THE HOLY SPIRIT

“WALKING IN THE SPIRIT”

GALATIANS 5:16

 

DO YOU WALK WITH GOD?

 

The Bible specifically mentions two people who walked with God.

 

The first was Enoch.  Genesis 5:24 says- “Enoch walked faithfully with God, then he was no more, because God took him away.”

• Enoch is the first person in the Bible known to walk with God
• He walked so faithfully with God that God spared him death
• The Phrase-“God took him away” has been understood that

God just transported Enoch to heaven

 

The second person mentioned in the Bible to walk with God was Noah.  Genesis 6:9  says- “Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on the earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.”

 

Although the Bible doesn’t specifically say that other great Bible characters walked with God, we can imagine they did because of their great faith.  People like Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Deborah, Esther, David, Daniel, Elijah, Mary, and Paul.

 

Can we walk with God?  Or is walking with God something that only “SUPER SAINTS” like Enoch and Noah can do?

 

The truth is we can walk with God.  Every believer is to walk with God.  Look at these verses with me:

 

“And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8

 

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”

-1 John 1:7

God wants us to walk with him and to walk in his light.  Look now at our verse for today’s message, Galatians 5:16:

 

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

 

We are to walk in the Spirit.  The Amplified Version of the Bible states it like this: “But I say, walk habitually in the Holy Spirit, seek Him and be responsive to His guidance….”

 

We are to walk habitually…..continually…..consistently in the Holy Spirit  Walking in the Spirit of God is not to be confined to those special moments in our lives when we have those spiritual mountaintop experiences, when we feel especially close to God.  Walking in the Spirit is a daily walk.  It’s a lifestyle.

 

Walking implies progress.  When you go for a walk, you’re not remaining stationary.  Likewise, walking in the Spirit means that we are moving forward, making progress…..growing spiritually.

 

Walking in the Spirit is essential, so we don’t walk in the flesh.  Our verse highlights the tension we live with as believers; the tension between walking in the Spirit vs. satisfying the desires of our sinful nature.  We live with this tension every day, don’t we?

• We desire to live faithfully for God, but temptation entices us
• We desire to experience peace, but anger rears its ugly head
• We try to demonstrate love toward someone, but bitterness lingers over the hurt they inflicted on us
• We try to be patient but everything in life seems to be marked “URGENT.”

 

Now when you feel torn between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh, that’s actually good news.  Even the apostle Paul struggled with this.  Read the latter part of Romans 7.  Paul admits to doing the things he knew were wrong.  And the good he wanted to do he didn’t always do.  The tension we feel is evidence the Holy Spirit is at work within us.

 

Since Paul wrote that we need to walk in the Spirit, this means that it is a conscious decision on our part.  It’s not automatic.  It is going to require us to take some steps to ensure that we are in step with the Holy Spirit.

 

So, what would walking in the Spirit look like?  And how can we walk in the Spirit on a daily basis? I want to share several things this morning that will help us to walk in the Spirit and indicate that we are. 

 

LET’S PRAY AND THEN WE WILL LOOK AT WALKING IN THE SPIRIT

 

First of all, we will be walking in the Spirit when we…….

 

1.ACKNOWLEDGE GOD EVERY DAY

 

Christianity is not confined to coming to church on Sunday, singing some songs, praying, and dropping an offering in the offering box.  Christianity is a daily thing.  It’s a lifestyle of connecting with God and following Jesus every single day.  Deuteronomy 4:39 says:

 

“Acknowledge and take to hear this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below.  There is no other.” -Deuteronomy 4:39

 

We should acknowledge God daily.  We need to connect daily.  One of the best ways to do this is prayer.  Now, prayer is portable.  You can pray anytime, anywhere.  You can pray throughout your day.

 

But may I suggest that you connect with God first thing in the morning?  Before you face the day, face the Father, and spend a few moments in his presence.

 

Christian author C. S. Lewis wrote- “The moment you walk up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals.  And the first job each morning consists in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking the other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger quieter life come flowing in.”  Psalm 5:3 says:

 

“In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” – Psalm 5:3

 

I find it best and very helpful to pray first thing in the morning before I get caught up in the busyness of my day. This might be easier for some because you are an early bird.  Harder for those who are night owls.

 

Are you a morning person or a night person?

Morning people are up at the crack of dawn

Night owls are up at the crack of noon.

Morning people pray- “Good Morning, Lord.”

The rest of us pray-“Good Lord, it’s morning.”

Morning people are up at o’dark thirty and happy about it.                                                                                              

Night people wish their day could start at dusk.                                                                                                                

Morning people attend prayer breakfasts.

Night people are looking for a prayer brunch.

 

Whenever you start the day, 5 am or 9 am, I highly recommend you start your day with God.

 

I like to start my day in bed!  I know you’re thinking, “hey, this guy is really sharp, he’s on to something here!  I can do this!”  Maybe, before you even get out of bed, speak a prayer while you are still lying in bed.  What better way to begin your day than to talk with God? Before your feet hit the floor, lift your heart up to God in prayer.

