Bible Study What Does It Mean To Walk In The Spirit.

[Chopper]

Galatians 5:16 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another."

Over the years of being a Shepherd of several Flocks of the Master Shepherd Jesus Christ, I have noted two basic classes of Believers. One class or group is very serious in our local Churches. They love serving and exercising their spiritual gifts.

The other group are basic pew warmers. They are Christians, just not very serious in their walk. Perhaps it's because they have never really learned about the importance of the Holy Spirit in their every day activities.

This thread is to bring our attention to the great importance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Many of us focus on the Word of God in daily studies, which is very necessary. We focus on our gratitude of God's Grace and His Salvation that He has drawn us to. We also focus on our love for the Brethren.

I believe that there is needed a new focus on the reality of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives so that He can, in us, overcome the energy of the flesh which is at war with Him. What I'm hoping for is that each of you would post on your beliefs on how do we practically "walk in the Spirit" and make Him our dominate focus.

How do we walk in the Spirit? How can we be led of the Spirit? How do we exercise the Fruit of the Spirit? How do we Live in the Spirit? I'm really after a daily conscious LIVING in the Spirit of Almighty God. I'm convinced that a life dedicated to living, praying, and a determination to acknowledge the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and body, we will be different from those who don't, and a witness to the world that we are different because of what God and His Son Jesus has done in our lives, to His Glory.

 

[Eugene]

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Dear Brother Chopper, your encouraging teaching brings to my mind the difference in walking in the Spirit versus walking after the flesh. What a testimony to God that He can take what we were and change us to where He shows the world the righteousness of the law being fulfilled in us. As Jesus is a light unto the world, we too become a light to others.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
.

 

[iLOVE]

To walk in the spirit means to maintain faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross, i.e., Finished Work, i.e., The Blood of Jesus. This allow the Holy Spirit latitude to work and help us. The Holy Spirit only works in the life of a Believer in the parameter of Christ and His Finished Work (Romans 8:1-2). The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2) is the highest law of all. The Holy Spirit keeps all of the commandments for us. You are guaranteed failure if you try to live for God in your on will power, strength, and performance. The only solution for sin, the only answer to sin, is the Cross of Christ.

How does a Believer maintain faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross? By just believing in Jesus and what He accomplished at Calvary Cross. Romans 4:5 - Galatians 2:19-21 NKJV - 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 NKJV - Colossians 2:11-15 NKJV

When faith is not maintain in Christ and the Cross the Believer enters the flesh, i.e., The Law - the curse. Romans 8:1 - Galatians 5:16-26

 

[iLOVE]

From the teaching of the Generation of the Cross

The Cross is a two fold victory; for the sinner and for the Saint. It means for the sinner, it saves us from sin. And the Cross for the Saint, saves us from self and breaks the grip of sin over our lives.

How can I tell if the sin nature has rule in my life?

Wrong Direction

Focus: Works.
Object Of Faith: Performance.
Power Source: Self.
Results: Failure!

How can a Believer maintain victory over the sin nature?

Right Direction

Focus: The Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6)
Object Of Faith: The Cross of Christ (Romans 6:1-14)
Power Source: The Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-2, 11)
Results: Victory (Romans 6:14)
SIN WILL NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER YOU!!!!!!!

Note: I am not speaking about sinless perfection ( Only Jesus was sinless).

The Holy Spirit is waiting for a Believer to say, "I can't do this." And He will respond, "That's what I have been waiting for, so I can do it for you!"

The majority of Christians know nothing about the Cross of Christ for sanctification. All they have in their mind is, "I have to do something." Satan has been the master of deception by deceiving the Christian population into moving them away from the Cross to something else.

It's all in the Cross!

 

[Chopper]

Thank you my dear friends for your posts. They are very good and I hope you will continue to post your thoughts as the Holy Spirit brings to your mind other important facts about life in the Holy Spirit.

iLOVE said something that I'd never thought of before. "The Holy Spirit keeps all of the commandments for us" Wow!! That's a Chopper Home Run! This is exactly what this thread is all about, "Nuggets" of Truth. O I hope we all can search our hearts, minds and teachings of the past so that we can have a revival of "Life In The Spirit."

May God bless those of you who are helping the cry of my heart to live and operate daily in the power and life of the Holy Spirit Who is in me, so that I will sin less.

 

[for_his_glory]

When I think about what it means to walk in the Spirit I am always drawn to Colossians Chapter 3. The Holy Spirit helps us by giving us understanding of the things of the flesh we used to walk in, but now that we are risen with Christ it is the Holy Spirit that helps us to set our affections on those things from above and not the things of the earth that use to be so familiar to us as we use to walked in those things of the flesh.

 

[Malachi]

What I'm hoping for is that each of you would post on your beliefs on how do we practically "walk in the Spirit" and make Him our dominate focus.

1. Since Jesus of Nazareth began His ministry (and continued through out) in the power of the Holy Spirit, the very basic walk in the Spirit is (a) preaching the Gospel and (b) doing good (Lk 4:14; 9:6).

2. The outline of Christ's ministry (which is the ministry of every Christian) is given in Luke 4:16-20), which is a walk with the anointing of the Spirit:

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me
(1) to preach the gospel to the poor;
(2) he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
(3) to preach deliverance to the captives,
(4) and recovering of sight to the blind,
(5) to set at liberty them that are bruised,
(6) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

If we are busy with these things, we will not have the time nor the inclination to involve ourselves with the works of the flesh.

 

[iLOVE]

If we are busy with these things, we will not have the time nor the inclination to involve ourselves with the works of the flesh.

The powers of darkness is stronger than any Saints will power and strength. .

