Sunday Sermons
Walking by the Spirit
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
Even if I did not know anything about walking by the Spirit, the above verse clearly reveals such to be a choice. It also tells me that I am able to walk by the Spirit, and that it is entirely possible to select a lifestyle in which my physical desires, rather than ruling me, can serve well both God and me. Furthermore, I need not wait for a feeling to start walking or to continue walking by the Spirit. How wonderful to know, I can start walking by the Spirit at this very moment.
"Walking By"
"Walking" is a poetic way of expressing our daily, habitual thinking and acting. "By" would include the concept of letting the Spirit set the direction, that is, to live a life according to His direction found in Scripture. "By" would equally include the idea of walking side by side with God (Genesis 5:22). I certainly will not be pushed by the Spirit against my will. This is further brought out in Romans chapter 8. Note the conditional nature of the following statements:
- "If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you" (8:9).
- "If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ" (8:9).
- "If Christ is in you" (8:10).
- "If the Spirit of Him who raised from the dead dwells in you" (8:11).
- "But if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body" (8:13).
None of these verses picture a person overwhelmed or taken over by the Spirit so that they don't have to work at being a Christian. Let us each willingly lay our will freely at His feet.
Why?
Obviously, the eternal answer is that only those who walk by the Spirit will end up saved (8:13). The more immediate answer is found in Galatians 5:16 and Romans chapter 7. In that chapter Paul gives a picture of a person who is incredibly frustrated by the fact that while they want to do good, they often find themselves doing the exact opposite:
-
"For I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate" (7:15).
-
"But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do" (7:16).
-
"For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish" (7:19).
-
"Evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good" (7:21).
"Life: What Went Wrong?"
"Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24).
I believe that Paul cries out here the frustration that many others throughout time have likewise expressed:
- "Why do I keep messing up?"
- "Why do I keep messing up things in my relationships?"
- "Why do I keep causing drama in my life and in the lives of others?"
- "Why can't I stay away from drugs, alcohol, no-good boyfriends, girlfriends, etc?"
- "Why do I keep going back to sins that have never made me happy?"
- "Why can't I get my life together?"
- "Why has my life not turned out the way I thought it would?"
What the Holy Spirit is saying in these two chapters (Romans 7-8) is that unless one decides to accept the instruction from the Spirit in Scripture, the scenario of chapter 7 will often be the predictable result. Know this: if you want to avoid a lifetime of frustration, relinquish now 100 percent commit to the Spirit's instruction. I recently heard about a young man who went off the college who said he felt that he had a little angel on one shoulder and a little devil on another and that he was in continual turmoil. May I suggest to you that Romans chapter 7 is describing that continual inner turmoil. The young man then said, "I just finally need to decide whether or not I am going to let Jesus be the final and complete Lord of my life." He is spot on. Anything less than 100 percent commitment will result in inner turmoil, guaranteed.
"So What Does it Look Like?"
The Holy Spirit does not leave us in the dark concerning what "walking by the Spirit" looks like on a practical level:
"Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so"
Clearly, we must finally own up to the fact that I need God's direction in every corner of my life. How tiring, the wretchedness (7:24), moral failure and inner conflict. How blessed is the man who finally learns that "doing it my way" doesn't work and is willing to completely commit himself to God's program. When he reads Scripture he does not roll his eyes or say, "That won't work" or "I can't do that", but rather: "God knows what He is talking about". In addition, may we never blame God for the condition of the world, for why bad things happen or why everything hasn't gone as planned in your or my life. The only thing that makes sense it to have zero hostility toward God or any of His expectations. How wise the man who goes from questioning Scripture or His existence or goodness, but instead questions the lame advice the world offers.
"For if you are living according to the flesh you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live".
Walking by the Spirit means using the tools that the Spirit gives me in Scripture, including His instruction, incentives, promises, threats and so on, in getting the sin out of my life. In everyone's life, something is growing and something is dying all the time. If I am not being a faithful Christian, then what is dying will be things like a tender conscience, my personal purity, and my integrity. On the other hand, what is dying when I walk by the Spirit includes such disposables as:
-
Callousness.
-
Skepticism toward God and His truth.
-
Resistance to repentance and positive changes in my life.
-
Resistance to Scriptural self-examination.
-
Selfishness.
-
Comparing myself to others, instead of comparing myself to God's standard.
"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'"
I would understand this to mean that walking by the Spirit necessitates an attitude of earnestly desiring a relationship with God. Instead of seeking to hide from God or ignore Him, we want as close and intimate a relationship as we can get with our Heavenly Father based upon appreciation for all He has done for us.
A New Perspective Towards Suffering: 8:18
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us"
Walking by the Spirit means that instead of being discouraged by the trials of this life, I now realize that the downs in life are not the end of my happiness. These trials or sufferings that I encounter are absolutely nothing compared to the incredible glory that I will receive from our Lord. You can't begin to even compare the two. They are not even close.
Eager Waiting: 8:23
"Waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body".
When I am walking by the Spirit I enjoy this life, but I am not all wrapped up in my existence here. I see God's present blessings in my life and I am eagerly anticipating my complete acceptance into the family of God when Jesus returns, my physical body is transformed, and I get to spend eternity with God. Walking by the Spirit will give me an exceptionally optimistic view of the future. The future is always bright because Jesus is coming back, and we get to spend an eternity basking in the pleasure of His presence.
The Requirement of the Law Fulfilled: 8:4
"In order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit"
Those who walk by the Spirit are the people who are very positive about not only keeping God's law, but have confidence in the own personal, God-given ability to do it. So when we run into people who are negative about the rules in Scripture, or are pessimistic about our ability to keep God's rules, we are encountering someone who is not walking by the Spirit. It should be obvious after some forethought that the Holy Spirit would never advise people that they cannot keep the rules that He has revealed. Therefore, when I am walking by the Spirit I have both the instruction and incentives to keep God's commandments. I also have access to God's forgiveness when I stray at any given moment (1 John 1:9). How encouraging, that I can have confidence in my present standing with God. I am not constantly worrying or wondering about my salvation, neither am I overconfident; rather, I simply know that I am living as I should (8:16). Someone has rightly described the happy person as the person who is doing what they know they should be doing. Walking by the Spirit will make this a reality in your life.
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net
