Walking in the Spirit

Dave L said:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

What does Paul mean by this? Do you practice it? If so, how?

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Paul also says that we should, "all we say and do should be done in the name of the Lord." I would submit walking in the Spirit and walking in His name are the same thing. Here is why....

In Hebrew, the idea of "name" is not just what you call somebody, it also deals with that person's character, reputation, and authority. When applied to God, the idea of "walking in His name" would mean walking in a manner that reflects His character, adds to His reputation, and is in harmony with His will and authority. The flip to that would be "Profaning His name," which would be walking in a manner that doesn't reflect His character and even opposes it, or that takes from His reputation, and that stands outside of His will and authority.

So when we walk in the Spirit, or walk in His name, or "do all we do in word and deed in His name," then we are walking in a manner that is consistent with His character and that reflects it in our words and deeds. We add to His reputation because those around us see Him in us. The world gets a glimpse of His will and authority because of our submission to Him. All of these things I mentioned... the manifestation of not walking outside the Spirit or outside of His name, is walking after the lusts of our flesh.

Ken Rank said:

The flip to that would be "Profaning His name," which would be walking in a manner that doesn't reflect His character and even opposes it, or that takes from His reputation, and that stands outside of His will and authority.

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An example of that would be like someone sitting at a bar drinking like a fish, using profanity (out loud without restraint of any kind) and looking at the person next to them and saying "I'm going to church tomorrow because I love Jesus." Am I right?

FYI, I mentioned the above scenario because I've actually seen that.

Stringfellow_Hawke said:

An example of that would be like someone sitting at a bar drinking like a fish, using profanity (out loud without restraint of any kind) and looking at the person next to them and saying "I'm going to church tomorrow because I love Jesus." Am I right?

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So funny to me you brought this example up. Before I came to Christ, but while seeking, I was in a bar with some friends and one pulled me aside to tell me about Jesus. Over the course of 7-8 beers for him (1-2 for me), he told me about Jesus, and answered all of my questions fairly well. At the end I told him it sounded great but I had a question... what about all the beer and the fact that he was going home with a different girl tonight then he went home with last night? His answer was, in a slur, "That's the best part, no matter what I do, I am forgiven!"

Even then, knowing nothing, I just knew that couldn't be correct. Still... he did help me along the way and I am grateful.

Ken Rank said:

So funny to me you brought this example up. Before I came to Christ, but while seeking, I was in a bar with some friends and one pulled me aside to tell me about Jesus. Over the course of 7-8 beers for him (1-2 for me), he told me about Jesus, and answered all of my questions fairly well. At the end I told him it sounded great but I had a question... what about all the beer and the fact that he was going home with a different girl tonight then he went home with last night? His answer was, in a slur, "That's the best part, no matter what I do, I am forgiven!"

Even then, knowing nothing, I just knew that couldn't be correct. Still... he did help me along the way and I am grateful.

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Wow.
I'm glad it helped you but I know better than to do that. Thats not to say I never have with that mentality, but I know its wrong. It seems like everytime I have fallen into that I have always found my way back out.

Dave L said:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

What does Paul mean by this? Do you practice it? If so, how?

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This way -- "to put to death the works of the flesh"


But, to get there I feel we need the full wording, that is more verses than we may think we need. Somehow, verses like 3, 4 and 5, 6, 7 and 8 are valuable to read I can tell, because of how they affect my mindset as I get later to the key verse. I need, we all need, that impact from verse 12-13, and it's not optional.

What's this like though? It's like the rest of the chapter -- that we wait, longing, and the spirit intercedes for us in wordless groans. All of creation waits, groaning.

Here's that chapter with headings also --

Life Through the Spirit

1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youa free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,b God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.c And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives lifed because of righteousness. 11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because ofe his Spirit who lives in you.

12Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.f And by him we cry, “Abba,g Father.”16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Present Suffering and Future Glory

18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21thath the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

22We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whoi have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

More Than Conquerors

31What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”j

37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,k neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dave L said:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

What does Paul mean by this? Do you practice it? If so, how?

