Are you one of those people who can have sturdy balance while hiking a mountain but be walking down a flat sidewalk and trip over something invisible? The difference between the two is your attention level. When things are dicey, your eyes and mind are in sync to prevent any falls, but when there is no risk of danger, your mind checks out, and down you go. That is an excellent analogy of what it means to walk by the Spirit.
GALATIANS 5:16
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”
Trusting the Lord
Paul uses the phrase “Walk by the Spirit” in several books of the Bible. What does it mean to walk by the Spirit? It is the opposite of trusting your instincts. Solomon tells you to trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding (Prov 3:5). Trusting in the Lord means obeying God’s Word and following the Holy Spirit’s leading. When the Spirit leads, he often speaks to your heart and tells you something is good or not good. It always corresponds with God’s Word and never leads you in the wrong direction.
Sound the Alarm
Walking by the Spirit also has a significant byproduct, denying the flesh. When you follow the Spirit’s leading, you steer away from those temptations of the flesh, and that reduces your desire to fulfill the pleasures they are luring you towards. The Spirit empowers you to overcome habits and addictions that draw you away from Jesus. It sounds the alarm when you are getting too close, but here is the catch, you have to train your spiritual ear to be sensitive and listen.
Walk by the Spirit
Are you learn to walk by the Spirit, you will become more attuned to how He operates. You will see the signs and sense His leading. This will produce more confidence in you to trust what God is doing in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit (yes, you can pray to the Spirit) to do the work on your heart necessary for this to happen. You won’t regret it, and it will produce some incredible benefits.