Living in the SPIRIT Series Pt 2: Walking in the SPIRIT! What is it Like?

The Bible tells us that once we are newly converted and are baptized and receive God’s Holy Spirit we become a NEW CREATION! Notice: “Therefore if any man (or woman) be in Christ, he (or she) is a new creature: old things are past away; behold ALL things are become NEW!” 2 Corinthians, 5:17.

Paul also admonishes us in Ephesians, 4:17-32: “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, (nor like the heathen people of the world DO NOT MINGLE WITH THEM as my wife Gina does), in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart (mind): Who being past feeling (without having remorse and without any conscience at all nor having any "UNDERSTANDING" of the PLAIN and SIMPLE Truth of God's Word) have given themselves over unto lasciviousness (lust), to work ALL uncleanness (filthiness) with greediness.

But ye have not so learned Christ; If so it be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the (PLAIN and SIMPLE) TRUTH is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation of the old man (and the old woman), which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the NEW man (or woman), which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man (or woman) truth with his (or her) neighbor: for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole (the thief comes only to steal, to kill and to destroy John, 10:10) steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good (the work of God that I do by writing all these IMPORTANT articles and podcasts that I do), that he may have to give to him (or her) that needeth. Let no corrupt communication (or cursing like "BAD words" specially the F word, etc.) proceed out of your mouth, but that which is GOOD to the use of edifying, that it may minister (or give) grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let ALL (sorts of hatred), bitterness, and wrath, fierce anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with ALL malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Paul also explains the following important biblical concept: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?

Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted (buried) together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this as well, that our old man (or old woman) is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans, 6:3-6.

And in Romans 12:2 he also admonishes us thus: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind (through the Spirit of God), that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Walking in the Spirit According to the Scriptures

? Galatians 5:16-25:

“I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (the rudiments and rules and regulations of men but under the LAW of GOD). Now "the works of the flesh" are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness (lust), idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath (bouts of uncontrolled anger), selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

? Romans 8:1-10:

“There is therefore now no condemnation (nor guilt) to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the (ceremonial) law (of rituals and sacrifices) could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who (still) live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, on the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead (figuretively speaking off course just like I feel DEAD to this world and their sinful activites) because of sin, but the Spirit is (newness of) life because of righteousness.”

? Colossians 3:1-3:

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died (metaphorically at baptism), and (now) your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

? 2 Timothy 1:7:

”For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

? John 15:5:

"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.”

? Romans 8:14:

”For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons (and daughters) of God.”

? 1 Corinthians 2:16:

”For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" Philippians 2:5

? Galatians 2:20:

”I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by (having) faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Are You Led by God’s Spirit?

You cannot be a true Christian without the Spirit of God. A Christian is defined by one that is led by the Holy Spirit.

If you say “I’m a Christian” then there is a serious question you have to answer. In fact how you answer that question is absolutely critical.

Here’s the question: Am I led by the Holy Spirit? Now it seems pretty simple right but why is that answer so important? As you think about that for a moment we’d better step back and first consider what exactly the Holy Spirit is?

It’s the very presence of God’s power working in us. Rather than being a distinct person what the Bible tells us it’s God’s divine power. Paul talks about this in the book of Romans.

In Romans 15:13 here is what he writes. He hopes that all Christians “abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” and in fact Paul talks about God’s Spirit working in him in that very way. A couple of verses later in verse 19 Paul says that God worked through him “mighty signs & wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God” and so Paul draws us to this conclusion and therefore the Bible clearly shows us that the Holy Spirit itself is a power from God.

It’s the way that He works. It’s the way that He creates. It’s also the way that He communicates and acts on and in this world that we live in.

In fact when you think about our Savior Jesus Christ much in the same way it’s recorded for us in the book of Acts. In Acts 10:38 we find this notation about Christ Himself. It records for us “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

So we see that the Holy Spirit is connected by the power with which God was with Christ and through that power Christ performed these amazing miracles.

