Walk in the Spirit
How does the Christian walk in the Spirit faithfully?
The Apostle Paul writes the following in his letter to the Galatians:
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." - Galatians 5:16-18
The answer to living an effective Christian life is simply to "walk in the Spirit." The problem Christian's face is, how does one do that? Let's discuss:
Christians are saved from the penalty of sin based on their faith in the finished work of Christ (believing Jesus shed His sinless blood, died on the cross, was buried, and rose again victoriously making the substitutionary & satisfactory payment towards God for our sin penalty). However, Christians still struggle with daily sin during their sanctification process. This will be a lifelong battle due to the power of sin tempting and affecting us in our old Adamic nature. Fortunately, Paul tells us we can have more victory than defeat as we walk in the Spirit. Paul knows this truth because he experienced it firsthand.
Notice Paul's words in his letter to the Philippians:
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." - Philippians 3:3-9
In the underlined words above, Paul tells us that we as Christians rely on the Holy Spirit, not our flesh. This is the answer! We must consider our fleshly strength dead and useless, while mentally and spiritually trust in the Spirit of God to do for us that which we cannot do for ourselves. All our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual desires must yield over to the Holy Spirit and completely rely upon Him. As a Christian, we must put faith in our inadequacy, our helplessness, our hopelessness, and our uselessness while transferring all of that over to the Holy Spirit and His power to perform. The Holy Spirit will be our abundant adequacy, our help, our hope, our strength. We simply have to trust Him! Remember, Jesus' words, "without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). Jesus wasn't just making a statement; He was giving an absolute truth!
Notice also in the above passage that Paul says [paraphrasing] "if anyone could boast in their ability of fleshly performance, it is me!" Paul was a religious zealot. Paul goes on to list all his credentials of fleshly performance, but he ends it with counting all those things "loss" and "dung" towards Christ.
Christians will continue to have an old sinful nature throughout this life, and if we attempt to live out a holy life for God through the performance of our flesh, we will fail miserably. The Christian life is not "do's and don'ts"; that's Law which will condemn the flesh every time. Rather, the Christian life is liberty to serve Christ in love through yielding to the power of the Holy Spirit. As we yield (or walk) in the Spirit, we will slowly recognize our sinful flesh reigning less over our lives.
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." - Romans 6:6-14
As Christians, we can walk in the Spirit faithfully. We have the answer in Scripture, and we have the power to do so in the Holy Spirit. Believe it and walk faithfully.
