Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus: Finding Strength in Weakness

Have you ever felt utterly alone, even in a crowded room? Like a ship lost at sea, with no land in sight? Maybe you’ve been hurt by someone you trusted, the wound so deep it feels like time can never heal it. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Feeling weak, vulnerable, and wondering if there’s any point in even praying.

But what if I told you that in those very moments of weakness, you’re not alone? That there’s a path, a way to find strength when you feel you have none? Today, we’re going to talk about just that – walking in the footsteps of Jesus, as dear children, and finding unbelievable power in our moments of weakness.

As it says in Ephesians 5:1-2, Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Special Events This Week

Before we get into the heart of the message, I want to quickly mention some special events happening this week. This coming Wednesday night, Gabriel Swaggart will be here, ministering with passion. Everyone is invited! Thursday night, we’re excited to have Sister Beth Stevens. Then Friday night kicks off the Youth Conference. We’re looking forward to all that’s in store as we seek the Lord together!

The Core Message: Walking as Followers of God

Now, let’s dive into what it truly means to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. What does it look like to be a follower of God? How do we even begin?

Understanding “Walking” in Scripture

When you read the word “walk” or “walking” in the Bible, it often refers to a progressive journey, a forward movement. It’s not about standing still; it’s about going somewhere. You can’t get from point A to point B unless you take that first step, can you? It signifies progress, a journey of faith. It means walking in the spirit.

God doesn’t expect us to be perfect before He meets us. He meets us exactly where we are, in our mess, in our pain, and in our struggles. Think about the woman at the well. She had five husbands and was living with a man who wasn’t her husband, but Jesus met her right there, at that well. He waited for her. Or consider the prodigal son, wallowing in a pigpen. His father didn’t wait for him to clean himself up; he ran to him, just as he was. What about the demon-possessed man, running naked among the tombs? Jesus crossed a stormy sea to meet him in his darkest place.

God meets us where we are, not to leave us there, but to bring us into the blessing of the finished work of Calvary. He comes to us in our sin, our bondage, our captivity, our sorrow, and our sickness. He meets us in the darkest, most evil places we can imagine. Even if we make our bed in hell, He will come to us.

The Exodus Example: Provision and Preparation

One of the most powerful examples of this is found in the story of the Exodus. The children of Israel were living in terrible bondage in Egypt. They were slaves, they were poor, and they had no rights. But God raised up Moses to be their deliverer. Moses told them, “You’re coming out of this place! I know you don’t have weapons, I know you don’t have an army, but God is going to bring you out with a strong hand.”

Moses told them to take a lamb, slay it, and put its blood on the doorposts of their houses. “When the death angel comes,” he said, “when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” But it didn’t stop there. God also told them to roast the lamb and eat it. But not in comfort, not like a regular family dinner. He said, “Eat it with your shoes on, your coat on, and your bags packed, because you’re going somewhere. I’m getting you out of this place!”

Just like the Israelites needed food to sustain their lives, we need Jesus to sustain us. He wants us to eat of Him, to partake in His sacrifice, but also to be ready to move, to leave behind our old lives and step into the Promised Land He has for us.

Jesus: God Manifest in Flesh

Consider Jesus. He left the throne room of Heaven, walked down the golden streets of the celestial city, and made Himself of no reputation. He clothed Himself with humanity.

Think about the Tabernacle in the Old Covenant. When people looked at it, all they saw were animal skins, dyed red. It didn’t look pretty. But inside those skins was the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the very presence of God.

In the same way, when Jesus came to this earth, the presence of God was dwelling in what appeared to be just a “skin tent” – human flesh. Christ, who is God, made Himself of no reputation to be born of a virgin and confined to a tabernacle of skin, flesh, and bone. He emptied Himself to become incarcerated inside a prison of bone. He became like us to set us free.

Adam’s Shoes

When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, a place of perfection, he took off his shoes, which symbolized perfect union with God. And those shoes sat there for over 4,000 years. No one was worthy to put them on. Abraham, the father of faith, wasn’t worthy. David, with all his shouting and dancing, wasn’t worthy. Isaiah, with his prophecies, wasn’t worthy.

The only one worthy was Christ, God manifest in the flesh. He put on Adam’s shoes to restore the breach between God and man, to bridge the mighty gulf of sin that separated us from God.

Building the Bridge: Christ’s Sacrificial Blood

There was no material on this earth that could build this bridge, no works that were worthy. Humanity, in all its power and blessings, could not build this bridge. Only the sacrificial blood of the Lamb of God had the power to do it.

Jesus came, born of a virgin, and slipped His feet into the shoes of Adam. He lived in a poor man’s house, ate poor man’s food, and slept in a poor man’s bed. He lived in Nazareth, a city from which no good thing was expected to come. It was rumored to be a place of nothing. But Jesus lived there, walking in Adam’s shoes, God manifest in flesh, the presence of God in a skin tent.

