The Holy Scriptures explain that Christians must "walk in faith and not in vision" (2 Corinthians 5: 7). However, it can be difficult to know what a walk of faith requires.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Taking the First Steps
Step 1. Have faith in the promises you cannot see
Most of the promises God makes to those who follow Him are not tangible, so you won't be able to see proof of His commitment with your own eyes. You must believe by a leap of faith that God will keep them, instead of relying on what you see.
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As indicated in John 3: 17-18, "God, in fact, did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned; but whoever does not believe he has already been condemned, because he did not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Simply put, accepting Christ as your Savior and Son of God will lead you to salvation
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As stated in Matthew 16:27, "The Son of man is about to come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then he will reward each according to his deeds."
If you live by God's will - that is, walking in faith and by faith - you will receive the salvation promised to Christ's believers and followers
Step 2. Consider what the limits are when you walk in the vision
Walking "in the vision" limits your experience to what you can experience using sight. Once you realize how reductive this approach is, the benefit of walking in faith will become much clearer.
- Imagine what life would be like if you couldn't think of traveling beyond the panorama you can see from your bedroom window. You wouldn't go very far and lose everything the world has to offer you.
- Likewise, if you are not planning to travel beyond the material realm, you will not go very far and you will lose all that the spiritual realm has to offer you.
Step 3. Let go of fear
The world can be a frightening place and, at times, you can make a gesture out of fear of contradicting God's will. If you walk in faith, you must renounce the fear of God and accept the path it leads you on.
This is easier said than done, of course. You may not be able to shake off all fears, but you can be courageous and learn to act according to God's will, even when you fear what lies ahead
Part 2 of 3: Entering the Path
Step 1. Focus on the things that have eternal meaning
It's easy to get stuck on aspects of mortality, including money, possessions, and everything in between. However, they are destined to disappear with the mortal body and have no lasting spiritual value.
- A large house or a luxury car are objects that have value in the material world, but have no importance in the kingdom of God.
- Earthly success is not related to evil. You can live a comfortable life in a nice home, with a good job and still walk in faith. The problem is not having this kind of thing, but in prioritizing symbols of earthly success over matters inherent in Spirit.
- Instead of focusing on the life in front of you, focus on invisible realities, such as Jesus and Heaven. Pivot your existence on these, diverting attention from what is visible and passing in the earthly world.
- Preserve the treasures of Heaven by doing God's will, as indicated in Matthew 6: 19-20, rather than worrying unnecessarily about the treasures of the earth.
Step 2. Obey the Bible and God's commands
Living life according to faith in God means following the law of God, placing it before the ways of man.
- God's law can be learned and understood through the study of his Word.
- Realize that you will have times when the world will try to convince you to accept what is forbidden by the law of God. Man is inclined to follow the ways of the earthly world, but to walk in faith, it is necessary to follow the ways of God. You cannot control the actions of those around you, but as far as your life is concerned, you must live according to what God has deemed right and honest.
Step 3. Prepare to look silly
To those who walk using the sight, the actions and beliefs of a person walking in faith may appear foolish. You will have to learn to keep going in spite of any criticism you will receive from those around you.
God's ways are not man's ways. It will be natural for you to follow your discernment and the philosophy that reigns in human reality, but by doing so you will not orient yourself along the path that God wants you to follow. Proverbs 3: 5-6 explains "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your intelligence; recognize him in all your steps and he will smooth your paths."
Step 4. Expect to face trials along the way
Each path has its difficulties, and the one you are about to tackle now is no exception. However, the trials you will bear exist to impart strength to you on your journey and to give meaning to your journey.
- It is possible that you will be setting up the tests yourself or that the latter are not at all up to you.
- You may stumble and give in to the temptation to do what you know is wrong. After that you will have some difficulty dealing with the consequences of your actions. Nonetheless, God will not abandon you. He may even use adversity for your own good, if you allow him to.
- On the other hand, you may be the victim of a natural disaster or some other unexpected and uncontrollable force. However, God can and will use such tragedies for the greater good as long as you are open to this eventuality.
