Walking in the Spirit refers to living one’s life under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. It means submitting to the Spirit’s leading and relying on His strength rather than our own. The concept comes from Galatians 5:16 (ESV) which says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Walking by the Spirit is contrasted with gratifying the desires of the sinful nature.
When we walk in the Spirit, we set our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5). We live according to the Spirit and make decisions under His influence. As Galatians 5:25 (ESV) says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Keeping in step implies following the Spirit’s leading closely. Walking in the Spirit happens step by step, decision by decision, as we submit to God’s Word and the Spirit’s guidance.
The Bible describes several key elements of walking in the Spirit:
- Obeying God’s commands – 1 John 2:3-6 (ESV) says that by keeping God’s commands, we can be sure that we know Him. Obedience demonstrates that we are walking in the truth.
- Setting our minds on the things of the Spirit – Romans 8:5 (ESV) tells us to set our minds on the things of the Spirit rather than the flesh.
- Being led by the Spirit – Romans 8:14 (ESV) says all who are led by the Spirit are sons of God. We are to follow the Spirit’s leading in our actions and decisions.
- Bearing the fruit of the Spirit – As we walk in the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit manifests in our lives – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV).
- Crucifying the flesh – Walking in the Spirit requires us to crucify the flesh and resist its indulgences (Galatians 5:24 ESV).
- Relying on the Spirit’s power – The Spirit empowers us to overcome sin and temptation as we submit to Him (Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:16 ESV).
- Gratitude and worship – Being filled with the Spirit inspires gratitude and joyful praise as we focus on God (Ephesians 5:18-20 ESV).
The Holy Spirit instructs us, reminds us of Jesus’ teachings, convicts us of sin, guides us into truth, produces His fruit in us, empowers us for ministry, and intercedes for us in prayer (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:8, 13-14; Romans 8:26 ESV). As we yield to His work in our lives, our steps follow His will. Just as we initially received Christ by faith, so we must continue walking by faith, one step at a time, trusting in His power and guidance (Colossians 2:6 ESV).
When we walk in the flesh (our human nature and strength), we operate independently from God. Our focus shifts away from the eternal to the temporal. Rather than obeying the Spirit, we give in to the sinful nature. The book of Galatians contrasts the acts of the flesh – sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, and the like (Galatians 5:19-21 ESV) – with the fruit of the Spirit mentioned earlier.
Paul urges believers to walk by the Spirit so we will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 ESV). We have a constant inner conflict between the Spirit and the flesh. But when we walk in the Spirit, we gain victory over the flesh (Romans 8:4-13 ESV). His power enables us to overcome sinful desires and actions as we yield our lives to Him.
Walking in the Spirit requires vigilant discipline and continual dependence on God. Here are some practical tips for walking in the Spirit each day:
- Start your day in prayer and Bible study – Invite the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you. Put on the full armor of God against spiritual opposition (Ephesians 6:10-18 ESV).
- Moment by moment, submit your thoughts, words, and actions to the Spirit’s control – This intentional surrender prevents you from carrying out the inclinations of the flesh (Galatians 5:16 ESV; Romans 6:12-14 ESV).
- When making decisions, seek and follow the Spirit’s wisdom – Be sensitive to any checks in your spirit and God’s guidance through His Word (Colossians 3:15-16 ESV).
- Deal promptly with any disobedience or sin – Repentance and confession restore your fellowship with God when you’ve been walking in the flesh (1 John 1:9 ESV).
- Fill your mind and heart with the Word of God – Memorize key verses, meditate on His truths, and apply them to your life and thoughts (Psalm 119:11 ESV; Romans 12:2 ESV).
- Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit – Allow the Spirit to manifest His love, joy, peace, patience, etc. through you (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV).
- Rely on the Spirit’s power for bold witness – Yield to Him so He can empower your testimony about Christ (Acts 1:8 ESV).
The Holy Spirit makes our relationship with God real and personal. As we walk in the Spirit, maintaining constant communion with Him, He empowers us to overcome sin, serve God wholeheartedly, and experience intimacy with our heavenly Father.
Some key results of walking in the Spirit include:
- Victory over sin – The Spirit enables us to overcome sinful habits and fleshly desires as we submit to Him continually (Romans 8:13 ESV; Galatians 5:16 ESV).
- Righteous living – The Spirit empowers righteous, holy living as we obey God’s commands (Romans 8:4 ESV; Galatians 5:16 ESV).
- Intimacy with God – We develop a deep, intimate connection with God as we walk in fellowship with the Spirit day by day.
- Discernment – The Spirit gives discernment and wisdom to know God’s will in decisions and distinguish truth from error (1 Corinthians 2:12-13 ESV).
- Effectiveness – Walking in the Spirit makes our service and ministry more powerful and effective for God’s kingdom.
- Joy – As we focus on spiritual things rather than earthly concerns, the Spirit fills us with supernatural joy (Romans 14:17 ESV; 1 Thessalonians 1:6 ESV).
- Hope – The Spirit instills confident expectation of eternity with Christ and the fulfillment of God’s promises (Romans 15:13 ESV).
- Spiritual maturity – Walking in the Spirit fosters growth into greater Christlikeness as we yield to His work in us.
In contrast, walking according to the flesh exhibits the opposite effects. Our closeness with God diminishes. Sin and bad habits control us rather than the Spirit directing us. We produce the acts of the flesh rather than the fruit of the Spirit. Legalism, hypocrisy and spiritual apathy take root. Our witness weakens and our service declines. We lose hope and joy in Christ. Overall, fleshly living leads to spiritual stagnation and a lack of godly character.
Learning to walk by the Spirit requires diligence and vigilant self-denial. We must constantly put to death the misdeeds of the body (Romans 8:13 ESV). But the Spirit enables us to overcome sinful habits and fleshly desires as we submit to Him continually (Galatians 5:16 ESV). Even when we stumble, God gives us grace to repent and get back on the path of following Him.
Walking in the power of the Holy Spirit brings blessing both now and for eternity. As Paul says in Galatians 5:16 (ESV), “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Only by His strength can we live fruitful, righteous lives that glorify our heavenly Father.
