Thursday 1 September 2011

Walk in the Spirit

What does it mean to live a life in step with the Holy Spirit?
For some, it seems to mean experiencing ecstatic praise, prayer and other emotional manifestations. But that's not what Paul focuses on in Galatians.
The big issue in Galatians is that we need to continue in grace and not become legalistic. And the sign that someone is continuing in grace, in love and in the Spirit is that s/he doesn't 'gratify the desires of the flesh' (5:16) which are, 'sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these' (v20). People who persist in doing these things and don't fight against them demonstrate that they are not walking in the Spirit and that the Spirit is not at work in them. They are not, therefore, members of the Kingdom of God (21).
But we who are filled with the Spirit will demonstrate, 'love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control' (22f). This is the sign that we belong to Christ (24) and that we walk with and in the Spirit (25).
So don't get hung up on so-called charismatic experiences. The question is, do you desire what the Spirit desires? If so, then you can be sure that the Spirit is at work in you because if he wasn't you would desire the things of the 'flesh' (the normal human heart). So keep going. Keep crucifying the old ways and keep walking in step with the Spirit.

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