Keep on Walking by the Holy
Spirit
The Holy Spirit suppresses the
evil impulses of nature as the believer trusts Him
to do so. As we cooperate with Him in the work of
sanctification He enables us to be victorious in the
Christian life.
It is the responsibility of
every true believer to submit his life to the
control of the Holy Spirit.
In the context of a church
biting, devouring, and destroying Christian
fellowship, the apostle Paul admonished Christians
to “walk by the spirit.” Conduct
yourself under the power and influence of the Holy
Spirit. Let the inward impulses
of the Holy Spirit continue to control your
behavior.
The Spirit is the source of all
good and gracious impulses in your life.
He works within the believer enabling with
sanctifying power. The Spirit gives us wisdom and
direction and by His help and power we live and
overcome the inevitable temptations, sorrows and
joys in life.
The present tense of the verb
“to walk” (peripateite) indicates a continuing
condition or need. Paul is
encouraging the believers to keep on doing what they
have been doing, i.e., “Keep on walking by the
Spirit.” Keep in step; don’t fall
out now.
It is the responsibility of the
Christian to make the Holy Spirit the rule of his
life. Live continually in and by
the power of the Holy Spirit. Let
the Spirit always continue to direct your life, and
when He is guiding your life “you will not carry out
the desire of the flesh.”
How does the Christian fulfill
the “righteousness of the law” without becoming a
legalists? Romans 8:4 tells us
“walk after the Spirit.” "So that the requirement of
the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk
according to the flesh but according to the Spirit"
(Romans 8:4).
Instead of biting, devouring,
and consuming one another, which is the result of
fulfilling the desire of the flesh, let the Holy
Spirit produce His kind of righteousness in your
life.
As a believer “keep on walking”
through life depending on the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit of God for His guidance and power.
The emphasis the apostle Paul
is making is this submission to the Holy Spirit is
the responsibility of the individual. The Holy
Spirit does not operate automatically in the
Christian. We do not become
robots when we believe on Christ.
However, as the Christian does yield to the Spirit’s
control, the promise is that he emphatically will
not (ou me) carry out the desires of the flesh.
Paul uses a strong double negative to
reinforce this great truth. The
Holy Spirit wants us to be obedient and when we do
obey Him we overcome these evil desires (vv. 19-21).
This great Biblical truth frees
us from going to the extremes of liberty as license
and lordship as legalism. True
Christianity is neither license nor legalism.
We have been set free to live Christ. “It was
for freedom that Christ set us free.
Therefore, keep standing firm and do not be
subject again to the yoke of slavery” (5:1).
The Holy Spirit frees us to live in that
spiritual freedom. He frees us
from the penalty and power of sin and will one day
free us from the presence of sin.
The Bible teaches us that the
human body is not sinful; it is neutral.
However, when the Holy Spirit is in control
of the body, we live in a manner that pleases God.
It is when the Holy Spirit is not in control
that we live in a way that fulfills the desires of
the flesh--the old nature with its sinful behavior.
We cannot win the spiritual
victory by our own personal strength or will power.
Once you let the Holy Spirit guide you, “then
you will never satisfy the passions of the flesh.”
The promise is realized in those who
continually walk or live by the Spirit.
Those who walk by the Spirit will definitely
not (emphatic) fulfill the desires of the flesh.
This is the only assurance that we will not
yield to the power within us that leads to sinful
behavior. You will always know
who or what is in control by the works (vv. 19-21),
or the fruit (v. 22-25).
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent.
Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
Bible word studies for sermon preparation, messages, devotions and personal Bible studies with abiding principles and practical applications.
Reports on what God is doing through Bible believing evangelical Christians in Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, India and Ecuador. Jesus said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).
Study the master theme of the Bible with these prophecies and types in the Old Testament of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Free Sermons and Bible studies indexed by Scripture reference and doctrinal studies .