Now of course perhaps you noticed as we read those couple of passages there was something specific that we could take from that. Did you notice that always the Holy spirit was always presented as an attribute or a characteristic of God? It wasn’t mentioned as a separate being, entity or individual. In fact if we go all the way back to the beginning, and we go all the way back to Genesis 1 we find an interesting notation all the way back at creation. This is in verse 2 of chapter 1 of Genesis. It says there that “The earth was without form and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

All the way back at creation the Holy Spirit is described as something well maybe perhaps greater than what we’ve been led to understand.

It’s the very essence of God. It’s how God works, it’s how God uses His power to accomplish His will. In fact not in just by creating this world but how it works in people’s lives by those who have put their faith and their trust in Him. Those who have asked Him to help them every single day with the power of that very spirit.

Because it’s by that Spirit by it’s dwelling in us how He (JESUS) truly guides us to do His will and that's how it leads us and it enables us to be the children of God.

Some think, is it really that important because oftentimes people imagine well if I accept Jesus and he’s in my heart (my mind), isn’t that enough?

Well it depends what you mean, to begin with because as we consider what the Bible really says about the importance of God’s Spirit. Notice what Acts 8 has to say about it. Verse 9 it tells us very clearly “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.” Not too difficult to understand, is it? It’s pretty plain. Pretty plain and SIMPLE if the Spirit isn’t in you, you don’t belong to God.

So how significant is it? Well without it, without God’s Holy Spirit in our lives you cannot have a relationship with God. In fact a few verses later we’re told that the Holy Spirit itself bears witness with our (human) spirit that we are children of God. So you can’t take it lightly, you can’t downplay the significance of God’s presence in our life.

Of course if you remember where we started, remember that question we began with? Am I led by the Holy Spirit? When we begin to answer that question, when you say I’m a Christian, we have to answer that question honestly. And when we answer that question we have to keep Romans 8:14 in mind and that’s where it tells us “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons (and daughters) of God.”

So how would you define a Christian? It tells us very plainly you cannot be a true Christian without the spirit of God. A Christian is defined as one who is led by the Holy Spirit.

So we have to ask ourselves how the Spirit works in my life. What exactly does it mean to be “led by the Spirit?” Is it just an emotion, is it a feeling that I have, or a sentiment that comes to mind? Some can be really confused by what it means to be led but we don’t have to be. We don’t have to be that way at all and in fact Jesus Christ said the Spirit will lead us and guide us into all truth. Just like you were lead to this podcast from "The PLAIN and SIMPLE Truth Minisries" and this monthly publication called: "The Plain and Simple Truth Newsletter" online. So it’s essential that we realize that there are things the Spirit doesn’t do.

For example: the Holy Spirit will NEVER EVER lead you to go and mingle with other people in "worldly" activities and events nor to be a partaker of Pagan Feasts and Holidays which the world tradionally and typically observe and do celebrate (like my wife has also done)! "Be not unequally yoked (associated, joined with, connected to, married to, and involved with) together with (ALL) unbelievers: for what fellowship hath rigtheousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord (or PACT and agreement) hath Christ with Belial (another name for Satan)? Or what part hath he (or she) that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God (those of us who are converted) with idols (and idolatrous and sinful people)? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." 2 Corinthians 6:14-16.

Also the Holy Spirit will NOT lead you to engage and participate in the customs, festivities and celebrations of your "unconverted" family members, relatives, acquaintances and school friends (like my wife has done as well)! "Ye (spiritual) adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world (even if it is a relative) is the enemy of God." James 4:4.

The Spirit doesn’t drag us, it doesn’t force us, it doesn’t push us around, and it doesn’t make us do anything besides our will. In fact the Bible tells us that it leads us. Only those led by the Spirit of God are His children. So the Spirit’s not going to stop us from sinning. It doesn’t automatically prevent us from violating God’s law. It doesn’t do that. In fact it won’t coerce us into doing what’s right.

