Discipline, Encouragement, Faith, Freedom, Grace, Guidance, Healing, Holiness, Miracles, Obedience, Our Identity, Perseverence, Relationship to Christ, Struggles, Trust

Walk in the Spirit

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?  If we are walking in the Spirit, we are following the precepts of God’s Word, we are listening to that still, small, voice inside of us that directs us.  If we decide to do something and it doesn’t hold to what the Bible teaches, if we are walking with the Spirit, we feel a check inside that tells us we shouldn’t go down that pathway.  As Christians, we are called to walk by the Spirit. That means we are to allow the Holy Spirit to have control over every aspect of our lives. Today’s Bible Verse says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16 ESV)  What the Apostle Paul is telling the Galatians is that when we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we won’t be inclined toward the evil ways of the world.

The Galatians had some issues that Paul was addressing. In his commentary on the book of Galatians, J. Vernon McGee says, “the Epistle to the Galatians has a particular message for us because it was written to people who were like us in many ways. They had a like temper, and they were beset on every hand by cults and “isms” innumerable—which take us, likewise, from our moorings.”  The Galatian church was in serious trouble.  Unlike in other epistles, Paul does not commend this church for anything good they have done, and the letter does not mention how faithful they are in the faith, because the foundations of their faith were in deep trouble.  They were basing it upon legalism and their actions were proof of this. All through Galatians Paul is telling the Galatians that we are not under legalism, but we are under a covenant of grace and to walk in the freedom of that grace. 

When we get to our verse for today, He is telling them that they need to walk in the Spirit.  They are to allow the Holy Spirit to guide them in EVERYTHING they do and speak. The entire epistle is what J. Vernon McGee calls “a declaration of emancipation.”   Americans can identify with the Galatians because they are so much like us.  They wanted the latest in everything, it didn’t matter whether it was something you could physically touch or whether it was the latest belief system going through at the time.  Therefore, it was easy for them to get caught up in cults, and when the Judaizers came, they embraced their legalistic views as well.

I encourage you to read Galatians 5:16-26 because this whole section talks about walking with the Spirit.  Literally, being in step with the Holy Spirit.  Paul is telling the Galatians not to engage in things that would take them away from the Spirit. 

We need a close relationship with God so that we know without a shadow of a doubt our walk is in line with Scripture and we are allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us.  When it is, we are a walking advertisement of what a life committed to Jesus Christ looks like.  Not only is it beneficial for us, but it also encourages those around us who may be struggling through something we have just gone through, and when they see how we have been walking as close to the Holy Spirit as we can possibly be and have come out on the other side of our struggle, strengthened and stronger in faith, they will be encouraged that they can go through their hardship and God will bring them through.  I have some friends who are going through a very difficult hardship.  Their daughter, who just had her 40th birthday, had a brain tumor which turned out to be cancer.  When the doctors performed surgery to remove it, she had a stroke in the middle of the surgery.  She just finished her radiation treatments and is taking therapy to learn to use her left side and to walk.  The faith of her and her family is so unbelievable!  She is leaning upon Philippians 4:13 so strongly.  She amazes me!  She and her entire family are walking with the Holy Spirit, following His leadership through this journey, and I am firmly convinced we will see a miracle in her life!

Each of us needs to take account of where we are in our walk.  Are we walking in the Spirit, step by step?  Are we inclined toward Spiritual things or are we on the fence, leaning closer to the world?  It should be the desire of each Believer to walk as close to the Holy Spirit as we possibly can and walk in faith.

Unknown's avatar

Published by

Donna Knuth Rice

I am trying a blog for the first time in my life, and frankly, I feel like I don't have a clue as to what I'm doing! But, here goes. I work at a Christian Television network in the Correspondence Department, where I write letters and emails to our viewers, pray with them for their needs, and send materials they request. I am a Christian. I was saved at the age of 11 during a youth meeting at my church. My pastor led me to the Lord, and to say the least, my life has been an adventure. I am a widow. My late husband, Allen, passed away after 34 1/2 years of marriage. He had been sick the last seven years of his life, and it was a struggle, for him and for me. We met as part of a singing group that was affiliated with a Christian Radio station, and we sang together all through our lives together. We both worked in television and radio all through our married life, mostly for Christian stations. Besides singing I also play flute. I had the luxury of having parents who started out as music teachers...so music was in our house constantly. Some people describe me as being a loud-mouthed lime type...can't disagree with that. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth more times than I can count! I also have a tendency to say exactly what's on my mind...which is why I get myself in so much trouble! LOL! Trust me, that's something me and God have been working on for a very long time. I have no children here on earth, although I have a baby in heaven. My baby here is my dog Jack. He's a black lab/ chow mix. He's a big boy....thinks he's a lap dog! Can't think of much else to say. The reason I started this blog is because a few months ago in church, a guest pastor came and delivered a message, and when he asked for those of us who wanted prayer to come forward, I did. When he came to me he asked me if I did any journaling. I told him no 'cause I wasn't very good at it. He told me to start, and prophesied over me that my journal thoughts would impact other people. I wasn't sure just how I was to go about doing this. In fact, I was a little hesitant at first. I started journaling at home, and our assistant pastor's wife asked me to submit something for our Senior newsletter. I didn't the first edition, but something I had heard on Christian radio a long time ago and has stuck with me all these years, came to mind so I submitted an article. That article will be my first post. I don't claim to have all the answers, and my thoughts may seem a little "out there", but I feel God has been prodding me to do this, and so here I am. I hope what I post will bring encouragement, and "Something to Think About".

Leave a comment