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2 KINGS 2:6-14

GALATIANS 5:16-25

LUKE 9:57-62

SUNDAY REFLECTION

Walk faithfully in the Lord is the theme for our Sunday reflection. To walk faithfully with the Lord means to be a loyal, steadfast, trustworthy believer or Christian. In other words, a person regarded as faithful has the qualities of loyalty, steadfastness and trustworthiness. We shall discuss two signs of a person who faithfully walks with the Lord;

1. To walk faithfully in the Lord we must be focused, consistent and determined.

2. To walk faithfully in the Lord, we must be led by the Spirit of God not the desires of the flesh.

Firstly, to walk faithfully in the Lord we must be seen to be focused, consistent and determined in our love and service to God. In 2 Kings 6-14 (first Scripture reading) we observe that Elisha will not be dissuaded by Elijah to stay behind while he (Elijah) prepares to be taken away by the heavenly hosts. Elisha was focused on receiving a double portion of Elijah’s anointing or spirit, he was consistent in faithfully following him and was determined to achieve his aim of receiving power to function effectively as a prophet when the master is gone. “Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on…When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” (2 Kings 2:6,9). Again, Elisha wanted to serve God effectively or walk faithfully in the Lord when his master, Elijah is taken away from him, therefore, he was focused, consistent and determined to receive a double portion of the Spirit which was upon Elijah. These are the qualities every believer must possess or desire when if we seek to walk faithfully in the Lord.

Similarly, Jesus admonishes us in Luke 9:57-62 (Third Scripture reading) that faithfulness is required of us if we desire to be servants or citizens in the Kingdom of God. Our numerous excuses and personal priorities over the call to follow and serve God will not keep us focused, consistent and determined in walking faithfully with the Lord. “Jesus (He) said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still, another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:59-62). Our chapels are becoming empty, and many Christians are no longer actively involved in the mission and ministry of God in the world because they have become obsessed with money and wealth acquisition. Many believers walk faithfully with their mobile phones, social media, bosses at work, business trips and appointments but are not focused, consistent and determined in their love and service to God. The only time many believers show faithfulness to God is when they are in need or in trouble. Many believers begin to give colossal amounts of money to the church or show up during revivals and crusades only when they find themselves in trouble or in crises. We must prove our faithfulness to God by being focused on our calling, consistent in our service and determined to overcome any obstacle that adversely affects our love and service to God. Again, we must avoid the habit of giving excuses when we are called upon to prove our faithfulness to God through our love and service to Him.

According to today’s Scripture reflections, the second and final sign of a person who walks faithfully in the Lord is his or her desire for fruit of the Spirit over desires of the flesh. It is impossible to live according to the desires of the flesh and still walk faithfully in the Lord. It is for this purpose Paul admonishes us through his letter to the Galatians (second Scripture reading) that “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” (Galatians 5:19-26). Hypocrisy is living according to the flesh yet pretending to walk faithfully with the Lord by faking the fruit of the Spirits. Let us walk faithfully in the Lord by allowing only the Holy Spirit to lead us so that we shall continue to bear the fruit of the Spirit and overcome the retrogressive and unrighteous desires of the flesh. Walking faithfully in the Lord and by the Spirit must manifest in our relationship with our fellow Christians and non-believers. People must witness our faithfulness to God and the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit in us a sign of our walking faithfully in the Lord.

In summary beloved in the Lord, We have discussed two important signs of a person who walks faithfully in the Lord, these are the quality of being focused, consistent and determined in loving and serving God and the second but not the least, is being led by the Holy Spirit to bear the fruit of the Spirit and not the desire of the flesh in walking faithfully in the Lord. May the Holy Spirit empower us to stay focused, consistent and determined while bearing the fruit of the Spirit as signs to show that we are walking faithfully in the Lord. Amen