So what does it do? You see God’s Spirit motivates us, it empowers us, and it leads us and guides us and it leads us in specific ways. In fact let’s consider a few specific ways that God’s Spirit leads us.

To begin with God’s Spirit inspires deeper understanding. We can understand spiritual truths because of God’s Spirit. Because when we have God’s Spirit that means we’re changing the way that we think. We’re changing the way then that we act and as we yield to God’s Spirit we think like God thinks. We just want to please God. We want to obey God. God’s Spirit is working in our hearts and in our minds.

In fact the Apostle John wrote about this very thing. He tells us in 1 John 3:24,

“Now he (or she) who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him (or her).” Then he goes on, “and by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”

You see if we allow God’s Spirit to lead us God can influence us for the good. It brings an entirely new perspective in our lives. We begin to want to obey Him, we want to follow Him. We want to do as He says in His "Instruction Book". He said keep my commandments so we have to do those big 10.

We have to honor God and love Him and we don’t want to steal and we don’t want to lie. We need to keep the Sabbath Day holy. We’re going to separate ourselves from the society around us, from this culture and this world and in fact our very own human nature.

So Christ said that the Holy Spirit would bring that deeper understanding and convict us of sin. That’s what Christ said, it would convict the world of sin.

So with God’s Spirit I should now be able to recognize what is sin anyway?

God’s Spirit can lead and guide me and that means I’d better pay attention. I’d better listen up because God is giving me a powerful pledge to guide me and walk with me and lead me but of course that also means I have a tremendous responsibility, there’s an obligation then that I have as God has given me that Spirit.

In Romans 8 it’s a wonderful reminder of exactly how that Spirit works in my life. When we see what it says in verse 13 of Romans 8, it says if I live according to the flesh, or if I live according to every day normal regular physical life, if I live that way what does it lead to? Well we’re told if you live that way you will die but on the other hand if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

So we have that duty we have that responsibility and if we allow God’s Spirit to inspire a deeper spiritual understanding do you have any idea what that’s taking us to? That’s not just a passive life. That’s not just something that I can sit back and just have a docile kind of existence and think that’s going to be spiritual. It’s the other hand, and the other way around, a life that’s led by God’s Spirit that’s a life of conflict and struggles. That’s being led by the Spirit and convicted of sin. That means I’m going to have to constantly combat and fight the ways of this world. I’m going to be in a clash with wrong ways of thinking and ideas.

I’ll have to battle with life’s constant temptations.

In fact if you have God’s Spirit you’re going to have to fight to resist the desires that want to take us in and fool us and seduce us.

So instead God says a faithful disciple, the one that’s led by the Spirit, it’s not just a casual observer but “a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

So if we claim to be a Christian if we claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ and if we’re not actively resisting evil and striving to do what’s right we really can’t claim that we’re being led by the Spirit.

In other words if we’re led by the Spirit it means I’m ridding my life of sin and I’m conforming to the character of Jesus Christ.

In fact all that claim to be Christians have to obey God’s law because we’ve been put on a mission. We’ve been given this duty to put to death "human nature" by the power of God’s Spirit.

Just imagine that Holy Spirit working within you. The power of God, His essence in you makes all the difference in the world.

Now that brings us to point #2 in our discussion on “Am I Led by the Holy Spirit?”

The Holy Spirit makes overcoming possible.

Aren’t you tired of the same old same old? With the power of God working in you, when it’s truly in our life there’s nothing too difficult for us. When we fully commit our lives to God, when we really do put our life in His hands and we’re dedicating ourselves to follow Him we can be a different person we can be a better person we can be a spiritual creation.

In fact the book of Romans reminds us of that very thing. In Romans 12:2 we’re told “do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” So we don’t need the same old same old. We can be different and not just slightly different but we can be transformed and that word for transformed in the original language that’s the same word we get metamorphosis from.

Now you all studied science back in grade school or even in High School.