 

[Angel]

1. Since Jesus of Nazareth began His ministry (and continued through out) in the power of the Holy Spirit, the very basic walk in the Spirit is (a) preaching the Gospel and (b) doing good (Lk 4:14; 9:6).

2. The outline of Christ's ministry (which is the ministry of every Christian) is given in Luke 4:16-20), which is a walk with the anointing of the Spirit:

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me
(1) to preach the gospel to the poor;
(2) he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
(3) to preach deliverance to the captives,
(4) and recovering of sight to the blind,
(5) to set at liberty them that are bruised,
(6) To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

If we are busy with these things, we will not have the time nor the inclination to involve ourselves with the works of the flesh.

Amen

 

[Chopper]

So far, you folk have posted some very good points of truth to walking in the Spirit. Lets look at a very important section of Scripture that relates to the flesh and the Spirit of God....

Romans 7:14 "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

Now, this is our problem living our daily lives. BUT, the Holy Spirit has a remedy....

Romans 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."

What can we say to these things?

 

[Chopper]

The powers of darkness is stronger than any Saints will power and strength. .

How then can we overcome the powers of darkness?

 

[iLOVE]

How then can we overcome the powers of darkness?

God’s prescribed order of victory is maintaining faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross. Pastor Jimmy Swaggart say's it like this, "When we say "victory" we are speaking of Victory in every capacity, be it spiritual, financial, domestically, physical, Satan and his forces; principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, (For sin shall not have dominion over you) ect."

 

[Malachi]

The powers of darkness is stronger than any Saints will power and strength. .

And that is precisely why God has given us His Holy Spirit. Give glory to God.

 

[Malachi]

How then can we overcome the powers of darkness?

This is merely another attempt to deflect Christians from the truth, and cause us to focus on the kingdom of darkness. Just as Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit, He *baptizes* every believer with the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit *baptizes* us into the Body of Christ. Our focus must be on the power of the Holy Spirit, not the powers of darkness.

 

[iLOVE]

God’s prescribed order of victory is maintaining faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross. Pastor Jimmy Swaggart say's it like this, "When we say "victory" we are speaking of Victory in every capacity, be it spiritual, financial, domestically, physical, Satan and his forces; principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, (For sin shall not have dominion over you) ect."

Psalm 84:5-6 / Pastor Jimmy Swaggart Bible Commentary

5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them.
(There is no blessing to the man who follow the ways of man)

6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.
In every Christian life, there are one or more "Valleys of Baca." We are placed there by the "LORD of Hosts," for our Spiritual Enrichment. It is the intention of the Holy Spirit to teach us the lesson He desires to teach, which He does in the "Valley of Baca," and then to turn it into a "well."

If the spirit of the Believer is carnal, this valley will only be a valley of weeping. But to the Spiritual Heart, it will be a new nature and an unfailing reservoir of strength and refreshment.

The Holy Spirit also tells us that it is not His intention that we remain there. We are only "passing through." Most of the times, a "Valley of Baca" is put in our path in order that we may come to the end of ourselves and realize that Christ is our Source for everything, while the Cross is the Means.

Every Believer must learn God's prescribe order of victory - The Valley of Baca

WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT FOR BELIEVERS TO PLACE THEIR FAITH EXCLUSIVELY IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST?

It is difficult for Believers to place their Faith exclusively in the Cross of Christ because it goes against the flesh.

 

[Chopper]

This is merely another attempt to deflect Christians from the truth, and cause us to focus on the kingdom of darkness. Just as Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit, He *baptizes* every believer with the Spirit, and the Holy Spirit *baptizes* us into the Body of Christ. Our focus must be on the power of the Holy Spirit, not the powers of darkness.

Not an attempt to deflect from the Truth Brother. An attempt to find answers to overcome the kingdom of darkness. Just to be without a focus on the Power of the Holy Spirit to do that in us is what we need. Wisdom, Knowledge and answers. Please don't forget this....

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

 

[Malachi]

Not an attempt to deflect from the Truth Brother.

Even in that passage, the focus is ultimately on the Holy Spirit.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (v.17).

 

[Deborah13]

How then can we overcome the powers of darkness?

imho...The same way that Joseph did in the OT. He followed the Spirit of God in him. He was a type of Christ. His life points towards Jesus and the forgiveness that is the cross. He forgave those who did evil against him and gave them good in return. Are we not called to do the same, follow the Spirit of God in us?
If we return evil for evil we are being overcome by the powers of darkness. But if we return good for evil we are a witness to the love of God.

Rom 5:5 and the hope doth not make ashamed, because the love of God hath been poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit that hath been given to us.

 

[Eugene]

.
Chopper > How then can we overcome the powers of darkness?

Dear Brother Chopper, good question, though I’m pretty sure you have and practice the answer.
This following is but one of the principles you must know of to have walked in the Spirit as you do.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

I’ve found that this armor is totally involved in the word of God; the Spirit of Truth leads us in such a manner.
I wrote the following short exhortation on these verses of the armor at this URL.
http://www.christianforums.net/Fellowship/index.php?threads/the-armor-of-god.51558/
.

 

[wwjd_kilden]

When it comes to practicing spiritual gifts I suspect one of the main problems is that some gifts are more "popular" than and more visible than others.

If someone can speak in tongues or deliver prophecies, it is noticed. If they however pray every day in their home, or visit the sick and lonely, it might not be as visible to the rest of the congregation. I suspect that some Christians feel that they must speak in tongues or predict the future to "prove" the spirit is active in them. So maybe we as Christians should be better at helping each other find our spiritual gifts (and once we identify them, put them to use).

Apart from the concrete gifts, I think walking in the spirit requires us to take time to be quiet and listen, and then learning to discern God's voice from our own bright ideas. (something I'm not good at myself :p )