For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:6-7 NIV)

We will always struggle with sin, but in Christ we do have complete freedom of mind and heart to follow Him. It is our faith choice to receive the freedom we have in Christ. If we strive to overcome sin in our own strength, we will be frustrated and find nothing but failure. As we place our faith and trust completely in Christ, we will joyfully follow the Spirit's leading as He exalts Christ in our heart and life.

So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (Romans 7:21-25 NIV)

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. (Romans 8:5 NIV)

I was going to ask the question, "What can I do to walk in the Spirit or live by the Spirit?", but that question has the wrong focus. It is asking what do I need to do. It would be like asking, "What can I do to get to heaven?" The answer to both of these questions is "nothing". Just as there is nothing you can do to get to heaven, so there is nothing you can do to walk in the Spirit. They are both something you receive by a simple and complete faith in Christ.

God's provision for our salvation is complete in Christ. We only need to accept it by faith to be ushered into God's Kingdom as one of His beloved children. What a wonderful Savior we have. In the same manner, by complete faith in Him, we accept His complete victory over sin in our lives and His complete provision for the intimate fellowship and leading we have by the power of the Holy Spirit. Read through Romans chapter 6 through 8 to see Paul's complete exposition of this wonderful truth.

I must emphasize that we cannot strive after obedience to Him or to overcome sin in our lives in the strength of our flesh or sin nature. It is not by force of will or personal discipline that we can live a holy life, pleasing to the Lord. Note again how as we "live by the Spirit" we "will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature".

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (Galatians 5:16-18 NIV)

It doesn't say, "do all you can to avoid sin", or "use all your personal discipline and will power to overcome sin". No, as we live by the Spirit we will not be led by our sinful nature. The simple act of following God's leading in complete faith, to receive Him and trust Him fully in every thought of our heart, precludes the sin nature from having any power in our lives. We are not fleeing from sin, but rather pursuing Christ and resting in Him. Turn your eyes on Him. Stop striving to make yourself pleasing to God. God is pleased with you as any father is with a child. Rest in His complete provision of the Holy Spirit leading us in intimate fellowship and union with Him.

As you look further in Galatians 5 you see the familiar passage about the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.    (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

Just as we overcome the sin nature by living in the Spirit, so the fruit of the Spirit fills our lives as we live by the Spirit. As I read the text, I do not see that we are admonished to "love", or to have "peace" or "self-control". No, I see that we are told to live by the Spirit or walk in the Spirit. The natural product of walking in the Spirit are these things which will manifest in our lives.  We don't gain these "attributes" by personal discipline and training. These are by-products of the Holy Spirit having sway in our hearts and lives.

For me, I envision myself as a boat opening my sail to the wind of the Holy Spirit. I do not strive to mold my own heart in my own strength, rather, I rest in Him and seek after Him and accept all He has given to me. Let His wind blow in your sail.

June 2003

 
April 2005: You must be very careful that you do not strive to "Walk in the Spirit" in the strength of your flesh (which is not walking in the Spirit at all). The amazing thing is that is what I did for almost 2 years after writing this article. How powerful and deceptive is the flesh. I explain this in my testimony update "Walk in the Spirit not the flesh".