WALK BY THE SPIRIT

Passage: Galatians 5:16-26

Key verse: 16

NIV

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit,(A) and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.(B) 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.(C) They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want.(D) 18 But if you are led by the Spirit,(E) you are not under the law.(F)

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,(G) impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.(H) I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.(I)

22 But the fruit(J) of the Spirit is love,(K) joy, peace,(L) forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.(M) Against such things there is no law.(N) 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh(O) with its passions and desires.(P) 25 Since we live by the Spirit,(Q) let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited,(R) provoking and envying each other.

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Footnotes
  1. Galatians 5:17 Or you do not do what
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16 But I say, (A)walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify (B)the desires of the flesh. 17 For (C)the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, (D)to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are (E)led by the Spirit, (F)you are not under the law. 19 Now (G)the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, (H)divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that (I)those who do[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But (J)the fruit of the Spirit is (K)love, joy, peace, patience, (L)kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 (M)gentleness, (N)self-control; (O)against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus (P)have crucified the flesh with its (Q)passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, (R)let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 (S)Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

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Footnotes
  1. Galatians 5:21 Some manuscripts add murder
  2. Galatians 5:21 Or make a practice of doing
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

When we live by the law, we are still in our flesh. How can we overcome the desires of our flesh when we are in Christ? Paul tells us that when we live by the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of our flesh. God’s Spirit is His gift to us. When we live by the Spirit, we are no longer under the law. But when we live by the flesh, our deeds and lives are destructive. We hurt God, others, and ourselves. Those who live as such cannot inherit the kingdom of God, no matter their religious activities.

A life led by the Spirit is keenly different. It is marked by fruit. It is filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. Do we have these fruits in our lives? We can learn to crucify our flesh by keeping in step with the Spirit every moment of each day. He will transform us to bear good fruit that reflects God’s kingdom and love on earth.

Prayer: Father, thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit. Help me to walk by the Spirit and bear good fruit in my life.

One Word: Live by the Spirit