Firstly, we have established from the Scriptures that the only way to deal with Mr. Flesh is by going to the Cross.
“And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Gal. 5:24).
Last Sunday, we established that the only way to overcome “The Practices of the Body” is by walking in the Spirit.
“For if ye live after the flesh, (according to the suggestions of the flesh) ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:13).
“…Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust (desire) of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).
“If we live in (by) the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).
Today we are going to look at “WALKING IN THE SPIRIT.” Realize that that same phrase 'walk in the Spirit' can also mean to live by the Spirit or to be guided by the Spirit.
What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? In the first place, there are only two ways for a Christian to walk: a) In the flesh, or b) In the Spirit. The flesh has its own stubborn will, and it acts as it pleases. It does whatever it chooses, and then asks God to bless those choices. For instance, you are a Christian but you choose to marry an unbeliever, and you then ask God to bless the marriage. God does not waste His blessings.
1. But walking in the Spirit is just the opposite. We surrender our will to the Holy Spirit, and trust Him to direct us in all things.
The Bible tells us, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Ps. 37:23), and the Spirit does this ordering. Simply put, we are to walk in total submission to the Holy Spirit, just as Christ walked in constant, absolute submission to the Father (Jn. 5:19, 30; Jn. 6:38, 57).
2. To walk in the Spirit is to walk in a new life in Jesus Christ. It is to walk away from the old life of bondage to any idea, person, system, or idea of salvation by religious ritual.
3. To walk in the Spirit is to walk away from sin. Sin is disobedience to the revealed will of God. Walk away from sin by having the sin naturecleansed by pure righteous life of Christ. When you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour, He gets your sins and you get His life.
4. To walk in the Spirit is to do things according to the dictates of the Holy Spirit or according to the Word of God (Rom. 8:1-2).
5. To walk in the Spirit is to walk in prayer and total dependence upon the Lord. You should seek Christ and His life in daily prayer, in public prayer, and in meditation on God's Word.
6. To walk in the Spirit is to walk in the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law…” (Gal. 5:16, 18-25).
In other words, when you are walking in the fruit of the Spirit, there is no law that can bear witness against you because you will be fulfilling all the requirements of the Law.
So, putting it simply: We can say that to walk in the Spirit is to walk in the nine fruit of the Holy Spirit. Paul said, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest. . .” (v. 19).
We could say it this way: “If you walk in the flesh, then the works of the flesh will be manifested, and they will dominate you.” But if you walk in the Spirit, the works of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) will be manifested, and God will be glorified.
In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul listed the fruit of the spirit: “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.”
How can one walk in the Spirit?
Step 1: Be aware of the conflict. Realize that your spirit-man and your Flesh are contesting for who will control your mind and physical body.
Galatians 5:16-18 says, “…Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.”
Here is the truth: When your “Flesh” controls your mind, your physical body will manifest adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness etc. (Gal. 5:19-21). But when the Holy Spirit controls your mind, your physical body will manifest love, joy, peace etc. (Gal. 5:22-23).
Step 2. Put first things first. Galatians 5:16 says, “ …(1) Walk in the Spirit, and (2) ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Here the Scripture did not say, “Overcome the Flesh, and then you can walk in the Spirit.” Rather the opposite is the truth. When you walk in the Spirit, you’ll not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.
Walking in the Spirit overpowers the flesh. Romans 8:1-2 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
As soon as you walk in the Spirit, the flesh is starved, and it dies and gives way.
You overtake the flesh with a system of thinking. That is to say, “You overcome the flesh by thinking the very thoughts of God – meditating on His Word.”
For instance, you want to overcome smoking, drug addiction, or sex addiction. How do you accomplish that? You can’t get free by destroying the cigarette physically, or breaking all the bottles of whisky in your home, or sacking your partner in sin. You can’t get free by confessing a million times saying, “I won’t smoke again!”
All you need do to get free is to turn the lights on, and darkness will disappear immediately. By turning the lights on, I mean, walk in the Spirit, walk in the Word of God, do things God’s way, and that desire to smoke, drink, or fornicate will leave you immediately.
Therefore, you incapacitate and overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and by walking in the Spirit (Rev. 12:11).
Look at James 4:6-7 which says, “…God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 (1) Submit yourselves therefore to God. (2) Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Can you see that except you submit yourself to God, you cannot resist the devil?
How do you submit yourself to God? You submit yourself unto God by walking in the Spirit. So, James verse 7 can read, “Walk in the Spirit. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Step No. 3: Walk in the Spirit by presenting your mortal body as a living sacrifice. “Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:1-2, NKJV).
How do we present our body as a living sacrifice to God? You do so by laying aside the things of this world. This means being willing to give up activities, friends or habits that don’t match God’s best for our lives, walking away from anything that is not pleasing to the Lord.
You make a decision to put on the Spirit each day the same way you would put on a coat. You can present yourself to the Lord as a living sacrifice, according to Romans 12:1, by speaking the following declaration first thing every morning:
Father, I present my body to You as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You, for this is my reasonable service—my divine worship to You. I command my body to submit to the Holy Spirit.
Father, according to Hebrews 12:1-2, I lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles me so that I may run with patience the race that is set before me, looking unto Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of my faith.
In Jesus’ Name, I am taking command of my body. Body, mind, you can’t tell me what to do or think. Spirit-man, you’re in charge. Body and mind, you submit to the Spirit.
It would be backward for us to say we’ll get things right in our lives first, and then walk in the Spirit. As we obey the Holy Spirit’s leading first, the other things in our life will straighten out.
Step No. 4: Walk in the Spirit by Praying in the Spirit daily.
“Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26, KJV).
The most powerful way to begin walking in the Spirit is to start praying in the Spirit. It is the gateway to living life above what you have ever known. Praying in the Spirit accomplishes so much all at once. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
Conclusion: Do you want the devil to flee from you? Do you want darkness to flee from you? Do you want failure, sickness, poverty, depression etc. to flee from you? Then, submit yourself unto God by walking in the Spirit.
Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit.
· Your friend, I. I. Madubunyi (Senior Pastor, HOG).
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