Metamorphosis is what happens to that caterpillar when it changes into a butterfly.

Now think about that spiritually.

Spiritually speaking when we yield to God, when we allow Him to direct our thoughts we can be changed. Changed from the inside out. Kind of like that caterpillar and yet spiritually we can be a new creation and it’s God's Spirit that leads us to choose that different life, to choose that life of overcoming.

You see we can’t just think that well God just takes me just as I am. Well okay He calls us just like we are but then He says you’re to be like Me. God’s called us to be like Him.

Just as I am is just the starting point to an entirely transformed existence. In fact in the book of Galatians we’re told very specifically how important this is.

In Galatians 3:27 it tells us “for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” An important aspect mentioned here in the book of Galatians. I mean think about your life. Have you seen a change, have you seen growth in your life? Well perhaps you’re not baptized. Scripture says you should be. We’re told in Scripture to repent, be forgiven of our sins, believe and obey, be baptized and then a minister of Jesus Christ needs to lay hands on you in order for you to receive God’s Holy Spirit. In fact in the book of Acts we’re told very plainly that they had laid hands on them and then they had received the Holy Spirit. So if you have not received the Spirit of God by the laying on of hands you need to learn about it. You need to find out what the Bible actually teaches. It may be why you are having a difficult time with spiritual growth. We need the power. We need God’s Holy Spirit to be truly transformed.

So take inventory, take stock of yourself and your life now. Look at your life. Is there any evidence that God’s Spirit is in you? Do you have certain items in your home that you have refused to give up and are currently interferring with your "SPIRITUAL GROWTH"? Are you doing things on the SABBATH DAY (like talking on the phone and GOSSIPPING with friends and family, CLEANING, SWEEPING, or doing some type of manual work like CROCHET as I've seen my wife do many a time during services that you know you are not supposed to do, like working on something etc.?

We can think of it this way. Like a fruit tree. Fruit trees produce a specific kind of fruit. So an apple tree produces apples.

What about God’s Spirit? What about the fruit of God’s Spirit? If we’re led by the Spirit it should be evident. In chapter 5 of Galatians this is what we’re told about the fruit that this spiritual tree produces. In verse 22 of Galatians 5 it says as I’ve already mentioned in a previous segment that: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, faithfulness, goodness, gentleness, self-control. In fact it even tells us there is no law against those. You see those are the traits that truly should be evident in our life. When we recognize God’s Spirit is what makes it possible without it the fruit is not going to grow. It’s not going to be there. It’ll be stagnant but God says when we stay close to Him and by the power of His Holy Spirit we have a godly mind, we change our thinking and what does that do to us? It changes our actions, we change the way we think, change the way we act and our behavior so we can have a deeper understanding.

Now that brings us to point #3 in our discussion of “Am I Led by the Holy Spirit?

God’s Spirit comforts us and encourages us.

Would anybody argue that we live in a pretty "messed up" challenging and evil world? There is terrorism and a possible world war III in the horizon which can also turn NUCLEAR and all these difficulties that our world is encumbered with everywhere we turn. We look at our personal lives and go easily in SHOCK. Our personal lives can be sometimes pretty chaotic and sometimes they can be very confusing too.

Anyone experiencing any stress lately? A little anxiety?

You see that seems to be the way of life today. The truth of the Bible tells us that we can have help for today and hope for tomorrow. In fact it’s more than just a saying it’s a promise. Jesus Christ made an unbreakable promise. In the Gospel of John when we look to John 14 Christ Himself tells us very specifically “If you love me, keep my commandments. And He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever…the Spirit of truth.” It says “the world cannot receive it.” He says “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you.” You see that’s a promise from Christ. And He is coming now REAL SOON!

When you think about God’s Spirit being that Comforter that Encourager that’s an interesting word in the Greek language that it’s taken from. It’s a word that’s used to describe a ship that comes alongside a dock. That’s the way they used that word back in ancient times. That was the comforter, the one that’s called to the side. It can mean coming near, and supporting even cheering on. So in other words, God’s spirit is sent as an encourager, a comforter that comes along side us, to guide us, to support us, to help us, to encourage us.

