…that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thess. 2:12 NKJV
AXIOOS: worthy, of equal value or like worth.
Please read these verses in their contexts, where the word AXIOOS is used: Romans 16:2, Ephesians 4:1, Philippians 1:27, Colossians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, 1 Timothy 2:10,
3 John 6.
To walk worthy of God is to walk just like Jesus Christ. In the finished work of Christ, on our behalf and in us, we are made just like the Master. 1 John says that as He is, so are we in this world. Worthy! Consider that word, my dear reader. You are worthy! You are made of equal value and like worth to the only begotten Son of God. The Lord is lovingly calling us to walk like Himself. Now, you and I must learn to walk that way!
There are perhaps four great principles to learning to walk worthy of God. We will consider each one briefly, but with enough depth that you can run with them.
1). You must sit under (be taught by) the fivefold ministries of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
God has put ministries in the Body as the only provision for the perfecting of the saints
(KATARTISMOS, the word translated ‘perfecting,’ is only used in Ephesians 4:12). People that say, “I only need Jesus…I don’t need the Body of Christ (and it’s ministries)!” are deceived. You and I need the knowledge, wisdom and anointing that these ministries bring to grow us to maturity. My attitude toward them is this…teach me all that you know and can impart. Where do you find these ministries? Wherever the Body of Christ is alive and growing, you will find the fivefold ministries. How do you recognize them? Look for the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace…these are the fruit of the fivefold ministries. Where you find people who walk like Jesus, there you will find the fivefold in operation.
2). You must understand who you are in Christ.
The Lord has done a perfect work in making us sons and daughters of God. He became sin so that you and I could become the righteousness of God in Him. We died, arose and were seated in Him. Christ is in us! We are partakers of His divine nature. Read Romans and Ephesians over and over again, and ask the dear Holy Spirit to enlighten the eyes of your understanding to who you are in Christ.
3). You must value the opinion of God above all others.
He has made me pleasing in His sight. As I walk that out, my life will be pleasing to Him, and I will have favor with others. Mental prisons are formed when we value the opinions of men above God. We worry about what others think…and we see ourselves, as we perceive they see us. This is bondage!
My earthly father always told me that he was proud of me. Do you think I was concerned about doing things that might cause him to change his opinion? I certainly was, because I honored his opinion. You must learn to give honor to the opinion that God, your heavenly Father, holds of you. As you honor His opinion of you, you will rise up to walk worthy (of equal value) of it.
4). You must commit yourself fully to walk worthy.
I have a tee-shirt that says, “Be obsessive. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength!” In any field, the great ones never go halfway. No man can serve two masters. A doubleminded man is unstable in all of his ways because he is getting pulled in two different directions. Great souls respond to great challenges. Indeed, the greatest, most worthwhile challenge in life is to walk worthy of Him. Be obsessive, dear one…be focused….give it all you have…walk worthy of Him who called you into His own Kingdom and glory!
Remember dear ones; we must be about our Father’s business…