Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
A Spirit-led Person
Isn’t it amazing how good we can be when we are in a perfect environment? When there are no problems and no people, it is easy for me to be happy, patient, and virtuous. The problem is that none of us lives in that perfect world. Every day we have a choice. We can act on our own or we can be animated by God the Holy Spirit. We can be led around by our own desires, our flesh, or we can be guided by the Holy Spirit of God.
Galatians 5:16 says, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” It goes on to say that there is a battle every day between that which I want and that which God wants. What I want by nature is selfish and tends to be destructive. God want what is best. God doesn’t want us to be merely pious, appearing to be religious or spiritual. God wants us to be spiritual people, and a spiritual person is a spirit-led person.
Galatians 4:6 talks about the Spirit of God’s Son. God has sent that Spirit into our hearts and wants the Lord Jesus to live His life in us and through us. Now a person living in submission to his own desires is susceptible to everything from envy to adultery.
What should govern our lives is God’s love. Verse 14 says, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Again, verse 22 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith…” These are the things the Spirit of Christ animates in us. These are in contrast with the destructive passions of our flesh.
Every day you have a choice. You can be led around by your own passions or you can be guided by the Spirit of God. Having our actions and reactions animated and controlled by the Spirit of God is exactly what God wishes to do in us and through us today.