God’s Spirit gives us the assurance that whatever life brings, whatever the stress, whatever the anxiety, whatever the trial, God can turn it for good. In fact aren’t we told that very thing, if God is for us who can be against us? Don’t you want a different outlook in life?

Don’t you need a different perspective? You see God says we can depend on Him.

We can depend on His Word in difficult times and through His Holy Spirit we can have a changed perspective and we can look at life differently. The Apostle Paul told the young minister Timothy that "God didn’t give us a spirit of fear. That He didn’t give us a spirit of timidness at all." Paul told him just the opposite of that God has given us a spirit of power and love and of a sound mind. When we recognize that very fact we realize as we look through the book of Acts, Acts tells all the story about the first century church and throughout the book of Acts the church is shown time after time after time to rely on God and His way and trust in Him and by the power of His Holy Spirit His will can be accomplished.

And these weren’t just made up people. Oftentimes we read the Bible and think well yeah that’s somebody that’s totally unlike me. You see that’s not the case at all. These were real people and these were their real lives and they were people that weren’t so different from us.

In fact when we read their stories they’re exactly like us. They hurt like us and they feel like us and they thought like us but what was it that truly made the big difference? You see that was God’s Spirit. It was by the power of God’s Spirit that they had a different perspective. They had a totally different view on life and the great part of the story is we can too. We can too by turning to God.

Looking to Him and repenting and changing, coming to baptism, having hands laid on us, and receiving God’s Spirit can make the total metamorphosis, make that total change in our life so that we see life differently, we can be a spiritual creation in Christ because when you really get down to it there really is only one way that your life can be what God intended for it to be. That’s turning to Him.

Looking to Him. There’s only one way that we can be different. There’s only way one that we can change. Get your Bible out later sometime. Read through the stories of the Bible. Read this article over and over again. The Holy Spirit will help you to help you understand the way that God is working. Look to Him. Look to His guidance. Look to His leadership. Obey Him.

Part of receiving the Spirit of God is that we begin then to change our life and live by His standards and so live by the standards of God.

Submit your life to His Holy Spirit because God wants to lead you by that very Spirit and it’s only by that Spirit that God will change your life by the dynamic, dramatic force of the Holy Spirit working in you because God wants to help you discern the difference. He wants you to see what life can really be like and also to ultimately have eternal life in His kingdom.

God wants to help you. He wants to help you discern between what’s true and what’s false. He wants to help you to recognize the difference between what’s DUMB and what's SMART, what's wise and what’s foolish. He wants you to know and be firmly grounded and highly aware that you know between what’s best, what’s spiritual, and what’s just getting by. You see if you’re ready to make real progress in your life, if you’re ready to counteract and overcome the continual downward pull and the influence of this evil world, the time is now.

Now’s the time, now’s the time to turn to God. Now is the time to look to Him. Now is the time to repent and believe and be baptized, have hands laid on you so that you may receive the power of God’s Holy Spirit and then you can say: "I am truly being led by the Spirit of God."

What is “Walking by the Spirit”?

Paul’s epistle to the Galatians carries with it a severely admonishing tone. Many in the church at Galatia had succumbed to the dangerous teachings and various doctrines of men. For the apostle Paul, this was a departure from the only true Gospel. In this epistle Paul attempts to correct the Galatians’ perilous departure. After Paul affirms the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ and the necessity to abide in it, he turns to matters regarding Christian living.

In Paul’s discourse regarding TRUE Christian living, he declares that “life in the Spirit” is not antinomianism, a doctrine many accused the apostles of teaching. Rather, a “life in the Spirit” is one that seeks to obey and to truly serve God in a profound, intensified manner!

For Paul, faith in the Gospel is a necessary prerequisite for “walking by the Spirit.” Thus, one must “begin” in the Spirit before “continuing” in it.

