…In Step

A Biblical Path to Living Life in Step with the Spirit Galatians 5:25

If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.It is extremely important for all believers in Christ to understand what it means to live our lives each day and in every possible way keeping in step with the Holy Spirit. Of course, we clearly see that Scripture is not talking about literal steps in the physical sense of it – but rather very literal spiritual steps within a literal spiritual walk of faith and trust in God through belief and love for Christ Jesus our Redeemer – Yeshua Hegul el’ Shalano. The literal interpretation and active faith context of Galatians 5:25 have us keeping our mind-body-spirit in full surrender, and complete unity with the virtues, movement, and the evidential and Biblical purposes of God’s Spirit poured out in our lives. We can see the evidence of God’s Spirit all over our lives.

Ephesians 4:1-14

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Bible study on the Holy Spirit illustrates that  the biblical principles and precepts regarding followers of Christ keeping in step with the Spirit are in direct opposition to our keeping in step with the attitude and intent of our flesh or as the Bible describes it – our sinful appetites and the carnality of our earthly desires. The reality is that everyone in this room has a fairly robust understanding of what it is to give in, give up, and subsequently fulfill within ourselves the desires and impulses of our flesh leaving ourselves and the people we love open to a full menu of the consequences, heartache, and separation that comes with it. We know when we are pleasing ourselves and when we are not pleasing to God. What we need to gain a deeper understanding of is what it means in Scripture to keep in step with the Spirit which God has poured out on us.

As a follow-up on the Series – A Righteous Revolution (Amos 5 and Joel 2), and our worship gatherings from the last two Sundays we will open up Scripture and conversation about what it means biblically to experience and be an active recipient of the outpouring of God’s Spirit, and what it means to keep in step with the Spirit as present-day Christ followers and disciples of the Christian faith. We will look specifically at keeping in step with the Spirit as opposed to our flesh and sinful desires with the clear understanding that when we fully set our mind after the things of the Spirit we will not fulfill the things of the flesh.

John 6:63 –

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Galatians 5:16-17 –

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Romans 8:5-8 –

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Biblical Steps

Our Bible study on the Holy Spirit includes looking directly at the biblical path to keeping in step with the Spirit. Those steps always begin and end with the disciple and the teacher – the follower and the leader – the servant and the master – the sheep and the Shepherd.

Jesus said… “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63

When we look to our flesh to satisfy and gratify us in this life we are looking in the wrong direction. Our flesh is incapable of anything sufficient, substantial, or sustainable – leaving us and those we love always missing something – empty and unfulfilled.

Paul said… “we have confidence through Christ toward God. Not because we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

It is not that we are incomplete, incompetent, or incapable – it is that we are complete, competent, and capable when we keep in step with the Spirit and not with our flesh. Our self-sufficiency is not enough, and our sufficiency as good, right, and righteous people is found in step with the Spirit. The Spirit leads us into sufficiency. He is enough.

Jesus said… I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12

The simple truth here is that we have made a choice to follow Jesus. Because we are confident and complete in that choice the idea is that we follow Christ the Word and walk each day in and with the Spirit. While keeping in step with the Spirit we realize each step of each day has a meaningful purpose, a good motive, and Spirit-led opportunities for those “God moments” that will alter the direction and outcome for not only ourselves but also for all those around us.

Paul said… “Don’t let anyone deceive you with enticing but meaningless words, it only leads to disobedience. Do not partner with them; but instead walk as children of light and recognize what pleases the Lord. Stay away from darkness and all that comes with it – use your time and effort shining light. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Ephesians 5:6–11

This is as straightforward Bible study on the Holy Spirit as it gets. We don’t seek clarity on something that has already been made clear. We do not redefine what has already been defined, or attempt to change what we know is unchangeable. The Spirit of God has called us out of darkness and into His light. We are children of the day and not of the night – light not dark – truth not lies. The callout here is not to see how close we can walk to the dark but rather, how we can walk fully committed into the fullness of the light. It is a biblical and divine reality that is most often understood and yet too often ignored or rejected. The Spirit of God will not lead us down the steps of unrighteousness and into the darkness. Those are steps we take on our own and make by ourselves. Keeping in step with the Spirit will lead us into the light of God’s glory and those are steps each one of us are being called and drawn to by the power of the Holy Spirit!  Watch the entire series, The Movement, A Righteous Movement, HERE.

…Are we in step?