Walking In The Spirit

How does one know if they are walking in the Spirit?  If they are not gratifying the flesh, in other words, if they are not carrying out the desires of the flesh. Please read Galatians 5:16-17, “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.”

Remember this, if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law, you are under grace, but we need to be very careful that we don’t use our freedom from the law as a license to sin.  Shall we sin so that grace shall abound, heaven forbid.  I had a pastor years ago that said this, “Of course not stupid.”  The way that some people teach, or preach, grace, many may get the idea that they have a license to sin, although I have never heard them say that, it sure seems to be applied.

Please read the next verse, what verse 18 says about this, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

What are some of the desires of the flesh, and the warning not to walk according to the flesh?  Please read from that same chapter verses 19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, 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.”

Note the key word, it is practice, if we sin and truly repent which means to turn from our sin to the Lord and confess our sin and ask for forgiveness we can find forgiveness, but if we just practice sin like we did before our confession of faith then we better examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith at all.  We know that if we walk in the Spirit, we will have the power to overcome the desires of the flesh and the evil one, if we will resist him!!

Please read James 4:7-8, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

If we are walking in the Spirit, we should have these things evident in our lives. Please read Galatians 5:22-24, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 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.”

I would like to say if we sin we can blame no one else but ourselves, passing the buck, so to speak, will never ever work.  Please read 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

So, we have no excuse, there is always a way out of temptation, but we don’t look for the way out at times in the heat of the battle with temptation and sin, and that is why we need to repent and confess our sins and seek the Lord’s forgiveness.  The good news is we have a promise in God’s Word in 1 John 1:9 and it is this, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

What happens when we live by the Spirit?  Please read verse 25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

So how important is it to walk in the Spirit?  It is very, very important.  I think I said enough, praise the good Lord for grace and His precious Spirit who convicts us when we sin so that we can make things right; who also empowers us to walk as we should, not gratifying the desires of the flesh!!  I hope this has been a blessing and a help, may the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!