Walking in the Spirit

“As we continue our series on the Foundations of Faith, we come to a pivotal subject: 'Walking in the Spirit.' Up until now, we’ve discussed key elements of the Christian life—God’s Word, the power of prayer, living in community, and obedience. But today, we explore something that truly underpins everything else: walking in the Spirit. This is where faith meets action, where our beliefs become transformative, and where we begin to reflect the very nature of God in our daily lives.”

What Does It Mean to Walk in the Spirit?

The phrase "Walking in the Spirit" can feel abstract, but Paul gives us a clear picture in Galatians. He urges believers to live by the Spirit, contrasting the desires of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit, ultimately showing how true freedom is found in walking according to God’s Spirit.

Imagine you are driving through an unfamiliar city. You have two options: You can try to navigate by yourself, making best guesses at each turn, or you cna turn on your GPS and follow its guidance. When we try to navigate life by ourselves, we often make wrong turns, hit dead ends, or end up somewhere we never intended to go. But God has given us something far more powerful than any GPS-His Holy Spirit.

Think about a time when you were lost—maybe it was a literal moment when you missed a turn or couldn’t find your way, but perhaps it was in a season of life when you felt spiritually disoriented. You tried your best, but the wrong turns kept coming. That’s where the Holy Spirit steps in, guiding us with precision and love, much like a GPS that’s always recalculating, always leading us back on track.”

True freedom isn’t a life without boundaries; rather, it’s the freedom to choose what’s best for us—freedom from the enslavement of sin, from chasing fleeting pleasures that ultimately harm us. In walking in the Spirit, we find the ability to choose Christ’s way, which leads to real, lasting joy and peace.

Imagine two forces pulling at opposite ends of a rope in a tug-of-war. On one side, our sinful nature pulls us toward self-centered desires. On the other side, the Holy Spirit pulls us toward godliness, love, and truth. The outcome of this battle depends on which side we yield to. The more we feed our spiritual life through prayer, Scripture, and surrender to Christ, the stronger the Spirit’s influence becomes in our lives.

This passage should encourage us to evaluate our daily walk with God and consider whether we are yielding to the Spirit or succumbing to the desires of the flesh. It offers hope for overcoming struggles with sin and emphasizes the importance of spiritual growth and character development through reliance on the Holy Spirit.

Strength in Spirit Walking

Galatians 5:16–18 NKJV

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Just before this section, Paul was talking to the Galatians about justification by faith, issues going on in the church, and the liberty we have in Christ. He then turns to walking in the spirit. He begins by saying, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit...” or in other words, “What I mean is this”. He is giving us the idea of what we should be doing. What does walking in the Spirit do for us? It provides the antidote to the desires of the flesh. We all have this inner conflict going on inside of us. Dependence on the Spirit gives us victory. This is not about rule-following, but about a dynamic relationship with God’s Spirit, echoing Christ’s teaching that His yoke is easy and His burden light.

Matthew 11:30 NKJV

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

When we talk about walking in the Spirit, we’re not talking about merely following rules or ticking off spiritual to-do lists. We’re talking about a relationship—a relationship that transforms us from the inside out. This isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about being so connected to the Holy Spirit that His desires become our desires, His heart becomes our heart.

Practical Step: Daily Dependence on the Spirit

Begin each day with a prayer asking for the Holy Spirit’s direction.

Be mindful of decisions: Ask, "Is this choice leading me closer to God or further away?"

Stay in the Word so that God's truth influences your actions.

2. Snares of the Sinful Flesh

Galatians 5:19–21 NKJV

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul paints a dark picture of what happens when we follow the flesh. The world often disguises sin as freedom, but in reality, it enslaves us. True freedom is not the absence of restraint but living under God’s loving leadership.

Let’s say you wake up in the morning and immediately feel overwhelmed by the tasks of the day. Instead of diving into the stress, you take a moment for Surrender—‘Holy Spirit, guide me today.’ Then, as you face a decision at work—do you react in anger or show patience? You Pause, asking yourself, ‘Is this choice leading me closer to Christ?’ Every step of the way, the Spirit is there, ready to lead us into His peace and joy.”

Let’s look at how these manifest in our modern context:

Hatred and contentions might look like angry social media arguments

Jealousies might appear as constant comparison to others, especially those on social media

Selfish ambitions might show up as stepping on others to climb the corporate ladder.

In the case of your coworker taking credit for your work, imagine how your initial reaction might feel—frustration, anger, maybe even a desire to lash out. But by walking in the Spirit, you respond with grace. This isn’t a ‘doormat’ response, but a powerful choice to trust God with your reputation and to resolve conflict in a way that reflects His character. Over time, this builds a foundation of trust and peace, not just in the workplace, but in your heart.

Reflection Question:

Are there any areas in our lives where we might be justifying fleshly desires as "freedom" when, in reality, they are pulling us away from God?

3. Symbolism of Spiritual Fruit

Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Like a GPS recalculating when we make a wrong turn, the Spirit continuously guides us back to these characteristics.

Practical Application: S.P.I.R.I.T. Framework

Let's make this practical with an easy-to-remember framework:

Let’s say you wake up in the morning and immediately feel overwhelmed by the tasks of the day. Instead of diving into the stress, you take a moment for Surrender—‘Holy Spirit, guide me today.’ Then, as you face a decision at work—do you react in anger or show patience? You Pause, asking yourself, ‘Is this choice leading me closer to Christ?’ Every step of the way, the Spirit is there, ready to lead us into His peace and joy.”

Start each day with surrender

Morning prayer: "Holy Spirit, guide my steps today"

Pause before decisions

Ask: "Is this choice Spirit-led or flesh-led?"

Invite the Spirit's guidance

Regular Scripture reading and prayer

Respond to promptings

When you feel that gentle nudge, act on it

Identify fruit growth areas

Choose one fruit of the Spirit to focus on this week

Trust the process

Remember, fruit grows gradually with proper nourishment

Real-Life Application

[Share a decision-making scenario with the congregation]

Scenario: Your coworker takes credit for your work in a meeting.

Flesh-led response:

Immediate confrontation

Spreading gossip about them

Plotting revenge

Spirit-led response:

Praying for wisdom

Having a gracious private conversation

Trusting God to bring truth to light

4. Steps of Spirit-led Surrender

Galatians 5:24–25 NKJV

24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:26 NKJV

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Surrendering to Christ is not a one-time event but a daily choice. It means actively dying to our selfish desires and submitting to God’s will.

Romans 8:5–6 NKJV

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

In the case of your coworker taking credit for your work, imagine how your initial reaction might feel—frustration, anger, maybe even a desire to lash out. But by walking in the Spirit, you respond with grace. This isn’t a ‘doormat’ response, but a powerful choice to trust God with your reputation and to resolve conflict in a way that reflects His character. Over time, this builds a foundation of trust and peace, not just in the workplace, but in your heart.

Reflection Questions to End With:

Am I truly crucifying my flesh daily?

What areas in my life do I still need to surrender to the Spirit?

When was the last time I examined whether my life reflects the fruit of the Spirit?

Final Challenge:

As we go into this week, let’s commit to one specific action that will help us walk in the Spirit. It could be starting each morning with a prayer for guidance, or identifying one area in our life where we’ve been yielding to the flesh instead of the Spirit. Let’s not just hear this word today; let’s live it out.Share your commitment with someone. May we experience true freedom as we walk in the Spirit this week