Covenant Ministries • Study Series
Walk in Wisdom
Walking the Walk • Part 3 of 3
How often have we sought God’s will and found ourselves unsure of the next step? Paul calls God’s beloved children to walk carefully. Wisdom shapes how we use our time, understand the Lord’s will, and depend on His Spirit. This reaches into the ordinary choices we make each day.
1 Use Your Time Faithfully
READ EPHESIANS 5:15–16; PROVERBS 9:10
Paul tells us to examine how we walk and make the best use of the time because the days are evil. We live amid temptations and pressures that can pull us away from the Lord. Wisdom calls us to recognize those pressures and respond deliberately instead of drifting into habits that govern our lives.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Reverence recognizes who God is and receives His word with humility. He is our Creator, and we are accountable to Him. I am convinced there are times when I think too much of myself. Remembering who He is changes how I regard my own desires and plans.
We are mortal creatures made in God’s image. Returning to dust speaks of death under sin’s judgment. God’s image gives human life dignity. Our limited days call for humility and dependence on Him.
Consider the opportunities God has placed before you. A conversation, a task, or someone’s need may call for your attention. Wisdom includes faithful work, needed rest, and time to attend to God’s word and the people He has entrusted to our care.
Discussion
How does reverence for God change the way we evaluate our plans and priorities?
Where are you overlooking an opportunity to obey or serve because of how you spend your time?
2 Understand the Will of the Lord
READ EPHESIANS 5:17; ROMANS 12:2; JOHN 1:12–13
We often think of God’s will in terms of a particular decision: where to work, where to live, or what to do next. Those questions matter. In this passage, Paul directs us toward conduct that honors the Lord. He has already called us to love others, reject sin, and seek what pleases God. We can begin by obeying what He has plainly revealed.
Romans 12:2 connects discernment with the renewal of our minds. As God’s word corrects our thinking, we learn to judge our desires and choices by what is good and pleasing to Him. The Holy Spirit helps us understand and obey the word He has given. This growth involves repentance, humility, and a willingness to yield our plans to the Lord.
This renewed life begins with God’s saving work. John identifies those who receive Christ through faith as God’s children and describes their birth as coming from God. His Spirit gives new life and enables us to trust Christ. We cannot produce that life through determination or religious effort. The only reason I can stand before God is Christ.
When Scripture does not name a particular choice, we can pray for wisdom, seek sound counsel, and weigh our options in the light of God’s commands. We need not postpone clear obedience while waiting for a private answer to every question. Wisdom learns to act faithfully with what God has made known.
Discussion
What has God already made clear that you need to obey while you consider an uncertain decision?
How does God’s gift of new life direct our confidence to Christ rather than our own resolve?
3 Live in Dependence on the Spirit
READ EPHESIANS 5:18–21
Paul condemns drunkenness and calls believers to be filled with the Spirit. We must not surrender our conduct to intoxication or sinful desires. We are called to live in dependence on God’s Spirit, receiving His help as we respond to His word.
This dependence belongs to daily life. We bring our needs before God in prayer, receive correction from Scripture, and turn from the sin it exposes. We ask for help to do what He commands. The Spirit’s work reaches our thinking, desires, words, and actions.
Paul describes worship shared with one another and offered to the Lord. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs give expression to faith and encourage God’s people. A life filled with the Spirit draws us into the life of the church, where we hear the truth, worship together, and help one another follow Christ.
Thanksgiving and humility also become visible. We give thanks to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ, trusting His goodness even when life is difficult. Out of reverence for Christ, we submit to one another. We learn to listen, receive correction, and serve instead of insisting that our own interests come first.
Discussion
Which response in verses 19–21 most directly challenges the way you are living now?
How can shared worship, thanksgiving, and humble service help us grow in dependence on the Spirit?
4 Personal Response
Identify one area in which you have been walking carelessly. It may concern your use of time, a command you have postponed obeying, or a relationship in which pride has kept you from listening. Bring it before the Lord and name one step of obedience to take this week.
Make room for that step. Set aside time for Scripture and prayer, seek wise counsel about a decision, offer practical help, or receive a needed correction with humility. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. Rest your confidence in Christ as you learn to walk faithfully.
Discussion
What specific step will you take this week to use your time, make a decision, or serve someone in a way that honors Christ?
5 Closing Summary
- God calls His beloved children to walk in love, light, and wisdom.
- Wisdom begins with reverence for the Lord and shapes our use of time.
- God’s word reveals His will and corrects our thinking.
- A life filled with the Spirit bears fruit in worship, thanksgiving, and humility.
- Our confidence before God rests in Christ as we learn to obey.
The call to walk in love, light, and wisdom begins with belonging to Christ. If you have not trusted Him, turn from sin and place your faith in Jesus Christ. If you belong to Him, let the mercy you have received shape your conduct. We walk as God’s beloved children, depending on His Spirit.