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Galatians 5:19-23 King James Version (KJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Chinchilla said:

Galatians 5:19-23 King James Version (KJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

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Verse 20 really leaps out today, in these times, doesn't it?

Let's see more translations of verse 20:
https://biblehub.com/galatians/5-20.htm

New International Version
idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

New Living Translation
idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,

English Standard Version
idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions,

Berean Study Bible
idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions,

Berean Literal Bible
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, contentions, dissensions, factions,

New American Standard Bible
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,

King James Bible
Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Christian Standard Bible
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,

Contemporary English Version
They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are

Good News Translation
in worship of idols and witchcraft. People become enemies and they fight; they become jealous, angry, and ambitious. They separate into parties and groups;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions,

Young's Literal Translation
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strifes, emulations, wraths, rivalries, dissensions, sects,

Dave L said:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

What does Paul mean by this? Do you practice it? If so, how?

Click to expand...

Above I was looking to Romans 8, as you likely saw, but I failed to say, and if a person at first began looking at the verses numbers I was pointing to but instead looked in Galatians 5, some of them really stand out helpfully also, to fully open the meaning Paul intends --

6 .... The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.

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Here we see faith in action, doing. Actions -- loving, obeying. We are given instructions to do, and instructions on what to put to death in ourselves. It's a very action-oriented thing, even as we know we can only bear these true fruits of the Spirit by virtue of the aid of the Spirit. By our faith in Christ, and looking to Christ -- dwelling on the vine, abiding, looking, focusing -- John chapter 15, v1-17. There is a joint-mutual action process -- us and the Spirit, together. Faith and action together.

We are like little children holding His hand, and because we are holding His hand, following Him, walking in the Spirit, then we are able, because of Him, because of holding His hand, to walk in the right direction.

Galatians 5:22 is the best way I can describe it. Yes, I walk in the Spirit which is a daily sanctification and cleansing process. Personally, I do not subject myself to things that are going to pull me into the flesh which is a daily challenge. It gets easier over time but it is a struggle at first. I had some significant spiritual breakthroughs early this year that has helped me really grow in this area of my Christian walk.

Here are couple of key Bible verses to understanding the differences of spirit and flesh:

1. 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

These are the three areas in which we struggle in when we try operate outside of the Spirit. We cannot serve God and live for the pleasures of this world. Does not work and tried it for many years without success. Luke 14:33

2. Galatians 5:17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to one another, so that you do not do what you want.

The Spirit and the flesh continue to war against each other. We have to put our flesh in subjection to our Spirit. In order for our Spirit to grow we have to read the word of God, prayer, and worship daily. I used to do this very sporadic in the past but now I understand this is very vital in order to walk and grow in the Spirit.

Also understanding sanctification, holiness, and purity is a big part of growing the fruits of the Spirit and your relationship with our Heavenly Father. Jesus makes all this possible because he is our example of walking blameless and without sin.

Dave L said:

Most of our battle with sin begins in the thought realm. Jesus says a lustful glance = adultery. Anger = murder, etc. So we must deal with sin at the "thinking" level.

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Respectfully, the battle doesn't begin in thought, as thought is directed by the heart. If a man has a heart for God, he won't "think" lust or hate. But if a man is confused, not totally in.. is lukewarm, or doesn't know God... he might "think" lust or hate depending on the situation. Everything comes back to the heart. Is it aimed at the righteousness of God or pleasures of the flesh? And this is why the law is written on BOTH the mind and heart... as they are connected.

Dave L said:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

What does Paul mean by this? Do you practice it? If so, how?

Click to expand...

