"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Gal 5:16. Walking in the Spirit is basically living out God's character and power in your own life. To do so is a daily battle between your natural inclination to laziness and sin, and the desire to do right.
"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matt 26:41
We all know first-hand how weak our flesh is so the first thing to walking in the Spirit is to remember that if you are Christ's, there is no condemnation from God over your weaknesses or failings: you can be assured of His mercy and love. If you acknowledge your wrongs and repent, God is faithful and just to forgive you. If you are forgiven, then it is Christ's righteousness that is accounted to you, not your own flawed one.
That aside now, how do we stay walking in the Spirit?
1. Put God First
Whoever you respect the most has the most influence over your choices.
Even the most spiritual person could still respect their own opinion and ideas over God's. When they do that, they have not subjected themselves to Him and therefore will find it easy to override the little nudge inside their hearts.
But it is important to note that the person you subject yourselves to also has power over you. Would you rather have Satan power over you, or God? Satan will encourage you to do what you want, but only in order to seek your destruction. God guides us to protect and lead to blessing and fulfillment of your potential. If you subject yourself to Him, He gives you the power to overcome all temptation and troubles with Satan.
There is an example I read once that is a good picture. Let's say you were a sailor on a ship where a political situation is forcing you to choose between your Captain or the First Mate. Whoever you choose, you will make available to them your time, skills, and loyalty. When they order you to do something, you will do so because you have set yourself to obey that person. You could alternatively decide that you will not be subject to either, and will do as you please.
We have the same situation played out everyday between God, ourselves, or Satan. The difference is that in this world, there are only two sides: the flesh or the Spirit. The flesh listens to its own desires and rejects the things of the Spirit -- this is exactly what Satan encourages because the flesh opposes the desires of the Spirit (Rom 8:7; Gal 5:17). Those who choose to subject themselves to the Spirit do the opposite and will find that they are following the ways and characteristics of the Lord.
Who do you respect more? Many Christians are on a round-robin of allegiance: sometimes you listen to God, but for the rest of the time, you do it your way. If you want to be able to walk consistently in the Spirit, subject yourself only to God.
2. Choose to Walk in Love
Love is the fulfillment of the whole law (Rom 1:10), and is the heart of God's character (1 John 4:16) . It is easy to give in to the urge for revenge, anger, unforgiveness and bitterness. But each of these work like maggots inside you; they cause rot that destroys you from the inside out, with great pain.
Love always chooses to honour others above themselves (1 Cor 13). Choosing to walk in love may go against the grain but to walk in love is to walk in the Spirit, and it will bring life rather than death to your relationship, situation, or private life.
3. Watch What You Absorb
We exhibit the nature of what we absorb. We absorb ideas, emotions and attitudes by hearing, watching and thinking over things.
It is almost universally agreed ('almost' because not everyone is convinced) that people who habitually watch or play violent movies or computer games are likely to be actually violent in real life.
If you have a problem with lust of any kind, you feed it by giving in to its desires, and giving your mind and body over to its urges. In consequence, it will grow and invade other areas of your life, and sooner or later, that problem you were hiding will become blatantly obvious. If you starve the desire for lust and feed your soul wholesome things, it will abate.
If you are hungry and want junk food but fill yourself with good food, the urge for junk food loses its power.
In the same way, if you feed your soul patience, joy, care for others, the Word of God, time in His presence, then you will exhibit God's nature, including the fruits of the Spirit.
How will you walk today?
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