 

Like I said, you can pray anytime during the day or evening.  I’m not going to be legalistic and say that if you don’t pray first thing in the morning that you’re wrong for not doing so.  There is no “thus sayth the Lord” on the proper times of day to pray. In fact the Bible simply tells us to pray continually.

 

But I do find it helpful, and you may as well, to begin your day connecting with God in prayer.  Before you get caught up in your to-do-list.  Before the worries and cares begin to consume your thoughts.  Begin the day with God.

 

  Acknowledge him at the start of your day.  Give God your first thought and the first word of your day. Invite him into your day. Dedicate that day to him. As you acknowledge God at the beginning of each day, you will be more aware of his presence with you.  Then, as you walk out the door, you’re already walking with the Lord, walking in the Spirit.  And, because you connected with God in the morning, you’re more likely to stay connected with him throughout your day.

 

Another thing that will help set the direction for walking in the Spirit is when I….

 

2.ALLOW FOR SOME MARGIN IN MY LIFE

                              

I tend to walk at a fast pace.  I want to get to where I am going and do what I need to do.  You ought to see me in the grocery store.  I look like I entered the 40-yard shopping cart dash.  I am a menace on wheels.  I have to deliberately slow down whenever I am walking with someone else, like, oh, I don’t know, my wife!

 

For many of us, the single biggest enemy to our walking in the Spirit is our pace of life.  We’re always busy, always rushing out the door; we’re always in a hurry.

 

But the Bible never says that anyone ran with God.  No, it says that Enoch walked with God.  Noah walked with God.

 

I listened to a lot of Simon & Garfunkel growing up.  I probably owned all of their albums, which may explain a lot! But the first line in their song, FEELIN’ GROOVY (I KNOW THIS DATES ME); the line is, “Slow down, you move too fast.”

 

Often times we’re running too fast to walk in the Spirit.  Psalm 46:10 says:

 

“Be still, and know that I am God.” -Psalm 46:10

 

We need to get still and be still before God.  We need to take some time out and spend time with God.  Again, in prayer.  And then, as we will see in a minute, by reading from God’s Word.  But, before we go there, here’s a third thing we each can do that will help us to walk in the Spirit:

 

3.ASK GOD TO GUIDE ME

 

I heard about a guy who prayed, “So far today, Lord, I’ve done all right.  I haven’t gossiped.  I haven’t lost my temper; I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or overindulgent.  I am very thankful for that.  But, in a few minutes, Lord, I’m going to be getting out of bed, and from then on, I’m really gonna need your help!”

 

Each and every day has its own set of challenges, temptations, and problems.  We need the Lord’s help every single day.  So, every day, ask God to guide you throughout that day.  God has promised to guide us.

 

In the 23^rd Psalm the promise is that the Lord, our shepherd, will guide us in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

 

In Proverbs 3:5-6 we are told that if we trust in the Lord with all our hearts & lean not on our own understanding; that if in all our ways, we acknowledge him, that the Lord will make our paths straight. 

 

In Romans 8:14 we are told that the Holy Spirit will lead us. So, pray and ask the Lord for the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Maybe our prayers could echo that of David:

 

“Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” – Psalm 143:8

 

Jesus prayed for his Heavenly Father’s guidance, in the garden of Gethsemane, about going to the cross.  As you look at each day, ask God to guide you.  Be specific.

• Ask God to guide you because you have a difficult meeting to go to
• Ask for help navigating a challenge or dealing with a problem
• Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom in making a decision
• Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you on how to spend your day; where you should invest your time and energy

 

Jesus promised that if we ask, we will receive.  So, pray and seek the Lord’s guidance in all things, even in the little things of life.  Peter wrote:

 

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7

 

You may think that there are some things that are too insignificant for you to pray about.  Some things that are too trivial for God’s attention.  But Peter said that we are to bring ALL our anxiety to the Lord.  If it matters to you, it matters to God because you matter to God. 

 

Ask God to guide you.  The next three steps that will help us to walk in the Spirit have to do with the Bible, God’s Word.  The HS is the author of the Bible, and it is the main way the HS will lead us and guide us.  So, if we want to walk in the Spirit, we need to walk our way through God’s Word.  First…..

 

4.BE AWARE OF GOD’S WORD

 

In the very first Psalm, we have a portrait of a godly person.  Psalm 1:1 describes the godly person this way:

 

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked….” – Psalm 1:1

 

That verse says that the godly person is not walking in step with the wicked.  They are walking with the Lord.  The next verse explains why:

 

“but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” – Psalm 1:2

 

A godly person walks with God because he/she loves the Word of God and lets the commands and principles of God’s Word guide them throughout the day.

 

If the HS is going to guide our lives, we need to know what the Bible says.  So, I want to encourage you to spend a few minutes each day reading a portion of God’s Word. 

 

Now, there is no place in the Bible that tells us how much time to read the Bible each day.  But could you invest 5 minutes or 7 minutes a day reading your Bible? 

