WALKING IN THE SPIRIT


Flesh vs. Spirit

There are only two ways for a Christian to walk: in the flesh, or in the spirit. The flesh has its own stubborn will, and it acts as it pleases. It does whatever it chooses, then asks God to bless those choices. It rises up and declares, "the Lord gave me a sound mind, and I can make choices intelligently. I don't have to wait on Him for direction, God helps those who help themselves."

Our walk consists of all we say and do, of the daily choices we make - in short, our very lifestyle.

But walking in the spirit is just the opposite. We surrender our will to the Holy Spirit, and trust his still, small voice to direct us in all things. Indeed, the Holy Ghost was sent to set up the complete government of Christ in our lives.

The Bible tells us, "the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalms 37:23), and the Spirit does this ordering. He desires to lead and direct our every move.

Submission to the Holy Spirit

Simply put, we are to walk in total submission to the Holy Spirit, just as Christ walked in constant, absolute submission to the Father. Jesus testified, "The son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise" (John 5:19). "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me" (5:30). I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him hat sent me...I live by the Father" (6:38, 57). How can we possibly think we don't have to depend on the Father for all things, when Christ himself said he did? As lovers and followers of Jesus, do we dare think we can do what our Savior and Lord couldn't do? Jesus waited on the Father, always seeking to have the mind of God!

The Israelites were careful to move only as the cloud moved, because they knew it was God's provision of guidance. It might move every day, or every week, and then not again for months at a time. Yet, day or night, the people always moved as it directed them. Whether it were two days, or amonth, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed. At the commandment of the Lord, they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the Lord they journeyed! they kept the charge of the Lord (9:22-23).

The New Testament Sign

That cloud in Old Testament times was eventually lifted up to heaven. But another cloud descended from heaven centuries later, at the upper room in Jerusalem, the Holy Ghost - - the same spirit who had hovered over the wilderness tabernacle - came down and hovered over some 120 worshippers who had gathered in the upper room after Jesus' death. This cloud came farther down, into the very room where the people sat, and it dwelled upon the people's heads as clover tongues of fire.

They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). The Greek word for "clover" means thoroughly distributed. In short, this cloud of fire had split up and sat on each person in the upper room. Then the flames possessed the people's bodies. At that point, Jesus' followers were "in the spirit", with the Holy Ghost living in them. Yet, it's one thing to have the Spirit abiding in you, and something else entirely to live in total submission to the Spirit. You can be filled with the Holy Ghost, but that doesn't mean you're walking in obedience to his leading and allowing yourself to be governed by him.

The Still, Small Voice

There have been many times when I didn't listen to the Spirit's voice. In fact, I could write a book about all the times I ran off to do my own thing. Following my own direction, and things went terribly wrong. The voice of Satan constantly shouts all kinds of accusations at us. And the only way to shut out these fiery darts is to turn to the promise God has given us! That no weapon formed against us can prosper. Satan's weapons include condemnation and lies and the Holy Ghost is faithful to expose them all to us. Yet, I have learned over the years to listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit. The voice of the Holy Ghost will urge you to take his word to prayer and to confirm it also in God's word. We have been given all of these promises of protection, for any and every situation. And they are available to us in every conflict that arises, no matter how small or large. Whenever the flesh or the devil comes in like a flood, the Holy Spirit is always faithful to rise up and crush the attack, if we will trust him. "If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body (the flesh), ye shall live" (Romans 8:13)

God's promise to protect us

Yet, the Lord provides us with another great and precious promise here, scripture says the spirit fights within us against everything that's of flesh: for the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary one to the other" Gal. 5:7).

The voice of the enemy would urge you to act impulsively, without checking with God's word. But every word of the Spirit will be confirmed by the Bible. Amen!