Spring-loaded Toward The Spirit

Walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. - Galatians 5:16

When we first becoem Christians, we were like one-third horsepower lawn movers engines. We could accomplish something, but not very much because we weren't very mature. Our ambitino as Christians is to become engines that can power earth-moving machinery - real powerhouse for the Lord. But neither a lawn mover nor a bulldozer can accomplish anything apart from Christi (John 15:5). No matter how mature you are, you can never be productive unless you are walking in the Spirit.

When it comes to the choice between walking according to the flesh and walking to the Spirit, our will is like a toggle switch. The new Christian's will seem to be spring-loadead toward fleshly behaviour. He is still the unwitting victim of a thoroughly trained flesh which only knows how to operate independently of God. The mature Christian's will is spring-loaded toward the Spirit. He makes occasional poor choices, but he is learning to crucify the flesh and walk in the Spirit on a daily basis.

If you are hoping for a magic formula or a list of foolproof steps for walking in the Spirit, you will be disappointed. The moment you reduce the Spirit-filled walk to a formula or an intellectual exercise, you probably won't be Spirit-filled anymore.

The Holy Spirit is a "He", not an "it". Our walk with God is a personal experience, not a mechanical or legalistic formula. We see the immorality of the flesh indulgence everywhere, but simply preaching against it and telling people to shape up is not God's answer. The law is powerless to give life (Galatians 3:21). Reintroducing the law to believer won't work. But if we learn to walk by the Spirit, we won't carry out the desires of the flesh. Let us encourage others to do the same.

"Lord, we desire to be patient with others in their walk of faith as You are patient with us. Help us have gracious response and gentle answer to others today."

- Neil Anderson