Walk By The Spirit

(Galatians 5:16-18)

One of the most important things we must learn as Christians is how to walk by the Spirit. If we are to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, as we must if we wish to live in the kingdom of God, then walking in or by the Spirit is essential.

These few verses and the sections that follow, define what walking in the Spirit is and how we can begin to walk by the Spirit. Consider these words wisely and learn these things, for they can and must be learned and every Christian needs to be trained in these things.

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16-18)

Why walk by the Spirit?

In order to best cover this important subject, we will look at the three key aspects of walking in the Spirit: why, what and how.

The reason why we walk in the Spirit is because this is the means by which we gain victory over the flesh.

In His death, Jesus gave us the victory over sin and He set us free from the law. These two victories are essential if we are to receive the grace of God and be able to come into the presence of the Father.

Why do we need to be set free from sin and the law? Because God the Father makes it plainly clear that He will not work with a sinner. But if sin is removed, and the law that condemns us as sinners is taken away, then God gives us His grace to help us learn to walk in His image.

Walking in the Spirit is the next essential step to be taken after receiving these victories.

When we walk by the Spirit we put to death the evil aspects of our flesh that lead to sinfulness. Walking in the Spirit gives us the means by which we have victory over the flesh. Walking in the Spirit helps us to take every thought captive to obey Christ.

As mentioned, Jesus gave us the victory over sin. But it is the work of the Holy Spirit to deliver us victory over the passions, lusts and desires of the flesh. Walking by the Spirit is the means by which the indwelling Holy Spirit does this.

In many ways we are in the same position as Cain was when God spoke to him. God said,

Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4:4-7)

God spoke to Cain and told him that he needed to master sin that was waiting to pounce on him. But Cain failed to do so and he brutally killed his brother Able.

What was it that triggered the sin in Cain? It was the evil passions of his flesh, in his case, jealousy and anger directed at his brother.

We too have these same passions still today, and like Cain, the warning from God still remains. Sin is still couching at the door and we must master it.

But unlike Cain, we have an advantage. With the coming of Jesus Christ and following His death and resurrection, we have the promise of receiving the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. The early church received the Holy Spirit, first at Pentecost, then through the laying on of hands. And the reason they received this gift was to learn how to walk in the Spirit so that they could master sin that couches at the door.

Sin is mastered by understanding that sin is an outcome. Like most undesirable outcomes, if you want to prevent the outcome you need to destroy the root cause. And this is why we walk in the Spirit…to destroy the root causes of sin, which are all the negative desires, passions, lusts and evil thoughts of the flesh. This is why we must learn to walk by the Spirit.

What is walking in the Spirit?

I have answered most of this question in the discussion above. However to clarify this matter let me add this.

Walking in or by the Spirit is using the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the deeds of the body and the passions of the flesh. It is the means by which we capture every thought to obey Christ. It is the way we use the power of the Holy Spirit to control the lusts of the body and so focus on the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the flesh.

It is by walking in the Spirit that we are slowly being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. As we walk in the Spirit, we become stronger and more able to recognise the triggers that set off our passions that can lead to sinful ways.

The best part of all though is that we do not have to fight the passions of the flesh in our own strength. It is the Holy Spirit who fights for us and on our behalf to give us the victory over the flesh. And as we gain the victory over each part of the flesh, through the working of the Holy Spirit, we are being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ.

How do you walk in the Spirit?

At it’s simplest form, walking in the Spirit is described in the first few verses of Romans 8. It says this:

3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 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 set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, indeed it cannot; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:3-9)

These verses show us the effect of walking by the Spirit as compared to walking in the flesh.

How we walk in the Spirit is all about what our mind is doing.

When we have our mind set on the things of the flesh, our problems, emotions, issues, and the things that upset us, then we are walking in the flesh. When we worry about what is going on around us and let the issues of this life take away our peace, we are walking in the flesh. When we get angry, or feel jealous, or envious, or when we are arrogant and proud, then we are walking in the flesh.

Conversely, when we set our minds on the things of the Spirit and the works of the Lord, then we are not focussed on the problems of this life but on the hope of salvation in Jesus Christ.

So how do we change our thinking to walk by the Spirit rather than walking in the flesh? We use the power of the Spirit to do this.

There are a number of ways we can do this…and remember, it is all about what you are thinking.

First, we must have received the Holy Spirit and seek the gift of tongues. Now I know that many of those who read this blog may not have received the gift of tongues, or even accept the need for this gift. But speaking in tongues is the first and easiest way to use the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in the Spirit.

Speaking in tongues is the way the Holy Spirit communicates and prays to God on our behalf to build us up when we are suffering due to the passions and desires of the flesh.

And as for whether tongues is still applicable today and whether the promise of this gift is for you, Peter advised this is the truth at Pentecost. He said these words regarding the promise of the Holy Spirit.

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” (Acts 2:38-39)

You see the promise is to, “…all that are far off.” We are those who are far off, both in terms of distance and time. But even more than this were Peter’s next words. The promise is to, “…every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.” So I ask you, do you believe you have been called by God? If your answer is “yes,” then the promise of the Holy Spirit with the gifts attending is to you.

But getting back to the point, walking in the Spirit is about how and what you think. It is about setting your mind on the things of the Spirit rather than the flesh. And Paul gives us more insight into this in his letter to the Philippians.

6 Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:6-8)

Note the last words in this verse. “Think about these things.” Paul is saying that we need to set our minds on things that will keep us at peace and in the joy of the Lord. And those things are anything that is pure, lovely, gracious, honourable, and so on.

What kind of things might help in this context? You could read the bible, sing uplifting songs or choruses, meditate on the words of the bible. You can and should pray and ask the Lord for His help when you catch yourself focussing on the flesh. You can praise the Lord for all the gifts He has given you and the wondrous works He has accomplished, not to mention the hope of salvation He has set before you in calling you to Himself.

There are lots of things you can do to change your thinking, and I am sure with a little thought you can think of more than I have listed here.

Finally, while talking about walking in the Spirit and the process of taking control of your thinking, recall these words:

3 For though we live in the world we are not carrying on a worldly war, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

This is the purpose of why, what and how we walk by the Spirit. Our aim is to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” And it is by using the power of the Spirit, given to us as a gift that we are able to do this. The end game of walking in the Spirit is perfection…to be transformed and perfected into the image of Jesus Christ so we can be fully reconciled to God and achieve the hope of salvation and live with God and the Lord Jesus Christ into eternity.

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