The phrase "in the Spirit" in the Bible refers to different facets of a heightened connection to the God (with whom we are in unity). It is something that God does, not something we can do, although we can court it (which is what the OP's Galatians reference is about). It can simply be an awareness of God as one thinks, prays, makes decisions, or does things. I'm not talking about choosing to be aware of God, I'm talking about a response God may grant a person who has been focusing on him. It usually gives a sense of peace and perhaps a sense that you are in God's will. (It is not a confirmation that you are right about something.)

This heightened connection can be experienced in various ways. It needn't have an obvious supernatural component, although it is easiest to notice when God is supernaturally revealing his presence in you or doing something through you that you can't do. It can be like being "in the zone" with God. It is a quiet state. If you feel driven, then it might just be you or be Satan trying to simulate "in the Spirit."

"Walking in the Spirit" is a reference to thinking, saying, or doing things in God's will with that heightened sense of connection. The way to court being in the Spirit is to (1) be obedient, (2) be spending a lot of daily private time in God's presence/entirely focused on God, such as in personal worship and prayer—spend 75-120 minutes each day in prayer or prayerfully worshiping God, and God will probably eventually give the experience. (3) It helps to study the Bible daily for 45+ minutes and fast regularly, too.

This thread should probably be in another forum, since it doesn't have anything to do with salvation, per se. General Theology, Christian Scriptures, anything in the Spiritual Growth (Christians only) section, or a charismatic forum would be good, depending on what sort of discussion you want to have.

The rest of this post is just for the convenience of anyone who wants to examine the verses where the phrase "in the Spirit" is used (which is a lot more common than "by the Spirit," which is how the OP's citation is translated in the 1995 NASB and the 1984 NIV).

NASB (1995) references to "in the Spirit"
Matt 22:43, Luke 1:17, Luke 2:27, Acts 19:21, Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:11, 1 Corinthians 14:16, Ephesians 2:22, Ephesians 3:5, Ephesians 4:23, Ephesians 6:18, Philippians 3:3, Colossians 1:8, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 Peter 4:6, Revelation 1:10, Revelation 4:2, Revelation 17:3, Revelation 21:10

NIV (1984) references to "in the Spirit"
Luke 1:17, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 1:8, Revelation 1:10, Revelation 4:2, Revelation 17:3, and Revelation 21:10.

Note that in Revelation 4:2, John was not in the Spirit (but was having a vision) but then was in the Spirit "at once."

Dave L said:

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

What does Paul mean by this? Do you practice it? If so, how?

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In lusts of the flesh that are against the Spirit are things that are listed in Galatians 5:19-22, which are all against the Mosaic Law, while all of the fruits of the Spirit are in accordance with it. In Romans 8:4-7, those who walk in the Spirit are contrasted with those who have a mind set on the flesh who refuse to submit to God's Law.

Dave L said:

You are confusing the born again heart with the flesh we battle in the thought realm.

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No, I am not. Messiah was very clear when he spoke of adultery when he said that, "when a man lusts in his heart he has sinned already." That isn't thought, he didn't say, "when a man thinks about it, it is sin." Yeshua was very specific about the heart.. when a man lusts "in his heart" he has committed adultery already.

Be blessed.
Ken

Dave L said:

You are straining to make a point. Lust comes from the flesh/mind. The Christian heart cannot lust if born again.

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No it doesn't and I am not straining at all. You have this preconceived notion in your head about your head, and I am sorry, and I rarely ever say this, but you're wrong. Watch....

The word for lust in Matthew 5:28 (the adultery verse in question) is epithumeō (G1937). Strong's defines epithumeō as "to set the heart upon, that is, long for (rightfully or otherwise)." There is a connection to the mind, lust doesn't happen without the mind Dave.... but it starts in the heart.

Think about it... what does God want from YOU... your mind? Well, yes... but as the initial step? No.. He wants your heart aimed at HIM, He wants you to love Him and love originates in the heart. When we sin, ANY SIN, it first begins when we turn the heart from God. So, when it comes to lusting after another, the action to follow up on the desire might come from the mind, but the original desire began in the heart.

The entire bible when broken down to it's simplest form... is a love story and a heart story.