In Step with the Spirit

I have a confession to make. I am an undisciplined person. I am here and there and all over the place—I’m wishy-washy. Sometimes I get on an exercise kick and work out consistently—other times I do everything possible to avoid breaking a sweat. Sometimes I have complete control over what I think and say—other times I am a babbling idiot. Sometimes I am able to keep my emotions in check—sometimes I am like a running faucet! I guess you could say I lack self-control! The big question is, “Why am I able to keep things running smoothly sometimes, and other times I am so unbalanced and undisciplined?"

Today’s Bible study seemed to have all the answers to my questions. Maybe you can relate. The problem isn’t all my fault…I suffer from the Flesh vs. Spirit syndrome. There appears to be constant struggle within my flesh. It has a mind all of its own and it wants what it wants. Plain and simple. Then there is the other part of me, my spirit, and it desires to do the right thing. The problem lies that far too often my fleshly desires are in direct contrast to the spirit’s desires. At least I have acknowledged the difference, and I know that a person can’t change what they don’t acknowledge. I also recognize that I can’t change a thing on my own. I need God’s supernatural strength and help.

As a Christian God’s Holy Spirit lives within us, and that same Spirit gives us God’s power with which we can overcome our fleshly weaknesses. I love Paul’s authenticity as he humbly admits his own inadequacy. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (Romans 7:15-19). Now, if that isn’t an honest admission! He goes on to say, “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” (Romans 7:22-23). Haven’t you ever felt the same way? I certainly have. Heaven knows I so desperately want to please God by obeying Him and living to please Him. I love the Lord with all of my heart, and it bothers me immensely that I can so readily fall back into sin time and time again.

Today’s lesson reminded me that only as I walk step by step with the Holy Spirit will I be able to overcome these sinful tendencies. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to break sinful patterns and habits. It is the Holy Spirit who intercedes for us in our weaknesses. It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live as new creations in Christ. And it is the Holy Spirit who continually rebukes, corrects, and guides us to holy living. We cannot do it without Him.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared and lived among the disciples for 40 days until He was to return to the Father in heaven. He told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the gift his Father promised—the gift of the Holy Spirit. He also said they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them (Acts 1:8). The promised Holy Spirit was not only sent as a guaranteed inheritance of eternal life to all who put their faith in Jesus Christ, but to empower us in our daily living. Jesus knows how desperately we need His help, and He promised to never leave or forsake us. That is why He sent the Holy Spirit—to enable and empower us to conquer the flesh by living in the Spirit. Living in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, abiding in the Spirit, and keeping in step with the Spirit are all synonymous. When we keep in step with the Spirit we go about our daily living by listening to and obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It is not “giving in” to our temptations and desires, but actively seeking, asking, listening, and obeying God’s voice in our hearts. That is the key to conquering our sinful desires. We must also remember that our flesh often wants what is in direct opposition to God. We have to learn to pause to listen for the Holy Spirit’s soft still voice. When we act hastily and impulsively, chances are we’ve already acted in the flesh.

It has taken me awhile to realize that this moment by moment dependence on the Holy Spirit requires us to not only die daily to our fleshly appetites and desires, but to actively walk, think, and speak a little slower. When we allow enough pauses before we react or respond, we give room for the Holy Spirit to act through us. We need Him to inhabit all of our moments allowing Him to grace our thoughts, speech, and behavior. This definitely involves surrendering our fleshly appetites on a continual basis, but who wants to be controlled by them anyway? The ironic part it is that the flesh doesn’t really satisfy at all—at least not long term. One cookie is never enough, the extra glass of wine only partially numbs our pain, retail therapy does nothing more than land us in debt, and excessive internet/television use only wastes our time. What is so satisfying about that?

Lest I make it sound too easy, we must acknowledge that although our spirit is willing, our flesh is weak. Then we must ask for the Holy Spirit’s help and learn to depend on Him for He is our Helper, our Defender, and our Strength. When we consistently ask for His input and direction He will guide our steps, but He will also demand our active participation. This requires training, obedience, and is a process. Paul compares a disciplined life to running a race. “Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26). You may encounter a weak moment that causes you to stumble and fall. But don’t stay down. Get up and start the race again. In fact, don’t ever give up. Don’t allow the flesh to tell you that it is not worth the effort, it is too difficult, or talk you out of reaching your promised destiny. Remember, you will reach a harvest if you do not give up. Celebrate your victories along the way. You win the battle every single time you give up the desire of the flesh. I say it again, celebrate even the small victories—I only ate one cookie instead of my usual six, I turned off the TV and took a stroll around the block, I bit my lip and refused to engage in gossip, and I chose to turn the other cheek and not allow bitterness to creep in. Yes, these may seem small and insignificant, but they are HUGE victories on the path to winning your race. Before you know it, you won’t be struggling so much, and things that used to trip you up will no longer have power over you. You’ve become more disciplined by saying “No” to things that are not good for you, and “Yes” to the things that are.

As you keep in step with the Holy Spirit, His wisdom and peace will accompany you on your race. And those companions are certainly more welcome than the guilt, shame, and laziness you used to travel with. You’ll sense a smile on your face and a spring in your step as the heavy load that formerly weighed you down is no longer on your back. Your burdens have been carried by the ever-powerful Holy Spirit, and He is the One enabling you to run the race marked out for you in victory. When you are tempted to give up, He reminds you to keep your eyes focused on Jesus.

Look, over there in the distance! Is that the Finish Line? And who is the person standing there holding a victor’s crown? It is Jesus! And that beautiful crown--it has Your name on it!

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Galations 6:7-8

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1