Keep in step with the Spirit part 2 (Galatians 5:16-17)

Galatians 5:16-17 ‘So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.’

Christians have new choices; they can now choose whether to obey the ‘flesh’ (things that are not of God) or the ‘Spirit’ (things that are of God).

This, in particular, will be worked out in our relationships. We are constantly faced with choices to, ‘become conceited, provoking and envying each other.’ (v. 25) or to ‘serve one another humbly in love’ (v. 13).

In my experience, keeping in step with the Spirit, has become equated and relegated to seeking the more overt supernatural things such as praying for the sick, words of prophecy etc. Someone might say, "I was walking down the street and I felt the Sprit tell me to go into a particular shop, go to a particular isle, and share a particular name that God had given me with a lady in a red coat..." But, too often, Christians can be caught up with seeking the miraculous, whilst living in bad relationships – being divisive and difficult people! I know that I can be a difficult person and those who know me know it to!

It’s interesting to note that, in my experience, people often equate Paul’s command, ‘do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God’ (Eph. 5:30) with allowing the gifts of the Holy Spirit to flow freely in our meetings, when this is clearly, again, about having great relationships: ‘Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander’ (Eph. 5:31).

The flesh wants to destroy our relationships, but the Spirit’s abundant power is available to persevere with one another and build a glorious church. Let's keep in step with the Spirit! 

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Keep in step with the Spirit

Galatians 5:16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

We are called to ‘walk’ by the Spirit; to ‘keep in step with the Spirit’ (v.25). The outcome will be that we sin less. The Holy Spirit wants to influence us for godliness and we must allow Him to rule in our lives. 

‘To walk by the Spirit means to be under the constant, moment-by-moment direction, control, and guidance of the Spirit.’ (Ronald Fung, NICNT, Page 249)

How do I know what the Spirit wants so that I can keep in step with Him?

The Holy Spirit leads us in our conscience: A Christian will have an enhanced sense of right and wrong. This is the fulfilment of the promise given to Jeremiah,

‘This is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.’ (Jeremiah 31:33)

Walking by the Spirit also demands that we study the bible. The bible clarifies the Spirit’s will to us. Keeping is step with the Spirit is not to be equated with ‘this just felt right’! Sometimes, what we feel is right - on decisions like our marriage, homosexuality, women’s ministry…- are actually at odds with the Spirit. As Paul says, 

'All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’ (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

As J. I. Packer has said,

'The Spirit works through Means - "through the objective means of grace, namely, biblical truth, prayer, fellowship, the Lord's Supper, and . . . through the subjective means of grace whereby we open ourselves to change, namely, thinking, listening, questioning oneself, sharing what is in ones heart with another, examining oneself, admonishing oneself, and weighing any response they (those we share with) make . . .' (J. I. Packer. Keep in step with the Spirit)

Ultimately, our new holy life is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Having said what I have said, we must not equate walking with the Spirit as reading the bible and doing what it says. In fact this could leave us in the opposite place - in legalism. It is the internal power of the Holy Spirit that is transforming and empowering our lives. Yes, He will use scripture (and other means - they are vital!), but it is the Spirit himself who is changing us as we seek to walk with Him. We end with a few words from Gordon Fee, 

‘Thus the combination of the imperative ‘walk,’ joined by the dative ‘by the Spirit,’ puts the two basic things together, Ethical life is still a matter of ‘walking in the ways of God,’ but for Paul this is empowered for God’s new covenant people by God’s empowering presence in the person of his Holy Spirit.’

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A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough

Galatians 5:9 ‘A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.’

A little legalism or sin will work its way through a person bringing increasing destruction to their lives. Similarly, a little sin or false teaching, will work through a church community.

A person who tolerates sin will influence those around them; they will either be an active bad influence, or they will influence by being less than they should be (through the incapacitating effects of sin and bad teaching) and so the church will lack the benefit of their God-given gifts. 

Would you eat any part of a cake which had even a small piece of vial contaminant? Would one drink a sip of water that had the smallest amount of poison? The thought offends our imagination; how much more does our complacency offend our holy God!

We all sin, we all have as yet undiscovered inconsistencies in our understanding. The problem is when a people has a contingent who think that repentance is not essential. Are we striving for holiness and growth in knowledge? If we are, we will become ‘yeast that works through the whole batch’ causing it to rise!

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