WALKING BY THE SPIRIT

Galatians 5:25
If we live by the Spirit, let’s also walk by the Spirit. (WEB)

Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day. Their fellowship with Father God was nurtured as they took one step at a time with Him. In today's very short Scripture reading, Paul the Apostle encourages us to learn to walk by the Spirit in the same way that we live by the Spirit. 

What's the difference between living by the Spirit and walking by the Spirit? Aren't they the same thing? If they were, Paul wouldn't have made the distinction between the two. I believe that we live by the Spirit by virtue of Him living in our hearts. Being joined with Jesus and being the resting place of the Holy Spirit is our true spiritual identity. In Acts 17:28, Paul tells the Greek philosophers... 'In Him we live and move and have our being'.

Living by the Spirit is something that is natural for our new man. The reason why we are spiritually alive is because the Spirit of God already lives in us. The role that our flesh and our soul play are different from the role of our spirit. Our flesh is always in conflict with the Holy Spirit and our soul (mind, will, emotions) is usually influenced by one or the other.

But walking in the Spirit requires action on our part. Walking requires taking steps. Steps are taken in a direction. Our direction will determine if we are in harmony with the Spirit or if we are living a life separate from His leading.  My prayer today is that we would all learn more and more how to be led by the Spirit.

In Romans 8:14, Paul says that those who are 'led by the Spirit are the sons of God'. Sonship is a journey that we are all on where we are learning how to walk by the Spirit even as Adam and Eve walked with God in the cool of the day. May your journey with Him be filled with great conversations with God and much joy as we take one step at a time.

Psalm 37:23
A man’s goings are established by Yahweh. He delights in his way. (WEB)