 

If you aren’t in a regular habit of reading the Bible, where could you start?  Maybe start by reading through the Psalms or Proverbs.  The late Dr. Billy Graham said, for many years, that he read 5 Psalms a day plus one chapter from Proverbs a day, because, as Dr. Graham said, the Psalms showed him how to relate to God and Proverbs taught him how to relate to people. 

 

Maybe start there.  Or wherever you like.  But the key is to start.  Just a few minutes.  A chapter or several verses.  As you read, asking these 3 questions will help you gain understanding and insight into God’s Word:

• Is there a truth for me to believe
• Is there a promise for me to hold on to
• Is there a command for me to obey
•  

And, as you sit down to read God’s Word, pray and ask God to help you understand his Word.  The next step to take in regard to God’s Word that helps us to walk in the Spirit is to…

 

5.AGREE WITH GOD’S WORD

 

Amos 3:3 says:

 

“Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?” -Amos 3:3

 

Let’s say that Dawn and I decide to go on a walk together.  She wants to go down to Yorktown and walk along the beach.  But I want to go walk through Newport News Park.  The only way we’re going to walk together is if we agree on where we want to take our walk.

 

We can only walk with someone when we agree on the direction in which we will go.   The ONLY way we can walk in the Spirit is if we agree with what God’s Word has to say.  James wrote:

 

“Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and HUMBLY ACCEPT the word planted in you, which can save you.” -James 1:21

 

If we are going to agree with the Bible, we have to accept what the Bible has to say.  Even if we don’t like what the Bible has to say about ourselves.  Pastor and author Francis Chan has said- “If I disagree with the Bible, I have to assume I am wrong.”  I would tweak his quote to say, I KNOW I am wrong.

One fundamental question about life is WHO OR WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY FOR MY LIFE?  The answer to that question will determine the direction of our lives. 

 

For example, are you the authority for your life?  Do you keep your own counsel?   I just finished reading the book of Judges in the OT.  There is one phrase that is repeated in the book-“every person did what was right in their own eyes.”   That means that they were living life on their own terms; not on God’s terms.  And doing what they thought was right got them into trouble.  It always does.  The Bible says ‘there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death.”

 

Another source of authority is the philosophy of this world.  Are you going to listen to the world or the Word, the Word of God?  Are you going to listen to what people say or what God says.

 

Which do you think is more reliable?  Well, the world is not in agreement with the Word of God.  That is for sure.  And a secondary problem with what culture says is that it just keeps changing.  What’s popular one day, isn’t’ popular the next.  Romans 3:4 says- “God will continue to be true even when every person is false.”

 

But you can ALWAYS count on God’s Word.  It is reliable.  It is timeless truth.  Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will never pass away.”

 

I would encourage you to make the Bible your NORTHSTAR. Let the Bible navigate you through life.

 

As I accept God’s Word and agree with what the Bible says, if I am truly going to walk in the Spirit, I need to…..

 

6.ALIGN MY LIFE WITH GOD’S WORD

 

Galatians 5:26 says:

 

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” – Galatians 5:26

 

I was in the marching band in high school.  I played the cornet.  I was the line leader for the cornet/trumpet section.  I was at the end of our line.  My job was, to look down the line to make sure that every person in our line was in step.  Sure enough, I would look down the line and some freshmen was out of step.  So I had to yell down to them, left, right, left, right and get them back in step.

 

If we are going to walk in the Spirit, we have to stay in step with the Spirit.

 

Are you in step with the Spirit?  If you are, two things will be true.  First if you are in step with the Holy Spirit, you’ll be out of step with the world.

 

Bill Sterns wrote a book entitled, “If The World Fits, You’re The Wrong  Size.”  It was a book designed to help Christian teens live a committed Christian life in a non-Christian world.”

 

Being in step with the Holy Spirit means that we will be different from the world around us.  God’s way is counter-cultural.  Romans 12:2 says:

 

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2

 

I like the paraphrase of this verse- “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.”

 

If we are going to be in step with the Spirit, we can’t think like the world, talk like the world, or act like the world around us.  Jesus said we are to be in the world but not of the world. 

 

The second thing that is true if we are in step with the Spirit, is our lives will line up with God’s Word.

 

It’s been said that “other books were given for our information.  The Bible was given for our transformation.”

 

  READ JAMES 1:22-25

 

When we live our lives in obedience to the Word of God, we will be keeping in step with the Spirit.

 

The refrain of the hymn, “IN THE GARDEN” starts out: “AND HE WALKS WITH ME AND HE TALKS WITH ME….”

 

God walking with us is a very comforting and reassuring thought.  Let’s make sure we are walking with him by walking in the Spirit as we:

 

1.Acknowledge God Daily

2.Allow for some margin in our lives

3.Ask God to guide us

4.As we are aware of what the Bible says by reading it on regular basis

5. As we agree with what the Bible says

6.As we align our lives with the Bible

 

As we come to our commitment time this morning, let’s each of us commit to taking these steps so we will be walking in the Spirit.