Topic: Walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)

There's a man trying to cross the street. As he steps off the curb, a car comes screaming around the corner and heads straight for him. The man walks faster, trying to hurry across the street, but the car changes lanes and is still coming at him. So, the guy turns around to go back, but the car changes lanes again and is still coming at him. By now, the car is so close and the man was so scared that he just froze and stopped in the middle of the road. The car gets really close, then swerves at the last possible moment and screeches to a halt right next to him. The driver rolls down the window. The squirrel says to the man, "See, it's not as easy as it looks, is it?"

Every day we walk in a world that is filled with sin. It is not easy to walk in the Spirit. The opposite of walking in the flesh is walking in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-18 says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.”

Contrary to what some think, we do not have to walk in sin. The Bible says we have a choice, and this is why the Word of God commands us to walk in the Spirit. Walking with the Spirit simply means to dance in rhythm with the Spirit.

Keeping in step with the Holy Spirit is a must. A believer cannot get out of step or out of rhythm. You have to be in step the whole time.

- You must be focused! Not distracted by others.

- You need to hear the heavenly music and keep in step with it.

- You must stay focused on where you are going.

- You must follow the leadership of the Spirit.

Choosing to live by the Spirit means you choose to not live by the sinful nature. We choose to be free in Jesus and the Spirit.

Paul closes chapter 5 with a list of comparisons. The first is a list of the flesh that is evident when someone is not in step with the Spirit (19-21). The second is a list of the Spirit that is evident of someone being in step with the Spirit (22-24).

Which list are you in step with?

See you Sunday!

Dr, Scott Kallem