Walking in the Spirit

In Galatians 5 Paul teaches us that if we walk in the Spirit then we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. That is really an amazing statement. He does not say that if we walk in the Spirit we might not fulfill the desires of the flesh. He says we will not like the two are mutually exclusive. Not like walking and chewing gum at the same time. Some talented people are able to do that.

In other words you cannot be doing one and at the same time be doing the other. If you are in Columbus Ohio and are driving to New York you cannot be getting closer to New York and at the same time be getting closer to Los Angeles. If you are climbing a ladder you cannot be going up and going down at the same time. You have to stop one in order to start the other. So if we are doing one the other is not happening.

The amazing this is that if that is true then when we are walking in the Spirit then we will not be able to sin sexually. If we are sinning sexually we cannot be walking in the Spirit. It is a matter of control. Either we are being controlled by the Spirit or we are being controlled by the flesh. The passages goes on to say that they battle against each other. So I guess the key question is; "How do I walk in the Spirit and make that a 24/7 deal in my life?

I believe walking in the Spirit involves at least 4 things. First, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us as commanded in Ephesians 5:18. The verb there tells us that we are to ask to be filled and continue to ask for that filling day by day. It should be the normal and regular thing we do everyday.

Second, we need to repent of any sin we have committed and not try to keep things hidden from God and others. We need to confess our sins on a daily basis and not allow any of them to go un-confessed and hidden.

Third, we need to be led by the Spirit. This means as we are going through our day we are listening to Him and seeking his guidance moment by moment. He rarely yells at us or sends lightening bolts to keep us in line. He whispers and gently nudges us in the right direction. When we fail to obey because of our rebelliousness our heart harden a little more and we become a little more deaf to his whisperings.

Fourth, we need to keep in step with the Spirit. For a couple of years in my childhood we lived on the parade field at the Naval Academy in Annapolis MD. Often on one day a week the midshipmen would be out there practicing marching in formation so that when parade day came they were not stumbling all over each other with their rifles and sharp bayonets wrecking havoc on those pretty uniforms. Keeping everyone in step to work and a keen awareness on those in front of you and beside you. If we are being led by the Spirit and are keeping in step with Him then we are walking in the Spirit and we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.

You have your marching orders ... so keep in step.