Paul’s overriding concern is clearly seen in the following: “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:1-3) Paul’s rhetoric is unmistakable. The Galatians, having begun in the Spirit by believing, were now seeking to mature by obeying an old system that was only a shadow of things to come. Such a practice was utter “foolishness” to Paul.

Therefore, in chapter 5, Paul gives the definitive answer to how one matures and obeys the true and living God:

“Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.” This phrase is begun with a command (Walk by the Spirit) and finished with a promise (you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh). There are three elements in this passage that we must understand in order to grasp Paul’s intention. We must understand the terms “walk,” “Spirit,” and “flesh.”

Walk – The Greek word peripateite is one of four verbs that is used in Galatians 5 to designate “life in the Spirit.” All seek to convey a similar meaning – a lifestyle consumed by the power of the Holy Spirit. “Although this is the only place in Galatians where the word ‘walk’ is used in this sense, it is a common Pauline designation for one’s daily conduct or lifestyle.” Therefore, Paul is using the word “walk” in the sense of a continual lifestyle.

Spirit – To ascertain Paul’s intention of the Greek word pneuma one needs to simly examine the context.

This Greek word has a variety of possible translations: the human spirit, wind, unity, the Holy Spirit, etc. Given the great context of the entire epistle and the immediate passage, Paul is clearly referring to the Holy Spirit, which empowers the regenerated believer to live a dynamic, obedient life in relationship to God.

Flesh – There has been considerable debate over the translation of the Greek word sarx, mainly stemming from the NIV translation committee’s decision to translate this word “sinful nature” in many instances.

While I have some reservations in accepting that word as translation, overall I believe sarx, in this particular context, indeed carries the meaning of the sinful nature of humanity. Timothy George notes, "Throughout Galatians 5-6 flesh is used as an ethical term with a decidedly negative connotation. Flesh refers to sinful human nature, the center of human pride and self-willing."

Therefore, “fulfilling the desires of the sarx” is simply equivalent to “sinning.”

In light of the above observations, the meaning of Paul’s command can be as succinctly stated as the following: Live your life by the power of the Holy Spirit and your sinful desires will remain unfulfilled. Again, George is helpful here:

“In Paul’s vocabulary, to walk in the Spirit or be led by the Spirit means to go where the Spirit is going, to listen to his voice, to discern his will, to follow his guidance.”

Therefore, this text confirms it is not through external means, such as obedience to God and His law and commandments, or self-inflicting punishment (as most Catholics do), or any manipulation of one’s own environment, that sin may be overcome.

On the contrary, it is ONLY through the inner working of the Holy Spirit in us, changing the heart (or mind) and purifying it in service to God, that one “does not fulfill the desires of the flesh.” This does not entail, however, that we take absolutely no part in our sanctification and the mortifying of the “flesh.”

To be sure, it is the Holy Spirit, not our human wills, that ultimately purifies us from all unrighteousness, yet, it accomplishes this through certain and various means, in which we are called to participate.

Therefore, since we know what “walking by the Spirit” is, we must answer the question: How specifically do we “walk by the Spirit” so we do not “fulfill the desires of the flesh?” A very careful reading of the Scriptures reveals to us the three prime “devotional disciplines” that the Spirit works through in our minds and hearts continually purifying the children of God. You may simply summarize them like this: PRAYER, BIBLE STUDY, and FELLOWSHIP!

And It is primarily through these that we engage in our “walk.”

How Does One “Walk by the Spirit”?

In the beginning of the Church on the day of Pentecost, after the promised Holy Spirit was poured out, the apostle Peter proclaimed: "This is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘that I shall pour out my Spirit on all mankind’" (Acts 2:17).