At the age of 30, He took off His carpenter’s belt, and with those shoes on, He went down to the river Jordan. John the Baptist was there, proclaiming that he was not the Messiah, but only the forerunner. John said, “I am not worthy to stoop down and untie His shoelaces. But when He comes, He will take away the sins of the world. He will baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire.”

And then, John looked upon the banks of the Jordan River and said, “There He is! He showed up today!”

Jesus walked down into the river, and a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And the dove descended on Him. Why? Because that day, He put on the shoes of Adam in order to build the bridge across the sea of separation. He built the bridge over troubled waters.

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That bridge was built by His precious blood. I imagine, if I had the ability to make movies, I could have him, when they’re beating his back, that blood, the drops are falling, and as they’re falling, it’s forming this suspension bridge across the troubled water that no one could build, that no man could reach.

When they put the crown of thorns upon on his head, as the blood began to trickle down, it began to form more of that suspension bridge across those troubled waters. When they began to put nails in his hands, it formed more of that bridge, and when they put nails in his feet, it formed more of that bridge, and when they pierced His precious side, out came blood and water that formed the rest of that bridge.

While He was hanging there, one thief made fun of Him, but the other one said, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus could have said, “Don’t worry, son, I’m building the bridge right now. Today, before the sun goes down, you and I are going to cross this bridge, and we’re going to come into the presence of God.”

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” that bridge reached from Heaven to earth. It crossed the mighty gulf of troubled waters.

The Holy Spirit and the Bridge to Salvation

On the day of Pentecost, it was time for the celebration, time for the ribbon to be cut to welcome everyone across that bridge. On the banks of Heaven and on the shores of Glory, the Holy Spirit got in a chariot of fire and cut that ribbon! The Holy Spirit went across that suspension bridge from Heaven to earth, and He said, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!”

That bridge has been built. The Holy Spirit confirms that we’ve been changed from darkness into marvelous light. And one day, corruption will put on incorruption, and we’re going to cross that bridge and be in the presence of God. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Dealing with Weakness: Jesus’ Example in the Wilderness

Jesus came out of the water where He was baptized, and the Spirit led Him into the wilderness. Why? So He could weaken His house of clay, His human flesh.

The Temptation in the Wilderness

After 40 days, the devil came to Jesus in His weakness. The enemy never comes to you in your strength. He waits for you to lighten up on your prayer, lighten up on your faith. He waits for your weak moment.

It is Written

The Lord had to make a decision because He’s walking in shoes that He’s going to give to you. He could have used His divine power, but He chose to show us how to overcome in our weakness.

Instead, Jesus responded to temptation with, “It is written…” He quoted the Word of God. And we can do the same. In our weakness, we can put on Christ’s shoes and speak the Word of God over our situations.

“I am the head and not the tail.” “I overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony.” “If God is for me, who can be against me?”

Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. Slip on those shoes of the Spirit and begin to walk in the footsteps of Christ.

Putting on the Shoes of Christ

Even though you may think you have no power in yourself, and there is no good thing in your flesh, know that Christ is in you. And you can put on His shoes. Though you fall, He will pick you up. You can take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony.

Be of good cheer, child of God. No matter how weak you may think you are, in your weakness, He becomes your strength, your overcoming power, the One who will lift you up!

Testimony Time: Finding Strength in Difficult Times

Do you feel all alone in a crowded room, like a ship stranded on an endless sea? Have you been wounded by someone you counted as a friend, a hurt so deep time will never heal?

Let me say, He knows, He cares, where you are. He’s right there. He sees your heart, all the hidden and broken parts. Let Him take you in His arms. He will heal your wounds and scars. Yes, He knows just where you are.

Before He ever raised the dead, before He ever cast the devil out, Jesus took those shoes and went into the wilderness to become as weak as human flesh could become. So, when you find yourself in the battle, lying in a pool of blood, and you say, “God, I’ve never felt so weak in all my life,” look up and see those shoes that you’re wearing. He wore them in weakness so He could face the devil with you in your weakness.

Embrace Your Weakness

Are you feeling weak right now? Maybe you’re dealing with sickness, financial stress, or a difficult situation. Don’t wait for me to call out your weakness. Just know that Jesus walked in the shoes of weakness to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and to cast the devil out of your situation.

I encourage you to use the Word of God in prayer during these times. Here is a prayer you can use:

Jesus, I recognize that you became weak so that you could step into my weakness and show your power and your strength. Now, let your word come out of my mouth. Let me speak to this mountain. Let me speak to this sickness. Let me speak to this domestic situation. Let me speak to this problem that I have. I know that it is written. It is written that I am the head and not the tail. It is written that I overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of my testimony.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we are all called to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, not in our strength, but in His. Recognize that He meets us where we are, no matter how dark or broken our situation may be. Embrace the incredible truth that He empowers us in our weakness, giving us the ability to overcome through the power of His name and the truth of His Word. Put on the shoes of Christ, and step into the fullness of life He has for you.