Greetings saints! ...
My most simplist explanation for my own walking in the Spirit is when i'm denying myself to the benefit of what Christ by His Word, and Holy Spirit would have me do, and even further towards the mark of where such denial ceases to be the thought process that it often times is and becomes almost first nature to me ... i say almost because even tho i know i have a new nature, and i'm getting ever better at operating out of it, it's impossible for me to be 100% perfect in this imperfect shell and so i've got to be ever mindful of my old nature ... But like Paul said, walking in the Spirit (to me) is in essence becoming dead in old self and alive in Christ operating thru new self, by the power and leading of Holy Spirit ... Becoming transformed and renewed in actions and particularly reactions ...
i found this on line and it seems to have a few good points on ...
[u][i][b]What Does It Mean To Walk In The Spirit?[/b][/i][/u] Gal 5:16, 25, and 6:1-2
What does it mean to walk in the spirit?
For one thing, it is not just nice religious terminology. It does not describe some eerie, intangible, heightened state of spirituality. To the contrary, the Spirit-filled life is full of substance. It is a real, tangible, down-to-earth life, the way Jesus was down-to-earth. In fact, it is the only real life.
The Spirit-filled life is nothing less than the Christ-filled life. The Spirit-filled Christian is one who, according to Romans 6:11, considers himself dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. In a very real sense, the Christian gives up his life, his spiritual impotence, defeat, and fruitlessness for the power and victory of Jesus Christ. This is what the great missionary statesman Hudson Taylor referred to as the "exchanged life."
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are filled with Jesus Christ. We no longer think of Christ as One who helps us do some kind of Christian task but, rather, Jesus Christ does the work in and through us. Christ does not want us to work for Him. He wants us to let Him do His work in and through us. This is the glorious experience that the apostle Paul knew, as he described in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me."
Our body now becomes Christ's body to use as He wills; our mind becomes His mind to think His thoughts; our will is now controlled by His will; our total personality, time, and talents are now completely His. Eugene Peterson puts it a little more clearly in The Message when he writes Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implication in every detail of our lives.
Can it be done? Can our faith influence every detail of our lives? Or is that just Paul doing a bunch of preacher talk that sounds good on Sunday morning, but really isnt possible? I dont think any of us really think that, but if he really intends for us to do so, how in the world do we do it?!
Here in this letter to the believers in Galatia Paul gives us some practical guidelines that will help us do just that, walk in the Spirit, in our daily living:
Walking in the Spirit means we must
1. Live in humility v. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. If our faith is to have any practical influence in the world around us, it must first influence the way we treat those around us! Maybe one of the biggest problems believers have is the sin of pride! Proud that we go to church, proud that we do not get drunk or cheat on our spouse, proud that we are middle class and respectable, etc. But there is no way around it: There is no way we can be full of Gods spirit and walk in Gods spirit when we are full of self and walking in our own paths and in our own strength!
read v. 26 - Paul says we must specifically guard against becoming conceited or having bad attitudes toward others. We think we are above this kind of thing, but the truth is there are times we think we are better than some around us who are not as successful or respectable or as educated we are. We do become critical of some around us who do not agree with us and who threaten our opinion of ourselves! And occasionally we do act tacky and can be unkind to those around us who have been unkind to us.
read v. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Walking in the spirit means understanding that we must die to self! In regard to faith it means He must increase, but I must decrease and in regard to others it means that in daily relationships we are expected to live out the challenge in love preferring one another.
Walking in the Spirit means we:
2. Live in service to one another v. 2 Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
When you look at Jesus life and what made people love Him, what 1 or 2 characteristics stand out?
To me: Jesus loved people unconditionally. Second characteristic was that Jesus served others.
He was not too proud to stoop to wash feet, help a sick Gentile woman who had no one to turn to. Jesus even said His whole purpose for coming to earth was not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28) Jesus told a parable of a man who was traveling from Jericho to Jerusalem who fell among thieves. You are familiar with the details
Paul reminds us in v. 2 that walking in the Spirit includes service to others. Because if we are walking in the Spirit, if we are being the presence of Christ in our world, then we will do the things Jesus would do if he were walking where we are walking! We all have two kinds of spirit within us which are constantly battling for control of our lives. One will win and one will lose. The one that wins is always the one we feed the most! Whether you and I live a consistent, Spirit-filled life is determined by the frequency with which we says "yes" to the leading of the Spirit and "no" to the temptations of the flesh.
How do we get started on the road of walking in the spirit? Take the first step! Make a fresh and new commitment to living under Gods control.
- Humble yourself before God and others.
- Make yourself accountable,
- and serve others.
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