Walking In The Spirit
The Christian life has been many times compared to a journey. The early Christians were called people of the “Way”. The word “walk”, in the Scriptures usually refers to how one lives. In Romans 6:4, it says that just as Christ was raised from the dead, so we are to walk in newness of life. Instead of being influenced by what is going on around us, we have been given the Holy Spirit to be able to live another way.
To walk in the Spirit can be a real challenge for each one of us. It seems that everyone and everything is competing for our attention and affections. So much advertising is concentrated at improving our health, standard of living, love life, new car, better job, etc. All has to do with the big “I”. Good products are soon obsolete by something better. The market can’t keep up with the inventions that will make our life easier and more entertaining. But is the glitter that the world offers, the walk that we should take? Does following after what feels good and what this world offers really satisfy?
To walk in the Spirit is to go forward in fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. Jesus asked people to follow Him when He was physically here on earth. Today, He wants us to walk, (live), with Him in the Spirit. This walk is uphill. This means if we stop, we will go backward, not forward. It is easy to down. All we have to do is do nothing. To go up is a challenge. It means being careful with each step. With each step forward we are able to overcome the downward pull of the flesh.
Walking in the Spirit is walking in love. It is putting the interests and care of others in front of our own desires and needs. Walking in the Spirit is serving the Lord. We were created, “in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them”, (Eph. 2:10). Walking in the Spirit is being God-focused, God-driven and God-pleasing.
We cannot walk in the Spirit and walk in the flesh at the same time. We are either living for God or living for ourselves. Whatever we yield to, that is the life we will lead. When we yield to the Lord, we will find we have victory over the flesh that corrupts and destroys our life. Each day we are to “put on” this new nature. We are to “walk in the Spirit” and, in so doing, we will fulfill the purpose for which we were created. If we don’t know the path to take, the Holy Spirit will guide us. His word is as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Though the way may get difficult, the Lord will give us feet as hind’s feet so that we might be able to reach our high places.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Romans 14:15; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 2:10; 4:22; Col. 3:10; Ps. 119:105