Walking in the Spirit!
Posted by appolus on March 6, 2010
When two paths open up before me, and I choose the narrow one, when I do all these things and men know me because of them, when disaster strikes my life and my response is to praise my Father in Heaven and lift up the name of Jesus, then I am walking in the Spirit.As I do all these things and a peace that is beyond understanding fills me completely, then I know that I am walking in the Spirit of the Living God and my heart literaly burns within my chest. And as it burns, it gives off a light that men can see and they are drawn to Christ in me. When this happens, I know that I am walking in the Spirit!
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT!
To me, walking in the Spirit is walking in fullfilment of His word. When someone offends me, but I do not take the offence, I am walking in the Spirit. When I am insulted , yet I do not care because I am dead to my own self, when I love when naturally I should not, when I should be angry, but anger quickly gives way to love and forgiveness, then I am walking in the Spirit.When I have something against a brother, or know that he has something against me and I go to that brother and reach out to him, then I am walking in the Spirit. When I agree with someone who attacks me, rather than defend myself, then I am walking in the Spirit.
When I look upon a woman, not with lust but with purity, when I would rather pluck out my eye than offend my Holy God, when all men know that my word is my bond, that I do not have to attach oaths to my word, then I am walking in the Spirit.When I am assaulted and I turn the other cheek, if I am robbed of my wallet, and I reach into my pocket and give my robber all that I have, when I can bless those who curse me, and pray for those who hate me without cause, then I am walking in the Spirit.If I can love , not only those who love me, but those who hate me, when I do a good thing for someone and I make sure no one knows about it, when I talk to my Lord all day long, whispering loving thoughts to Him, then I am walking in the Spirit.
When I fast, and no one knows about it, when I refuse to be anxious, when I make a concious descision to do all things by prayer and supplication and thanksgiving, when I judge others by the same standard that I judge myself, then I am walking in the Spirit.When two paths open up before me, and I choose the narrow one, when I do all these things and men know me because of them, when disaster strikes my life and my response is to praise my Father in Heaven and lift up the name of Jesus, then I am walking in the Spirit.As I do all these things and a peace that is beyond understanding fills me completely, then I know that I am walking in the Spirit of the Living God and my heart literaly burns within my chest. And as it burns, it gives off a light that men can see and they are drawn to Christ in me. When this happens, I know that I am walking in the Spirit!
Doctinal correctness, theological knowledge, its all information. And without the Spirit of the Lord it is dead orthodoxy. It is illumination of the Word, and by that I mean it is the Holy Spirit working in us for His good pleasure that prompts us in a certain direction. When we respond to that prompting, then we are walking in the Spirit. All the things I mentioned above I would never do. In fact, my nature is such that I would do the exact opposite for most of the examples and be applauded by my culture. My only part in this is to yield to the inner workings of the Spirit. It must come from the inside out. If it comes from the outside in, then I will eventually cry out “Oh wretched man that I am.’ The problem is that for long periods of time we cannot tell if a man’s outward piety comes from the inside out or the outside in. Time and circumstances will of course tell the story. The man who operates and lives his life by dead orthodoxy and tries to accomplish a Christ like life from the outside in, will eventually, or sooner or later, fall to pride and then fall as he ultimately fails. If we try an accomplish the commandments of God in our own strength, then we will utterly fail in short order, or have some success and self-righteousness and then utterly fail. This can take one year, but I have also seen it take 30 years.
My part is to surrender and yield to the Spirit that is within me. I must also be able to hear that small still voice that leads and guides me. I must also be genuine in all that I do, my outward actions must be a reflection of my inner state. That right there is the difference between life and death. I must cultivate my relationship with Jesus because my ability to walk in the Spirit is directly tied to Christ in me and my relationship with Him. I must be able to come into His presence. It is only by walking in His presence, walking in the Spirit, that I can be used of Him to be light to the darkness. Experiencing His presence actually, as opposed to believing a theological truth, having a faith in information, giving a mental assent to an abstract truth is also the difference between Spiritual life and a fleshly life……..Frank
A Call To The Remnant 
cindyinsd said
You’re right, Frank . . . that would definitely have to be the Spirit. Only it’s not just the hard things like you just listed, but also the relatively easy things He’s willing to lead us in–yes often He says, “Do what you want–either is fine,” but it’s a good idea to ask, because sometimes He’ll save us grief by saying, “No! Don’t do that. Bad idea.” And then, if you go ahead and do it anyway, you’ll find out He was right. (sigh) Voice of experience speaking here. 😦 😉
Love, Cindy
appolus said
I would like to add my own voice of experience to your Cindy 🙂 ……..Frank
David said
Very well written brother Frank.
I want to add about walking in the Spirit of our Holy God:
God truly wants the repentance of man, for man to make a volitional choice for Him…to openly repent before Him and to follow Him, to Call upon Him with a pure heart…
He wants good works towards Him (working out our salvation) based on a loving personal relationship from the heart, and not on good works(dead orthodoxy) based on a reliance of oneself… or in ones’ ability to live holy by following a given set of rules – and yes there is a difference.
Yes, there are moral rules and guidelines to follow and understand,(doctinal correctness, theological knowledge) but they are only to instruct me in the ways of righteousness and holiness as I seek Him inwardly, and personally …and they teach me of the nature of Jesus.
The scriptures give me an understanding of the nature of Him who has called me out of this world to be His son, to a new life in Him which is hidden in Christ Jesus – the Holy Spirit bears witness to this truth.
His good works in me (holiness) comes, not based on my own understanding of what true holiness is, but rather based on the inner workings of the Holy Spirit in my life since I accepted Him, and it is in my yielding to Him in all things in obedience, and not on my adherence to, or on a reliance of myself to seek His favour by doing good works (what I perceive as holiness. It’s not what I can do, it’s what He does and can do through me.
Because I love Him in the very pit of my soul, and am truly born of Him, I will always seek out those things that please Him, I will hate the things that He hates, and I will love and cleave to the things that He loves…if only that I may have just one moment, just one moment in this life that I may truly glorify Him in this my earthly body…and this I will do as His Holy Spirit who is within me permits, and teaches me all things.
Does this mean that I will never make a mistake and never sin again? …no it does not. I hope that I never sin again, but if I do, I know I have an advocate with the Father who is Jesus Christ the righteous. I know that if I acknowledge my sins before God, that He is faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from ALL unrighteousness. And I dare say to anyone that I need to have good works in order to be forgiven, that nothing but the precious Blood of the Lamb can erase sins, and this is by faith alone in Jesus.
The bible teaches me that: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. Galatians 6:15
Hence and therefore my salvation is not based upon me believing that my good works (personal holiness) toward Him will save me (or even merit me any favor at all), but rather on a TOTAL surrender of my life to Him by faith (walking in the Spirit), and upon [U]a reliance on Him[/U] for my holiness and righteousness, that He who has begun a good work in me will complete it until the very day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6
I just need only to yield to Him, (walking in the Spirit)…until the day dawn, and the day star arises in my heart. I just need only to yield to Him and say yes Lord Jesus, yes Lord…have your way in me and be glorified in me, let me love you with all of my heart, with all that is within me; let me be obedient to you through your Holy Spirit. Amen.
appolus said
Amen brother, I wrote on a similar subject not so long ago…….
https://scottishwarriors.wordpress.com/2009/07/19/the-danger-of-your-holiness/
It was called “The Danger of your Holiness.” A provocative title 🙂 …….brother Frank