The new discipleship community was being established. Those who believed had indeed “begun by the Spirit.” With this having occurred, how were the individuals rooted in this community church living in this radical new way of life? Those who believed and were included in this new discipleship and church community did not remain passive. On the contrary, after Peter gave his very "moving" Pentecost Sermon address, it is written and well recorded that “those who had received his word were baptized...and they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:41, 42 [emphasis added]).

Having “begun with the Spirit” these were indeed “continuing in the Spirit.” In the above, three devotional disciplines are clearly presented: Feeding upon the Word of God, Practicing Prayer, and Devotion to Christian Fellowship.

It is through such devotions as these, I will argue, that one fulfills the heart of the command: Walk by the Spirit.

Feeding Upon the Word of God

“Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4 and also Luke 4:4).

The word of God is proclaimed as spiritual nourishment for all those who believe.

The Scriptures testify that the Holy Spirit is active in fueling the believer with lots of power and growth through the word He inspired.

“Like newborn babes,” exhorts Peter, “long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2 [emphasis added]).

The Scriptures must be read with an awareness and dependence upon the Holy Spirit. There is indeed an objective nature to the reading of the Scriptures.

However, we must be careful, lest we divorce the necessity of illumination when the Scriptures are read by an open heart and mind. This illumination is presented in John 16:13: “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.” These were the words spoken by Jesus to His disciples, yet they also have significant meaning for all that believe. R. Kent Hughes notes regarding this verse: "The Holy Spirit guides us into ‘all truth.’

We will grow as He further illuminates the Scriptures to us. That does not mean we will have all knowledge regarding the sciences, but we will be taken deeper and deeper into the essential truth about God and Christ and eternal life and our souls."

The Scriptures should never be divorced from the illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit. He has inspired and brought "enlightening" and “illumination” to the significance and power of the Scriptures. When one devotes oneself to the Scriptures, with a keen awareness and dependence upon the Holy Spirit, the believer will be equipped and upheld by His powerful working through the inspired word.

The Practice of Prayer

Prayer is clearly and directly commanded in Scripture: “Devote yourselves to prayer” (Colossians 4:2). "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17) Prayer is simply a communication with God, and is practiced through a variety of means: petition, thanksgiving, praise, worship, intercession, etc.

The Holy Spirit is especially active in this endeavor. Not only are we commanded to pray, we are commanded to pray “in the Spirit” (Jude 20, Ephesians 6:18).

Praying in the Spirit “seems to indicate a deep, free, and intensive time of prayer, when the Spirit takes over and controls and leads the prayers.”

Scripture affirms the special presence and activity in the believer’s endeavor of prayer, for “we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). Therefore, prayer is a devotion in which we are commanded to participate in, as the Holy Spirit comes beside us, both inspiring us towards communication with God and interceding “for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans, 8:27). As we, by the Spirit’s inspiration, devote ourselves to communication with God, the Holy Spirit actively works by interceding, comforting, sanctifying, and protecting in ways our finite minds are not able to grasp.

The Blessings of Christian Fellowship

Christ has established the church as a community. The benefits of being in Christ not only entail participating in the eternal relationship of the family of God, but also fellowship with other believers. While individual, daily worship and service are indeed a characteristic of a healthy spiritual life, it is incomplete without the assembling of believers. There needs to be devotion to Christian fellowship. The Holy Spirit is active in a special way “wherever two or three are gathered” in the name of Christ.

In Old Testament Israel, the Temple was where God’s special presence resided: within the “Holy of Holies.” However, it is now in the collective hearts (minds) of His children where His special presence resides through the Holy Spirit.

In 1 Corinthians 3:16, Paul proclaims, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”

Here Paul is referring to a believer’s physical body as God’s temple. The Greek word for “you” in this verse is in the plural. It is in this fellowship where God’s Spirit dwells in a special and powerful way.

The benefits of Christian fellowship are numerous. It is in this “church” setting where we worship, hear the word of God, pray, serve God and others through our spiritual gifts, and remember God’s Feasts and HOLY days and do keep and observe them.

In all these things the Holy Spirit is working powerfully: conforming all believers, both individually and collectively, into the image of Christ and of God the Father.

