Walk in the Spirit and Be Filled With the Spirit

In our previous studies, we have been thinking about who the Holy Spirit is, and titles given to this person of the Godhead. In this article our focus turns to the teaching of the Apostle Paul as he exhorts the saints that they might ‘walk in the Spirit’ and ‘be filled with the Spirit’.

Walk in the Spirit

We have many exhortations and challenges in scripture as to our walk as a believer. Our walk has to do with our whole manner of life and conduct. How we walk, where we walk, and who we are walking with, are all questions we can ask ourselves as we examine our own Christian life and progress.

Our blessed Saviour is always the perfect example - the One who steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, Luke 9. 51. His walk was perfect, obedient, and ever brought delight to the Father. Every step that He took was in full communion with God.

Paul, in writing to the saints at Galatia mentions walking in the Spirit on two occasions, Gal. 5. 16, 25. In this chapter the key word is ‘liberty’. In the first half of the chapter, we are exhorted to ‘stand fast . . . in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free’, v. 1. This liberty is freedom from the claims of the law on account of the work of Christ. In the second half of the chapter, it is liberty again, but not to live how we like because we are justified but living in the power of the Holy Spirit. In this last half of the chapter, we are in a very practical section and we are encouraged to ‘walk in the Spirit’, v. 16. But how do we do that on a day-to-day basis?

Notice, first of all, that this is a command, ‘This I say then, Walk in the Spirit’, that is, we are to walk and to keep on walking in the Spirit, to be dependent on the work of the Spirit. Failing to do so could lead us to succumb to the lusts of the flesh. When we walk in the Spirit, the lusts of the flesh are not fulfilled in our life. We should be giving our time, thoughts, and meditation to the things of the Lord and His word while serving Him. This is something that we need to be constantly working at. We will never extinguish the challenge of sin, but we can cultivate right thoughts and actions in our life, so that we do not fall into sinful patterns and habits.

The two mentions of the word ‘walk’ in verses 16 and 25 are different. In verse 16, Paul says, ‘Walk in the Spirit’, and the word ‘walk’ is peripateo. The thought is to order your whole life by the Spirit, to view your whole life and allow the Holy Spirit to regulate and control every aspect of it so that we might not yield to the flesh. It is to be grounded, and empowered by the Spirit, to walk in the ways of God, pleasing God and to be in communion with Him. The word of God should be our main focus, and we should be obedient to the clear teaching and guidance of scripture, living a life that pleases Him. We obey His voice and are guided by Him.

When we come to verse 25, the word ‘walk’ is stoicheo and has a slightly different meaning. We are not now looking at the big picture of our life but thinking of the moment-by-moment and step-by-step of our life as we walk in the Spirit. It is a military term of walking in rank and in step. In every moment and in every step, we are to walk in the Spirit. Is our walk in keeping with the word of God? Does it please God? What I read, watch, think about, and meditate upon, is it pleasing to the Lord? Is our walk a walk of love, kindness, humility, purity and contentment?

Paul speaks of the works (plural) of the flesh, vv. 19-21, but then speaks of the fruit (singular) of the Spirit, v. 22, 23. To be marked by the fruit of the Spirit, we must be controlled and guided by the Spirit in our life.

Filled with the Spirit

‘Be not drunk with wine . . . but be filled with the Spirit’, Eph. 5. 18. Paul mentions a person filled with wine, which means they are under the control of it. So too with the Spirit. If we are filled with the Spirit, we are under the control of the Spirit. Being filled does not mean that we can have more of the Spirit following our conversion, but it has the thought of allowing the Holy Spirit to control our lives.

This is not a one-off event, neither is it an ecstatic experience. It is something we need to constantly work at, a repeated experience, and is the ideal state of the believer. If our life is to be given wholly and totally to the Lord, there should be no part of our life from which the Holy Spirit is excluded.

How can we be filled with the Spirit? Paul tells us, ‘Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns . . . making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things . . . submitting yourselves to one another’, vv. 19-21.

What a challenge to us both to walk and be filled with the Spirit.