WALK BEFORE ME — the Church Must Rethink Calling And Maturity

 

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The call to "walk before Me" is a divine invitation that challenges the Church to rethink what it means to be called and mature. While walking with God speaks of fellowship, walking before Him demands growth, surrender, and perfection. God is not just calling us to follow—but to become mature reflections of His nature.


Was Abraham not already walking with God? Then why did God still say, “Walk before Me”?

A Call That Grew into a Command

Genesis 12:1-4 — “Leave your father’s house... go to a land I will show you…”

At 75 years old, Abraham obeys the call.
No map. No timeline. No guarantee.

Question: Isn’t that faith? Isn’t that obedience?
So why, 24 years later, does God show up again and say:

“I am El Shaddai—walk before Me and be blameless.” (Genesis 17:1)

Was Abraham not walking rightly all along?
Or is there something deeper God wanted him to see?

PART 1: Was Abraham’s First Step Enough?

Let’s rewind…

After obeying God's call, Abraham faced famine. What did he do?
He left Canaan (the promised land) and went down to Egypt. (Genesis 12:10)

Question:
Did God ask him to go to Egypt?
Was there any divine instruction, or was it survival instinct?

Let’s look closer.

In Egypt:

Abraham lied about his wife.

Pharaoh took Sarai.

He was given livestock, silver, and a maidservant named Hagar.

Question:
Could it be that what looked like provision was really a prophetic problem?

Because years later, Hagar became Abraham’s shortcut to God’s promise—Ishmael was born… but not by faith.

Revelation: Some of Our Delays Are Born from Good Intentions Without God’s Instructions

God promised Isaac, but Abraham helped Him deliver Ishmael.

Have you ever “helped” God with your own idea?

What decisions are you making from panic, not presence?

Could the delay you're experiencing be tied to a detour He never sent you on?


PART 2: Why Did God Say “Walk Before Me” at Age 99?

Because calling is not the same as completion.

Though Abraham was:

Obedient at 75…

Faithful in some areas…

Learning as he went…

God still saw areas of fear, self-preservation, and compromise.

“Walking with God” speaks of intimacy.
But “Walking before God” speaks of maturity, representation, and alignment.

To walk before God means:

You live aware of His presence.

You walk accountable to His nature.

You reflect His character, even in His silence.


PART 3: Are You Walking With God, or Before Him?

Let’s contrast two people:

Adam — walked with God in the garden (Genesis 3:8).

But the moment he sinned, he hid himself.
He lost confidence in God's presence.

Abraham — learned to walk before God.

Even when tested to sacrifice Isaac, he obeyed—without question. (Genesis 22)
Why? Because he now trusted God's heart, not just His hand.

Do you only walk with God when He gives clear answers?

Can you still obey when He’s testing your maturity?

EXAMPLE: Think About a Parent and Child…

A toddler walks with the parent—always needing a hand, direction, and correction.

But as the child matures, the parent says:

“Go ahead. Walk in front of me. I’ll be right behind you.”

That’s what God was saying to Abraham.

God was saying: “You’ve learned to follow. Now walk before Me in such a way that I can trust you to represent Me.”

PART 4: God Doesn’t Want Just Obedience—He Wants Representation

God told Abraham to walk before Me and be blameless.

But how can anyone be “blameless”? Was God asking for perfection?

No.
Blamelessness here means:

Integrity.

Whole-heartedness.

Single-minded devotion.

Self-Check:

Are you the same in private as in public?

Are your motives God-shaped or self-protecting?

Can God trust you with silence—or do you only obey loud signs?



PART 5: What the Church Must Learn from Abraham

God called Abraham out of Ur.
But it took him decades to get Egypt, Lot, Ishmael, and his own ego out of himself.

Revelation:

God doesn’t just call you out of something—He walks with you until what’s in you matches what He called you into.

Practical Takeaways:

✅ Calling is not confirmation of character—it’s an invitation to develop it.
✅ Delays are not always from the devil—they often reveal areas where we walked outside His presence.
✅ Maturity is when you no longer need signs to obey—you’ve become a carrier of His mind.
✅ Intimacy says, “I know Your ways.”
✅ Walking before God says, “Even when You’re silent, I’ll reflect Your will.”

Have you left your “Egypt” or are you still relying on old habits to survive?

Is there a “Hagar” in your life—something birthed from your impatience, not God’s instruction?

Are you ready to walk before God—not for applause, but for alignment?

Did this stir your heart?
Drop a comment and tell us what part convicted or blessed you.


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