WALK IN THE SPIRIT

One of the biggest problems that a believer has to face is that of his or her fallen nature, and only the Holy Spirit can solve it. Every wrong action, reaction, word, idea, emotion, and attitude is from the flesh. There is a real battle going on between the flesh, ‘the old man’, Col. 3. 9, and the Spirit because they have different appetites. Like the raven sent out of the ark, Gen. 8. 6-7, the old nature likes to feed on that which is unclean, whereas the dove-like Spirit longs for a clean place to settle, Gen. 8. 8-12. In the chapter that contains our reading today, Paul teaches us that the key to subduing the flesh and enjoying the Christian life is to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. The command is ‘Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh’. The word translated ‘walk’ is in the present tense and could be translated ‘keep on continually walking’. That is to say, this should be the believer’s lifestyle. As the Spirit moves and leads, we are to respond step by step and day by day, relying on His power and direction. A study of the believer’s walk in the New Testament reveals that it should be in humility, purity, contentment, faith, good works, separation, love, light, wisdom, and truth.

Walking in the Spirit necessitates studying the word of God in conscious fellowship with God in order to know His will. Paul exhorted the Ephesians, ‘be filled with the Spirit... singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’, Eph. 5. 18-20. To the Colossians he writes, ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’, Col. 3. 16. We need to appreciate the link between the two for being filled with the Spirit is linked with letting the word dwell in us richly. The scriptures should guide our thinking and affect our actions. It is as the word permeates the heart and mind that the Spirit of God will be able to direct the life. When we spend time reading the scriptures and in prayer, communing with the living God and building an intimate relationship with Him, we are in a position for the Spirit to move us down the pathway of God’s choosing. This is true Christian liberty and surely must be something worth going in for!