I am writing this at 11:24pm on a Monday. I am scared and I don't know what to do. I came here and decided to post this because I really would like the help of fellow Christians. I am 19 years old and live with my family. I grew up Catholic for a good amount of my life but I accepted Christ when I was 15 years old. I accepted him as my Lord and Savior because I needed him. For two and a half years of my life, I felt happy but not satisfied. There were still problems in my life that I felt that God wouldn't just fix even if I prayed, asked, and plead. So after turning 18, i left him and decided to pursue on my own. I held up on for a bit until I graduated high school and went to college. In college, I started plummeting to the floor. I skipped and failed classes. I lied and manipulated to hide and run. I pretended like I was in a distorted reality where I can just run and everything behind me would disappear. Finally after a year and half of running, I've reach a point were I don't know who I am anymore. I've failed and probably will soon drop out of college after only a year. My family is cutting me off and I know they are just doing it for the best of me but I feel like just running again and not looking back. But I know it's not right. I know it's not the choice I need. But I'm scared to go back to God. I am scared that he would not help me. I am scared he gave up on me. I'm scared because I don't want to be a leech and holding on to my family's life or anyone else. I want to be happy. I want a good life. I don't want to feel the need to run anymore. I want Christ but I don't know if he wants me back. All I know is that I won't accept the fact of running away anymore. I do not know if I will feel the same way I do now tomorrow but if anyone can help, please do. I don't want to be a news report about a teen that ran away or committed suicide or became a bum. Please help me!!
WALKING ACCORDING TO THE NEW-BORN HUMAN SPIRIT
But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. While some interpret the Spirit here to be the Holy Spirit, to be consistent with Romans 7, the battle is not between the Holy Spirit and the sin-nature, but between the old nature and the new nature. We take the word Spirit here in reference to the new-born human spirit.
Ephesians 5:7-8: Be not ye therefore partakers with them; For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light. Here the concept of walking in accordance with the new-born human spirit means to be walking in accordance with the light; that is, the light of the Lord.
(1) What does it mean to walk in accordance with the new-born human spirit?
It means carrying out the duties of the spiritual life that are demanded by the Word of God. At its essence, that is what it means to walk on the basis of the new-born human spirit.
There are three ramifications. First, it is necessary to carry out life's functions. We are required to carry out the daily duties which the Bible demands of us. If we are not fulfilling this, then we we are not walking by the new-born human spirit. If we are fulfilling this, then we are walking by the new-born human spirit. Secondly, to walk physically requires legs, feet, exercise, practice, strength, and balance; it involves our body.
The Book of Romans encourages us to present [our] bodies a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1) and encourages us to cease to present [our] members [of the body] as instruments of unrighteousness (Rom. 6:12). We are to use them as principles of righteousness in order for us to carry out our duties in the spiritual life that are demanded of us by the Word of God. In order for us to be able to carry out life's functions, we need to use our legs, our feet, our hands, our mouth, and our mind. It requires exercise, practice, strength, and balance. Our physical body must be the Lord's. Thirdly, living the spiritual life is a learning process. We learn by walking. When a little baby begins to walk, he falls because falling is part of the process. Even so, we are going to fall; falling is part of the process. If we never get up, then we have failed to grow spiritually. If we get up and walk again, then we are growing in the spiritual life.
(2) What is the means by which we do this walking?
Simply put, the means is by faith. This is brought out in II Corinthians 5:7
for we walk by faith, not by sight). Our spiritual walk, walking according to the new-born human spirit, is on the basis of our faith. This is in contrast with the way unbelievers do it. In Ephesians 4:1 Paul wrote: I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called. Paul beseeches us to keep walking worthily of the calling [to which we] were called [to walk]. The means of walking worthily is to walk by means of faith.
(3) What are some of the specifics in our walking?
Several passages that spell this out.
1. Walking in Newness of Life: Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. One of the specifics concerning walking is walking in newness of life: we must now walk in accordance with the divine standard, and not with a standard that may be imposed upon us either by the flesh, the world or the devil.
2. Walking Properly:
Romans 13:13 Let us walk becomingly, as in the day; not in revelling and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and jealousy. The point is that we must walk becomingly or properly, which means avoiding immorality. Immorality is not walking according to new-born human spirit.
3. Walking in Good Works:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. Here, Paul talks about walking in good works. Doing good works is also in keeping with walking in accordance of the new-born human spirit.
4. Walking in a Worthy Manner: Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling wherewith ye were called. We are to walk in a worthy manner, consistent with our spiritual calling.
5. Walking in Love:
Ephesians 5:1-3 Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as becomes saints. The point of verses 1-2 is that we are to walk in love.
6. Walking as Children of the Light: Ephesians 5:8 for ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light. Since we are children of light, we are to walk as children of light.
7. Walking Circumspectly:
Ephesians 5:15-16 Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; redeeming the time, because the days are evil. In other passages we learn other specific steps about walking consistently with our new-born human spirit: in Colossians 1:10, we are to walk worthily of the Lord; in Colossians 2:6, we are to walk in the Messiah Yeshua; in Colossians 4:5, we are to walk in wisdom; in I Thessalonians 4:1, we are to walk to please God; in I John 1:7, we are to walk in the light; and in III John 3-4, we are to walk in truth. When the Bible uses the term “walking” in connection with the spiritual life, there are various facets of walking according to the new-born human spirit, and there are various specific, individual steps.
