WALKING BY THE SPIRIT
Walking by the spirit is not a mystical experience where one acquires
some state of revelry or bliss and is led about without knowing what he
is doing or where he is going. Nor is it the perfecting of technique or
the memorization of formulas to apply as one lives. Neither is it losing
control of oneself or giving the control of oneself to someone or
something else who directs you through life as a puppeteer. It is a walk
of liberty and grace by which one lives according to his new nature
operating the manifestations of the spirit and developing his
relationship as a worker together with God, his Father (I Corinthians 6:1).
People seem to have a tendency to gravitate to the extremes. One extreme
is legalism. We have a problem, well let's make a rule for it. Attempts
at legislating spirituality within the church have never worked and never
will work. Laying down the law-dictating what is right and wrong-neither
empowers people to do what is right or to stop doing what is wrong.
Walking by the spirit is not conforming to a religious standard of
behavior. Great Christian disciplines such as Bible study, prayer, going
to fellowship, and witnessing are good and helpful, but merely performing
these activities does not guarantee a "spirit-filled" walk.
Of course the other extreme of license is not any more beneficial. Our
liberty is not an undisciplined freedom without accountability. License
provides an occasion to the flesh with its excessive and controlling
appetites. License usually leads to an abuse of privilege. Walking in
the Spirit doesn't mean I can do anything I want! Yes all things are
lawful, but not all things are expedient or profitable-not all things
will build you up (I Corinthians 6:12;10:23).
So what keeps us in balance? How do we stay put in our liberty and not
swing between the extremes of legalism and license? The key lies in
developing accountability within our relationship with our loving
heavenly Father.
Christianity is a way of a Father with His family, and in every family
there are responsibilities and accountability. We can't live meaningful
lives without loving relationships. The foundation of all our
relationships is the one we share with God. It provides the basis from
which all others are built. God established a permanent relationship
with us by putting His seed in us. Now, we can choose to do whatever we
want... but how should we respond to such a loving heavenly Father?
"Sure, I'm free to do whatever I want to do,"..."I'm free to rob a bank.
But I'm mature enough to realize that I would be in bondage to that act
for the rest of my life. I'd have to cover up my crime, go into hiding,
or eventually pay for what I did. I'm also free to tell a lie. But if I
do, I have to keep telling it, and I have to remember who I told it to
and how I told it or I will get caught. I'm free to do drugs, abuse
alcohol, and live a sexually immoral lifestyle. All of those 'freedoms'
lead to bondage. I'm free to make those choices, but considering the
consequences, would I really be free?" Neil Anderson
What some people see as freedom, isn't freedom at all. It's a return to
bondage. That's why God exhorts us to stand fast in His liberty.
Galatians 5:1:
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christhath made us free,
and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Our real freedom is in our ability to choose to live responsibly within
the family of God. We are not independent "humanoid units." God is our
Father, and we have a family. Our freedom, our identity, our success,
our fulfillment in life will come from our relationship with Him and from
other relationships within this wonderful family of God.
Christianity is a way of a Father with His family. Walking by the spirit
is relationship, not regimen-family life not formulas. Within the
confines of God's Word and will, we are free to nurture a spiritual
relationship with God, which is the essence of walking in the Spirit.We
should nurture relationships with our brothers and sisters within the
family, also. The love of God is the glue that keeps our relationships
together. The love of God is what binds us in the relationship.
This love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit
which has been given unto us (Romans 5:5).We simply renew our minds and
manifest it. We can love with the love of God, just like Jesus did.
However, we will not love like Jesus Christ loved until we realize that
his ability is in us, and we are as he is (I John4:17). The more we
recognize our identity in Christ and the more we are conformed to the
image of God's son (Romans 8:29), the more we can experience the freedom
God desires for us. Trying to reduce walking in the spirit to a formula
or regimen can only frustrate us.
We live in a new Administration. This is a new day and time, the likes
of which the world still hasn't awakened to. I Corinthians 2:9 says
concerning the great mystery that "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things [concerning the
great mystery of Christ in us the hope of glory] which God hath prepared
for them that love him." Our freedom in Christ allows us to walk into
the experiential reality of the great mystery. We are on the greatest
adventure there has ever been. We can discover the great realities of
our new nature and the power God has given us to live and give within His
family.
II Corinthians 3:6 says,"God made us able ministers of the New
Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit:for the letter killeth,
but the spirit giveth life."The letter of the law could never effect
the transformation of life that God's spirit can. The gift of holy
spirit within us has transformed us into new people. We can walk in
newness of life. We can reign in life with Christ Jesus.
II Corinthians 3:17,18:
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spiritof the Lord is, there
is liberty.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory,even as by the
Spirit of the Lord.
The Lord is that Spirit which transformed Moses on the mount. When he
came down they couldn't even look upon his face it was so brilliant. We
are free to shine forth with the greatness of the brilliance of the
Christ in us. We are free to unlock the potential within us. We see
ourselves in the pages of His Word and walk forth as more than conquerors
conforming ourselves to the image of Christ, by the gift of holy spirit
within us. We are changed from the inside out-not by rules and
regulations-not by following the lusts of our flesh-but by operating the
power of God within us.
Our freedom in Christ is most precious. We choose. We are no longer
relegated to walk according to the flesh nor are we compelled to walk
according to the spirit. It takes a freewill decision to walk by the
spirit. When we walk by the spirit, we stop striving. We are no longer
driven; we are led. It's our old nature that drives us. Our new nature
leads us. God shed his love abroad in our hearts by the holy spirit that
was given unto us. That love activates us. The fruit of the spirit is
the carrot in front of our nose.
Proverbs 3:5,6:
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and leannot unto thine own
understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
We acknowledge God by acknowledging His Word, and He directs our paths by
the greatness of His Word. The Word includes instruction in the
manifestations of holy spirit. Direction requires movement. If we do
not move, God can provide no direction, because direction comes from
movement. We put one foot in front of the other and march along to God's
cadence. Or if you prefer, dance along to God's symphony.
Although we want to be actively moving ahead with God, the
"spirit-filled" life is not achieved through endless, exhausting
activity, as if the harder we work for God, the more spiritual we will
become. Sometimes activity is a detriment to a relationship. Jesus
certainly did much for God, but he also enjoyed quiet moments alone with
His Father, too. Time for communication and fellowship are necessary.
We want to learn to walk according to God's cadence, at His pace. We
want to learn to avoid the extremes not sitting passively in inactivity
or running ourselves into the ground by becoming too busy. Liberty and
maturity will help us maintain balance as we learn. We can enjoy our
freedom instantly, and when we maintain our liberty we will be amazed at
how quickly we grow.