By devoting oneself to Christian fellowship, a believer is engulfed in activities where the Spirit is actively working.

In fact, in the New Testament, when members of the church are placed out of fellowship for disciplinary reasons, they are said to be “delivered unto Satan.”

They had been removed from God’s sphere of safety present within the church. Being plugged into a body of true believers offers protection from our spiritual enemy and the temptations of this fallen world. Clearly, therefore a devotion to pure fellowship protects and edifies the believer through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Crucifying the Flesh

“And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:24-25)

Paul summarizes his contrast of the fruits of the Spirit and the works of the flesh by proving a change in mastery is under consideration. IS one submissive to the Spirit of the flesh?

He asserts that the Christian has crucified, or broken, the domination or power of fleshly desires, by becoming a child of God. He also took up the same theme in Romans chapter six. Grace requires that the recipient cease his or her sinning when he or she is baptized into Christ and the Lord’s own crucifixion (Rom: 6:1-4). He uses the figure of death, burial and resurrection to describe a person’s introduction to the grace of God. He or she dies to sin, is buried in the water of baptism and is raised from that watery grave to walk in newness of life.

The apostle’s language indicates that it is the old way of life that perishes in this act of obedience. One does away with his or her body of sinful deeds that he or she might break the shackles of slavery to the adversary of our souls. “Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11).

Dominion has been shifted in the heart of a Christian, from sin to righteousness. “For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regards to righteousness.

What fruit did you have then in things which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.” (Rom. 6:20-21). There was no fruit in obeying the works of the flesh. We are constantly reminded that faith without works is dead. That is, faith without spiritual production, is futile and lifeless. “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?”(James 2:14). The implication is that faith alone, without obedience, cannot save a man (James 2:24). If one says he has faith and yet lives like he is still of the world, his faith is futile. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom. 12:1-2).

One must crucify the flesh and live after the Spirit, if he or she wants to be a part of God’s Kingdom! “For those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Rom.8:5-8).

Many so-called Christians attempt to have the “best” of both worlds: the dirty pleasures of sinful indulgence and the refreshing assurance of a real heavenly reward.

Such a one may have wounded the old man of sin, but he or she is hardly being crucified. The old man (or old woman) of sin did not get completely buried and therefore, the stench troubles the Holy Spirit and leads it astray. Only by giving up lust can a man or woman find the best of God’s world.

You simply cannot be A FRIEND OF THE WORLD!

“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwell in us yearns jealousy?’” (James 4:4-5).

John was faced with this insidious notion as the Gnostic teachers (modern day Jesuits and Opus Dei) grew in influence. They taught that one could sin and still attain salvation. John protested: “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born (again) of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him (or her); and he (or seh) cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” (1 John 3:7-9)

Conclusion

A pure devotion to these disciplines was very prevalent in the new First century church after the Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost. It is clear that the Holy Spirit is especially active throughout all of these righteous acts, submissive devotions of the church saints, conforming the individual and the church into the image of Christ and God the Father. Thus, devoting oneself to these will result in an “ever-increasing walk” intoxicated with the Spirit of God. As a result there will indeed be an “ever-decreasing fulfillment” of the desires of the flesh.

Discipline without direction is drudgery. But the Spiritual Disciplines are never drudgery as long as we practice them with the goal of Godliness.

If your picture of a disciplined Christian is one of a grim tight-lipped, joyless half-robot, then you’ve missed the point. Jesus was the most disciplined Man who ever lived and yet the most joyful and passionately alive. He is our Example of discipline.

As we seek to walk by the Spirit, we must not lose sight of the ultimate goal. The goal is not to focus on the devotional disciplines themselves, but rather through them be brought into a deeper relationship with our Savior. The ultimate goal is to be conformed into His image, for His glory. While we walk by the Spirit, "let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" (Heb 12:2 NIV). And let’s not forget what Paul wrote in Romans, 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit"