“Walk In The Spirit”

Galatians 5:12-17

12) I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

13) For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

14) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

15) But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

16) This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

17) 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.

Preface

I

t is a fallacy that we have lived believing that we can serve God without walking in the Spirit. Indeed, this is impossible, for flesh is not subject to the Spirit and cannot be. This is why the ministry and its motive exists—to bring Man to a spiritual state so that he can serve God.

Main Thought

The solution to the problem that so many ask, “How do I do what God requires?” is quite simple. It is to “walk in the Spirit.” Obviously, in order to do this, one must have the Spirit.

In the Greek, “to walk” means “to conduct” (order) one’s steps. Also familiar to us is the scriptural definition of “conversation,” meaning one’s manner of living. Though we know this as “talk (ing), “The spiritual connotation of one’s “conversation” being how one “walks” is what we must accept in order to please God.

By no means do we mean to suggest that what one says is not important. Everything that we do or say is an important part of our conduct in the Lord. By conducting ourselves in the Spirit, we will not be subject to the lust of the flesh that is present only in the flesh.

We can never afford to be “fooled” by the flesh. No matter how “in control” we feel that we are, we will never have control over anything that is of the human spirit. You see, that which is flesh always seeks its own. This confuses people, for though Man primarily desires things for himself, the Lord will attempt to make Himself clear in any given situation, providing the “still small voice” of selflessness.

The only conduct that is acceptable to the Lord is that which seeks to do “right” in His sight. One of the most important things that we must come to understand is that in order to do right, we cannot allow our personal will and desires to run or lives.

Despite our attraction to it and despite the fact that every time we give in to our flesh it proves itself a “hard taskmaster,” we still find it hard to “walk in the Spirit.” Primarily, this is because it is we who try to “do” it. Because the flesh will never deny itself, the individual living in it must be under the control of that which is greater than the flesh. Of course, that entity is the Holy Spirit.

Without a doubt, flesh operates according to what pleases the one dwelling in it. Neither it nor its operation is to be confused with that of the soul. A current controversy revolves around the confusion between what is “soul” and what is “spirit.” The soul is that which will spend eternity either with Jesus or in hell. As such, it is a neutral entity, affected by whether it is controlled by the flesh or by the Spirit. If controlled by the flesh, the soul will have its eternal existence in the Lake of Fire. If by the Spirit, the eternal existence of the soul will be lived out with God.

Because our mind favors our flesh, we write for ourselves a “death sentence” if we operate according to our own minds. If we are but willing to walk in the Spirit, we will be liberated from concerns about ourselves and therefore, gain freedom from fleshly concerns imposed upon us by our minds.

When we examine verse twelve of our text, we find that if we are honest, we will have to admit that, too often, we would like to be “liberated” from that which “troubles” us. But that we really need to understand is that whatever God allows is for us—to grow in knowledge and understanding of God by growing in the knowledge and understanding of where we “lack.”

As long as we are dedicated to God, we need never fear what comes to us, for God will “handle” all of our situations. What we do not want to do is murmur and complain, for this puts us into the hands of the devil.

The reason God “demands” praise of us in all situations and circumstances is because He wants His “reputation” (of victory) to precede Him. Therefore, before we are “encountered” by anyone, our praise must be “in place” so that others might see Who Jesus is! We might as well agree to “walk in the Spirit” for we must “beat” these things that the Lord might be glorified.