him he still went out to fight for Israel and won the battle(1Sam 23:27 - 1Sam 24:1). Despite the evil spirit that troubled him he still prophesied (1 Sam 19:23). Saul was just working for God and was not walking with God therefore he lost his place as king spiritually and became empty. Even though God didn’t deny the anointing upon him he was just used as a tool and dumped because he worked for God and he was paid by the respect he earned from the people. Saul also worked for the devil by enquiring from familiar spirit and trying to kill David. You would see how it is possible for a prophet living in sin to prophesy and also for a pastor to still preach the word even though he has been rejected of God. Indeed there is a thin line between those who walk with God and those who work for God.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO WALK WITH GOD

1. They are willing to walk with God and love him truely
2. The hate their lives for the sake of God’s holy name(David with Goliath,luke 14:26)
3. They are focused on eternal life with God
4. They trust God completely
5. They are always led by the Spirit of God
6. They are disciplined
7. They understand and perform justice and judgement(Gen 19:19)
8. The love worshipping and being in God’s presence and love Godly activities(2 Sam 6:20-21)
9. They are only interested in God’s opinion about them
10. They are of Good Character producing fruits of the spirit
11. They are full of truth and mercy
12. They are only after God’s own reward in all things they do and earn his respect


CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WHO WORK FOR GOD

1. They seem willing but do not love him at heart but love him with their lips
2. They are lovers of themselves more than lovers of God (2 Tim 3:2)
3. They are focused on earthly possessions and mundane.
4. They trust their 5 senses in doing things
5. They are led by their spiritual gifts rather than the spirit of God
6. They appear disciplined but a closer look tells you a different story
7. They have no understanding of justice and judgement
8. They love church activities and get bored of worship
9. They are more interested in peoples opinion than seeking God’s opinion
10. They are partially well behaved
11. They are not full of truth nor do they possess mercy in their bosom and do nothing free of charge
12. They after rewards of men and respect from men

STEPS ON HOW TO WALK WITH GOD

1. Acknowledging yourself as a debtor and accepting Christ who paid your depth (Rom 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God”)
2. Accepting you are dead and the life you live is Christ’s (Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me”)
3. Worship God & Be led by the spirit always (Rom 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”).
Conclusion:

Walking with God every second is the way to eternal life because the inheritance is only for the sons
Gal 4:1-7 “ Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
Hymn 5, hymn 283,Hymn 284,Hymn 694,hymn 773,hymn 54, hymn 58.

As you have read this may God give you the grace to walk with him that you may inherit life eternal in Jesus Name. AMEN.


Written under the Holy Spirit guidance by:
Bro Sorunke Olugbenga Elijah.