Living in the Spirit (Part 6) – Walking in Step with the Spirit
Why am I writing a series of devotions about Holy Spirit? I’m convicted, for that matter, deeply convicted that I needed to write a series of devotions about Holy Spirit. Some of my motivation comes from teachings and practices that invoke the name of Holy Spirit inconsistent with the Bible. As you likely know, Holy Spirit often gets credit or blame for things that land outside of God’s will and His Word and, for that matter, beyond or inconsistent with the described nature and responsibility of Holy Spirit. Instead of dealing with the false claims and misunderstandings about Holy Spirit, we will deal with what is true and substantiated in the Bible.
Before proceeding, if you’d like to read the previous posts, click the following links:
Living in the Spirit (Part 1) – Holy Spirit is God
Living in the Spirit (Part 2) – Holy Spirit is a Person
Living in the Spirit (Part 3) – Function of the Holy Spirit
Living in the Spirit (Part 4) – Fruit of the Holy Spirit
Living in the Spirit (Part 5) – Empowerment of Holy Spirit
As we’ve previously established, Holy Spirit is God and co-equal, co-eternal with Father and Son. To be clear, God is one, in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We call this the Trinity or Triune God Head. Further, we’ve also discussed Holy Spirit is a person, His function in the Godhead, the fruit He produces and His empowerment in the life of the Christian. Now that we’ve recognized the deity, personage, function, fruit and the empowerment of Holy Spirit we will conclude by discussing what it means to walk in step with the Spirit.
GAL 5:16 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law . . . 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Teams have play books, formations and signals to communicate and work together. Law enforcement agencies have law, policy and tactics in an effort to protect and serve the community. Marching bands have formations and cadence to synchronize as a foundation to produce music and entertain. Military pilots have formations and tactics to engage and defeat the enemy. And, let’s not forget, military trainees march in formation with a cadence called out by a training or drill instructor to teach discipline and teamwork. I can assure you, by the second day at Air Force Basic Training I knew what it meant to be in step with the Training Instructor as well as the rest of my squadron. Think about it. It’s important to be in step with your teammates, coach, family, boss, workmates, law enforcement, church leaders and most of all, Holy Spirit. So then, what does it mean to walk in and be in step with the Spirit?
A “walk” in the Bible is often a metaphor for practical daily living. In other words, we are to live our daily lives in the Spirit. Similarly, to be in step with the Spirit is, metaphorically speaking, to march to His cadence. This means to live under the authority of the Spirit to direct our lives. Thus, to walk with the Spirit and keep in step with the Spirit means that we yield to Holy Spirit’s control, follow His lead, allow Him to apply His influence and submit to His work in and through us. On our part, this involves active listening, responding in obedience and, along with these, Spirit-filled behavior. For example, as the Spirit convicts us of sin, righteousness and judgment (Jn 16:7-11) we respond accordingly to the authority of the Spirit. This includes confession and repentance. As the Spirit produces fruit in us (Galatians 5:22-23), we live in His empowerment to treat and love others the way we want to be treated. As Jesus commanded, “love your neighbor as yourself.”
You may still be digesting what the Bible says about Holy Spirit. As you do, allow me to encourage you to acknowledge the deity, personage, function, fruit, empowerment and authority of Holy Spirit as you walk by the Spirit and get in step with the Spirit. The details may still be unclear for you in places likely due to a lot of false teaching with coinciding inappropriate application; however, as the evidence establishes, Holy Spirit is, first and foremost, God, as well, a person with a distinct personality, a defined function, producing recognizable fruit in the Christian, empowering the Christian for ministry and has authority to call us to be in step with Him. There are a lot of false claims, but instead of dealing with the false claims and misunderstandings about Holy Spirit, we focused on what is true and substantiated in the Bible. After all, Holy Spirit often gets credit or blame for things that land outside of God’s will and His Word and, for that matter, inconsistent with the described nature and responsibility of Holy Spirit. Let’s be reminded, the authority for what we know and understand about Holy Spirit is the Bible, word of God.
A Work in Progress,
Pastor Gene
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