Are You Walking In The Flesh Or In The Spirit?
If we as Christian’s want to please God and live an overcoming life, then we will have to deal with the flesh. There are only two paths that we can take in life and whether we are aware of them or not, we are walking on one of those paths right now. God wants us to be aware of what path we are on, and to walk on the path that he has chosen for us. The two paths that I am talking about, are the path of walking in the flesh, or walking in the Spirit. What does it mean to walk in the flesh, or to walk in the Spirit?
To walk in the flesh, is to walk in your human nature, your unregenerate state, the seat of sin in mankind, the externals of life, the outward and seeming. It means being governed by your lower nature verses the Spirit of God. To walk in the Spirit means to be governed by the Holy Spirit instead of yourself. He is the one who directs and guides your life. You learn how to walk in your new nature as a new creature in Christ. This is your higher nature. The Holy Spirit works through your new nature.
In the book of Romans 8:4-14, Paul speaks about the difference between walking in the flesh and walking in the Spirit, and the results that either produces. The first thing that he discusses, is the fact that if we walk in the flesh, the requirement or intended outcome of the law will not be fulfilled in us. The intended outcome of the law was for mankind to have a righteous standing with God. God would consider mankind in right standing with him. Their sin would not be held against or accounted against them. The next thing that Paul talks about, is that those who walk according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh. They set their minds on the lower nature and that which is sinful. He states that the mind set on the flesh produces death. This kind of death that he’s speaking of is spiritual death, or separation from God. He also states that the mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God, and does not subject itself to the law of God, and is not able to do so.
What have we discovered from reading these verses of scripture in Romans? Walking in the flesh keeps a person from being in right standing with God. That means that person is subject to the wrath of God. Those who walk according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. They set their minds on the lower nature the sinful nature. Which means that they are intentional about walking in a way that is not pleasing to God. Setting the mind on the flesh produces death. That death is spiritual death, and means that they are separated from God’s presence. The last thing is that those whose mind is set on the flesh are hostile towards God, and will not subject themselves to the law of God and are not able to do so. If you are living according to the flesh, you must die, ie. spiritual death.
We are going to look at Galatians 5:17, for more about the flesh. Paul states that the flesh sets its desire against the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit against the flesh. They are in opposition to one another. That means that when a person is walking in the flesh, the Holy Spirit is apposed to them, because they are in the flesh. This battle within, causes the person not to be able to do what he/she pleases.
What have we discovered about walking in the Spirit? The requirement or intended outcome of the law is fulfilled in the person who walks according to the Spirit. Those who are according to the Spirit, set their minds on the things of the Spirit. The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace. The life that Paul is talking about is not natural life, but the life of God, or eternal life. (We can infer from verse 7, that the mind set on the Spirit is not hostile towards God, and subjects itself to the law of God. It is able to do so). Those who are not in the flesh can please God. The person who is walking in the Spirit is not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh. If you are putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit you will live or have eternal life. When we walk in the Spirit, we give ourselves over to him, and allow him to govern our lives daily.
Let’s go back to Galatians 5:16,24,25. If a person walks by the Spirit, they will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh, or put it to death in Christ with its passions and desires. If they live by the Spirit, they are also to walk by the Spirit. A good way to see if you are either walking by the Spirit or the flesh, is to meditate on Galatians 5:19-23. It talks about the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. If you see yourself in any of the deeds that this chapter mentions, then you need to repent before God and turn from continuing on that path and start yielding yourself to the Holy Sprit, so that he can govern your life.
God wants us to walk by the Spirit. He’s the one who represents Christ to us and gives us power to live a godly life. If you are not walking by the Spirit, then you by default are walking in the flesh. There is no in-between. There is no grey area. You can’t live a successful Christian life without walking in the Spirit. It’s “the law of the Spirit of life that sets us free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2. My suggestion to you, is that you make the choice to obey God and walk in the Spirit, turn from your sin and you will experience a whole new life.
