LIVING AND WALKING IN THE SPIRIT (Part 2)

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25 NKJV)

 

When you became born again through faith in the person and finished work of Jesus, you ceased to be or live in the flesh. The Scripture clearly teaches that a born-again believer is no longer “in the flesh” but “in the Spirit.”

 

Romans 8:

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (NKJV).

 

Therefore, you are not expected to struggle or strive by any means to be or live in the Spirit daily, for you are naturally living in the Spirit daily.

 

However, being in the Spirit or living in the Spirit is totally different from walking in the Spirit or walking by the Spirit.

 

This is why Paul admonishes, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:25 NKJV).

 

The power for a victorious Christian living is only activated and appropriated when you walk in or by the Spirit. Sadly, many believers today are only living in the Spirit but not walking in the Spirit.

 

The primary cause of the daily defeat that many born-again believers are experiencing today in their lives is walking in or by the flesh instead of walking in or by the Spirit.

 

When you think, imagine, perceive, speak, judge, act, react, or conduct yourself as the unregenerate people who are in the flesh do; your experiences in life will be exactly the same as theirs.

 

Romans 8:

13 For if you live according to [the dictates of] the flesh, you will surely die. But if through the power of the [Holy] Spirit you are [habitually] putting to death (making extinct, deadening) the [evil] deeds prompted by the body, you shall [really and genuinely] live forever.” (AMP).

 

While as a born-again believer you are constantly and consistently living in the Spirit without any personal effort because when you became born again you were divinely translated from the flesh into the Spirit; however, walking in the Spirit will require your conscious and constant cooperation, obedience, and submission to the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

 

Daily victory over the flesh, the world, sin, or Satan is beyond the natural power, effort, wisdom or strength of any mortal man. It is therefore useless striving to live a victorious life in your own wisdom, might or strength.

 

This is why the Lord Jesus has sent you a suitable Helper, the Holy Spirit, to abide in and with you forever, teaching, empowering and helping you to do the will of God and walk in perpetual victory everyday of your life

 

The Holy Spirit is not a mere influence, power or force of God. The Holy Spirit is a living and divine personality. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Godhead. However, He is in no way inferior to God the Father and God the Son.

 

The Holy Spirit has been sent by the Father and the Son to indwell, preserve, seal, help, enable, anoint, strengthen, empower, comfort, teach, instruct, transform, direct, guide and guard the born-again believers in this life.

 

Before leaving this world, the Lord Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit and His mission to His disciples.

 

John 14:

 16 “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever–

 17 “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

 18 “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

 25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.

 26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. (NKJV).

 

John 15:

 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

 27 “And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. (NKJV).

 

John 16:

 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

 13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

 14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

 15 “All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. (NKJV).

 

Although you may have the Holy Spirit (the great divine Helper) dwelling in you and abiding with you, yet you may not enjoy or experience His divine wisdom, help and power for a victorious Christian living if you choose not to cooperate with Him, submit to Him, listen to Him, obey and follow His instructions, corrections and promptings which are always consistent with the written Word of God.

 

The Holy Spirit is not a mere divine power or force to invoke, wield, employ or use whenever or where ever you wish. He is a divine person to fellowship with, honour, listen to, obey and follow.

 

You cannot enjoy the divine power, help or ministry of the Holy Spirit by just having the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit must have you. This is the reason why many believers today who have the Holy Spirit and speak in great tongues are still living in confusion, defeat, sin, poverty, sickness, failure, etc.

 

What does it imply to walk in the Spirit?

 

Carefully consider these scriptures (Gal. 5:16, 25)in the following various translations:

 

Galatians 5:

16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). (AMP).

 

Galatians 5:

25 If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.] (AMP).

 

Galatians 5:

16 What I say is this: let the Spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. (GNT).

 

Galatians 5:

25 The Spirit has given us life; he must also control our lives. (GNT).

 

Galatians 5:

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
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(NLT).

 

Galatians 5:

25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. (NLT).

 

Galatians 5:

16 This is my meaning: Let your steps be guided by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. (MNT).

 

Galatians 5:

25 If we are living by the Spirit, let us also keep step in the Spirit. (MNT).

 

Galatians 5:

16 This then is what I mean. Let your lives be guided by the Spirit, and then you will certainly not indulge the cravings of your lower natures. (WNT).

 

Galatians 5:

25 If we are living by the Spirit’s power, let our conduct also be governed by the Spirit’s power. (WNT).

 

In summary, looking at these scriptures (Gal. 5:16, 25)in different translations, we can deduce that walking in the Spirit implies the following:

 

Being responsive to the Holy Spirit;

Being controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit;

Walking in line with the Holy Spirit;

Allowing our conduct to be controlled by the Holy Spirit;

Letting the Holy Spirit control our lives;

Allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our lives;

Letting the Holy Spirit guide our lives;

Following the leading of the Holy Spirit;

Letting our steps be guided by the Holy Spirit;

Keeping steps with the Holy Spirit;

Letting our conduct be governed by the Holy Spirit.

 

Beloved, it is not living in the Spirit but walking in the Spirit – being responsive to, controlled, guided, governed, directed or ruled by the Holy Spirit – that actually releases to you the supernatural power to live a victorious, overcoming, prosperous or successful Christian life in this evil world.

 

You were born again of the Holy Spirit and of the Word (John 3:5). Similarly, it is also by obeying, yielding or submitting to the Holy Spirit and God’s Word constantly that you can constantly appropriate, experience and enjoy all the blessings that Jesus Christ has purchased for you through His death on the cross.

 

Therefore, arise today and begin to walk in the Spirit – allowing the Holy Spirit to direct, guide, govern or control your life.

 

Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for walking by the flesh while living in the Spirit. From this day henceforth, I choose to be controlled, directed and guided by the Holy Spirit. So, help me Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.