Step 5. Stop waiting for an epiphany
You will have moments when you will feel the presence of God in a very intense way, but there will be others when you will feel a certain distance between you and Him. It is necessary to continue walking in faith in these dark times, without waiting for an epiphany or a miracle. to light up your path.
- Realize that God is always with you, even if you don't feel His presence or understand how He can use a particular tragedy or disaster in your life. The feeling of being abandoned is a human perception, not a question of truth.
- God speaks to the spirit, but although you still have a bodily form, there will be times when the perceptions of the body will drown out those of the spirit.
- When you no longer have hope or are able to feel God's presence, rely on the promises of the scriptures and your past experiences of faith to find strength. Keep praying and acting the way God wants.
Step 6. Glorify God in everything you do
It is not necessary to be a famous evangelist to walk in faith and glorify God. Do the best you can by adapting to the tasks and circumstances the Lord has assigned you.
- The First Corinthians 10:31 explains, "Now, whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do it all for the glory of God."
- If something simple, like eating and drinking, can be done for the glory of God, it is possible to regulate even more complex aspects of life based on the intent to glorify the Lord.
- If you go to school or university, study hard and always try to improve. If you work in an office, try to be a responsible, work ethic and diligent employee. Also improve yourself as a son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother in relationships with your family.
Part 3 of 3: Feeding Your Spirit
Step 1. Pray at all stages of life
Prayer offers you a direct channel to communicate with God. To remain committed to a journey of faith, it is necessary to continue talking to God in both good times and bad times.
- If you forget to pray, try to dedicate a specific time of day to prayer - when you wake up in the morning, during your lunch break, before bed, or any other time when you have a few minutes of silence and solitude.
- You may forget to praise and thank God in happier times, even if you have no problem turning to Him for help in times of trouble. The reverse can also happen. If there is a weakness in your approach to prayer, focus on strengthening it.
Step 2. Listen and understand what the direction is
Most of the time you will tend to move forward in life and make decisions based on who God is and what He wants for you. However, keep an open mind so that you know how to interpret the messages and signs sent by the Lord.
You may be given direction without even knowing it. When you lose your job, it could be a sign from God directing you to a better path. When a relationship ends, it could be another sign from the Lord pointing you towards a healthier relationship or a goal that you could never have achieved if you had stayed with that person
Step 3. Follow God's program
The Lord will answer your prayers, but the answers may not come when you most expect them. Likewise, God will pave the way for you, but the path will only be revealed to you when the Lord decides that the best time has come for you to see it.
It can be difficult especially when the demands of daily life are pressing. You may have a hard time trusting God's program when, for example, you can't find a job and have various deadlines to meet. However, no matter how harsh the circumstances may be, try to remember the Lord is with you in all adversity and that He will lead you to where you need to be according to His plans
Step 4. Give thanks
Be grateful for the blessings God has bestowed on you. By finding time to notice all the good things of the past and present, you can strengthen your faith and make it easier for you when the path seems uncertain.
It can be simple enough to give thanks for the undoubtedly good things, but you also need to give thanks for the trials and obstacles you encounter along the way. God only wants the best for you, even when, in the end, difficulties exist for your good
Step 5. Take care of the things God gives you
Treat all the good things in your life as if they were blessings. Understand that this warning includes both visible blessings and those you often take for granted.
- If you've been unemployed for a long time and the right job suddenly arrives, this could be a visible blessing. Therefore, you shouldn't neglect this opportunity, but work hard and do your best.
- A healthy, active body is a great blessing that many people often take for granted. Take care of it by eating right and doing everything possible to keep yourself healthy.
Step 6. Serve Others
As a disciple of Christ, you have been commissioned to serve and spread the love of Christ among others. It is a commitment pleasing to God and can be spiritually enriching for those who respect it.
- Giving money, food, clothing, and other material items to those in need is a way to serve others.
- Serving others also means giving your time to help the people around you - loved ones, strangers and even people you don't appreciate.
Step 7. Seek the company of other believers
No one can walk this path for you. However, it is a path that you can take with less difficulty in the presence of good company.
- Go to church looking for friends and companions. Try joining a Bible study group or one that develops similar interests if you feel the need for a more intense experience.
- Other believers can help you be responsible and keep going on the right path. You can do the same with them.
