The Continuing Walk With God - Pastor Kenneth Woolf

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New Life COTR
Sunday June 8. 2008

“Dressed For Battle”
THE CONTINUING WALK WITH GOD

Ephesians 6:10-18- Turn and Read
1. Recognize you’re in the Battle
2. Recognize who is in the Battle with You
3. Put on the Full Armor of God
God is saying-“There’s a battle and you’re in it. But with Me you can be victorious every time!
God’s armor is not heavy!
Matthew 11:28-30- “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Ephesians 6:10- “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”
Then put on the full armor of God!
Ephesians 6:10 (AMP)- “In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides.]”
AS YOU WALK WITH GOD, BE EMPOWERED!
Ephesians 3:16-21- (AMP)
BECOME A BODY WHOLLY FILLED AND FLOODED WITH GOD HIMSELF!
Doesn’t this sound like someone walking with God!
Does this sound like a God that wants you walking around defeated and upset about gas prices?
TRANSITION: Remember the Steps to walking with God
1. Walk with God:
Amos 3:3- “Do two walk together unless they agree.”
2. God has made the way for you to walk with Him.
Genesis 3:7,21- “Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sowed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the Lord made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.”
God has made the way for you to walk with Him.
“Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.”
3. Accept the invitation!
“Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened.”
TRANSITION: The steps to walking with God. Now Today we’re going to talk about the “Continuing Walk with God.”
Genesis 6:8-15- Turn and Read
Put yourself in Noah’s shoes! You’re going to do what God? You want me to build what God?
Now before you make Noah this super spiritual person who’s out of touch with his humanity look at the following verses.
Genesis 9:20,21 Turn and Read
These verses are in the Bible for a reason. One of among a few is that I believe God wants the story of Noah to also relate to our humanity and help us understand that we too can walk with God.
While all of us struggle from time to time with our humanity allow me to give you some steps from the story of Noah that will help you CONTINUE YOUR WALK WITH GOD.
Listen, a storm was headed Noah’s way but God wanted him to be prepared.
God wants you to be prepared and win the battle.

I. HEAR GOD’S VOICE
Don’t you know Noah had to hear God’s voice! And he had to be confident he heard God’s voice.
John 10:27- “My sheep listen to my voice; and I know them and they follow me.”
How do I hear God’s voice? Spend time with God. The more time you spend with God the more you’ll get to know Him.
Jeanie and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. What if she called me on the phone and I didn’t recognize her voice?
You get to know God by spending time in His Word and in prayer.
TRANSITION: If you’re going to have a continuing walk with God and defeat the enemy who wants to destroy you, you need to hear God’s voice.

II. OBEY GOD’S VOICE
Genesis 6:22, 7:5- “And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.”
John 10:27- “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
TO BE PROTECTED FROM THE STORM, NOAH HAD TO HEAR AND OBEY THE VOICE OF GOD!
THERE’S A REWARD FOR OBEDIENCE.
Deuteronomy 28:1-8- Turn and Read
TRANSITION: Be empowered through your union with God. Gain strength for the battle! Walk with God continually! Hear and obey His voice.
The key to hearing and obeying God:

III. FAITH IN GOD
Hebrews 11:7- Turn and Read
Hebrews 11:5-6 Turn and Read
Faith- A firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that He has promised to us in Christ!
Faith demonstrates to the eye of the mind the reality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body.
2Corinthians 5:7- “We live by faith, not by sight.”
IT WAS BY FAITH THAT NOAH HEARD AND OBEYED GOD AND HE AND HIS FAMILY WERE PROTECTED FROM THE STORM!

CONCLUSION:
David, a young shepherd boy, arrives at the camp of the army of Israel only to find the army of Israel running in fear from one giant. They faced an adversary!
As many of you know David defeated that giant named Goliath with a sling and a stone.
1Samuel 17:50- “So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.”
The sling and stone, hearing and obeying God. Because David had faith in God!
It was God who killed that giant that day. Not David, not the sling and the stone.
1Samuel 17:45-49
It wasn’t the boat that saved Noah, it was God who saved Noah. Noah just had faith in His God and heard His voice and obeyed His voice! The boat was just the vehicle God used to save Noah.
“Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”