3 Steps to Walk With God (and experience Him in new ways)

⌚︎  6 min. read

Have you ever wanted to walk with God, but not known how to take the next step?
Have you ever felt like life with God should be simpler and more meaningful than you have experienced?
Ever been in a spiritual dry season, walking toward God but still feeling distant?

I have answered yes to each at various parts of my life.
The truth is, these experiences are not uncommon to those wanting to walk with God.

This prompts the following questions:
Are you stuck with these experiences?
Does God intend these things to be part of life with Him?

Do you long for a simple way to live life with God that addresses these challenges and others?

I believe if you apply the following steps in sincere pursuit of God, you will experience Him in new ways.
You will be blessed.
And God will be blessed by your pursuit of Him.

The phrase "Walking with God" paints a beautiful picture of what it means to journey through life with Him.

There are several biblical principles to unpack from this expression.

To walk with someone, three things need to happen.
1. You draw near them to start together.
2. You discover where they are going so you can walk with each other.
3. You take steps and start walking together.

To walk with God you must start together.

Think of this as syncing up with Him by starting on the same page.

The Bible has a lot to say about the idea of drawing close to God.
It uses terms such as knowing and experiencing Him, abiding, and first love.

This looks like spending time with God and experiencing Him in meaningful ways.
This step is the foundation for the Christian life. Everything for the believer rises and falls on relationship and fellowship with God.

This step is not just an action it is a lifestyle. A way of life built on connecting to and enjoying God.

God has given us ways to draw close to Him and enter into his presence through spiritual disciplines. These include prayer, spending time alone with God, and reading the Bible to name a few.
Establishing a routine of spiritual disciplines helps you draw near to God.
(To learn more about engaging and understanding the disciplines you can view a List of Spiritual Disciplines, or read Celebration of Discipline)

A question to ask God for this step may be,
God, how can I draw nearer to you in this season?

Next, you need to know where He is walking.

Jesus' life and ministry provide a great picture of where He likes to walk.

Jesus walked to many locations, but people always seemed to be His destination.

He walked toward the oppressed and the depressed.
The poor and the powerless.
The hopeless and the helpless.
The sheep in need of a shepherd and the lost in need of a savior.

Your knowledge of where God is walking and your willingness to go with Him is the key to this step.

You might be great at starting near God. But unless you know where He is going, it won't take long before you are no longer walking together.

In my experience, I begin feeling distance from God when I shy away from walking with Him where He is going.

This requires me to draw close to Him over and over again, never closing in on the felt distance.
I may have an amazing time with God in the morning, only to feel far from Him by the evening. I'll have an amazing encounter in worship at a church gathering that only becomes a vague memory by the end of the week.
 
Perhaps you have experienced this too.

God never stops walking toward those in need of Jesus.
To stay close to Him, it only makes sense to go with Him where He is going.

This step is all about your awareness of where He is going and your intention to go with him.

Don't be afraid to get specific.
Think about family members, neighbors, co-workers, or friends that need Jesus in a real way.

Some prayers for this step may be:
God, who are you walking towards? Who are the people around me that you are pursuing?
and
Would you give me a desire to walk with you to reach those around me?

You have started with Him and you know where He is going, all that remains is to walk.

Walking with God looks like stepping into opportunities to be Jesus to the people around you.

This could mean:

• Loving your neighbor
• Meeting a practical need
• Sitting with those in despair
• Praying for healing
• Being a good friend
• Sharing the gospel
• Etc.

It all comes down to taking step after step with God in loving those around you.

In this journey, you may be tempted to fix your eyes on a specific destination. You may focus on the fruit you hope to see or the big moments that may seem daunting to you right now.

Keep your focus on Him, who He is, and where He is going, as you faithfully take steps.
Remember, when walking on water, Peter began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus.

As you form a lifestyle of taking small step after small step the big moments come with ease. You will find that the small steps actually prepare you for the big steps that God has prepared for you.

John Maxwell speaks to this idea when he talks about stepping into your calling, he says,
"We don’t wait for the big moment, we wait for the next moment."

A question you might ask for this step could be:
God, I see where you are going. What is the next step? Please give me what I need to take this step with you.

Have you ever taken a step to be Jesus to someone in need?
If you have, I am sure you felt God's sweet presence in a way that was unique to that moment.

You can't get these experiences with Him in your prayer closet or at a church gathering. There are aspects of who He is, that you only experience when moving towards the lost and the hurting.

I propose that being Jesus to others is necessary for you to understand Him in new ways.

What you find is that you fall more in love with Jesus the more you imitate Him. Because you see Him in a new light every time.
He is unique to each person and their situation. He is hope for those in trouble, healing to the sick, forgiveness to the sinner, He is the way to those who are lost.

The truth is that our very lives in some ways limit the way we have experienced Jesus. Who Jesus is to you is just a piece of all He is or all He can be to others.

For example, you may have never experienced Jesus…
…as healer
…as your hope and peace when life is falling apart
…as restorer of trauma
… as miracle worker

But you may come to know him in these ways by partnering with him…
…in healing the sick
…in bringing hope and peace to the broken hearted
…in helping redeem the past and identity of others
…in praying for and seeing the miraculous

In a surprising turn of events, as you reveal and embody Jesus to others, Jesus reveals himself to you.

Drawing near and walking with God results in a vibrant and exciting life with Him.

Consider how you will incorporate these steps into your way of life.
With practice, you will come to do these steps in a way that will be like breathing to you.

You are going to need help!
If you are taking your first step or your 1,000th step, you were not made to do this alone!
You need the help, encouragement, and support of community.

Walking with God is both a personal and a public journey.
These steps help you as an individual to walk with God. They are also important in helping a community do the same.
A community can pursue Him, see where He is going, and work as a team to walk with Him.
In the iron sharpening iron setting of a group, you can pool your skills, gifts, and resources. This allows the group as a whole to mature along with all the individuals involved.

Another way to grow in these steps is in the way of one-on-one discipleship. This means to connect with someone you trust who is already walking out these rhythms with God.
As Hebrews 13:7 says, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith."
The practical applications of these steps are sometimes better caught than taught.

People who can help are great, but the Holy Spirit is your primary guide and teacher every step of the way.
Submit to His leading and his teaching.

Draw near to God, discover where He is walking, and take the next step!
Enjoy the journey as you walk with the living God!