Walk In the Spirit

Speaking to a large audience, D.L. Moody held up a glass and asked, “How can I get the air out of this glass?” One man shouted, “Suck it out with a pump!” Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass.” After many other suggestions, Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then explained that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by “sucking out a sin here and there,” but by being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Over the years, I have watched many people struggle with sinful habits. Such as drugs, alcohol, porn, lust, and lying. They would quit and vow never to do it again, only to fail time after time. They focused on quitting the destructive habit, which also caused them to continually focus on the problem. Their focus is on the wrong thing.

I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16 CSB)

This verse is the key to not sinning. It is the key to stopping the power of sinful habits. The key isn’t focusing on what not to do. The key is to focus on what to do.

“Walk” in this verse is our speaks of our daily life. We are to daily walk in the spirit, 24/7. To walk in the Spirit means we yield to His control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us.

So, walking in the spirit is a God-consciousness. It’s having Christ foremost in all your affections. It’s pursuing God with all your heart. You daily and even hourly rely on the Holy Spirit to lead you.

You fuel your walk in the spirit by studying God’s Word daily. Without the Word in your spirit, the Holy Spirit has nothing to work with.

If there are powerful destructive habits in your life, focus on walking in the spirit. Don’t focus on stopping the habit. Focus on the solution. Walking in the spirit is the solution.

How to Walk in the Spirit

1. Maintain a God-consciousness throughout every day. Realize that you are the temple of God. God lives in you, empowering you to live a godly life.
2. Spend time in prayer, talking to God throughout the day. Set aside time daily to spend in your prayer closet. This is vital, intimate time with your heavenly Father.
3. Spend time each day in the Word. This is your spiritual food. Without it, your spirit is not strong enough to stand against powerful destructive habits.
4. Fellowship with other believers. There is power in numbers. As we fellowship together, we can help each other.
5. Share how to walk in the spirit with other believers that are struggling against destructive habits. The best way to learn is to teach.

Prayer

Father, I thank You for loving me and empowering me with Your grace. Help me walk in the spirit. Lead me and guide me through the day. I commit myself to doing everything needed to walk in the spirit. Show me how to daily draw closer to You. I will give my body as a living sacrifice and renew my mind daily. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Additional Scriptures:

Ephesians 5:8; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 5:22-24; Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 1:10-11; Romans 6:12-14; Hebrews 10:25