“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For 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, to keep you from doing the things you want to do... And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:16-17, 24
"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Philippians 2:12-13
“Devotion to God is the mainspring of godly character. This devotion is the only motivation for Christian behavior that is pleasing to God. This motivation is what separates the godly person from the moral person, or the benevolent person or the zealous person. The godly person is moral, benevolent, zealous because of his devotion to (the triune) God. And his life takes on a dimension that reflects the very stamp of God.” Jerry Bridges, The Practice of Godliness, p. 19-20
HOW TO WALK BY THE SPIRIT:
1. A mind that constantly feeds upon the wonder and goodness of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:1-11).
“It is only the joy of hearing the gospel and being reminded that our sins are forgiven in Christ that will keep the demands of discipleship from becoming drudgery. It is only gratitude and love to God that comes from knowing that He no longer counts our sins against us (Romans 4:8) that provides the proper motive for responding to the claims of discipleship.” Jerry Bridges, The Discipline of Grace, p. 21
2. The requisite response (Philippians 2:12).
“We need to realize that while God's acceptance of each Christian believer is perfect from the start (our regeneration), our repentance always needs to be extended further as long as we are in this world. Repentance means turning from as much as you know of your sin to give as much as you know of yourself to as much as you know of your God, and as our knowledge grows at these three points so our practice of repentance has to be enlarged.” J.I. Packer, Keep the Step of the Spirit, p. 104
• Repentance
“Greater sins do soon startle the soul, and awaken and rouse up the soul to repentance, than lesser sins do. Little sins often slide into the soul, and breed, and work secretly and indiscernibly in the soul, till they come to be so strong, as to trample upon the soul, and to cut the throat of the soul.” Thomas Brooks, Works of Thomas Brooks, volume one, p. 21
• Resolution: We understand the nature of the conflict for the believer in this world.
Q 35: What is sanctification?
A: Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die to sin, and live unto righteousness.
Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 35
Our efforts must be continuous, sustained, and strenuous by the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. The foundation of our hope (Philippians 2:13).
A PARADIGM FOR WALKING BY THE SPIRIT:
N__________! (The five-second rule.) We volitionally and with resolve, turn away.
F___________ /FULLNESS in Christ (Galatians 5:1, John 8:31-32). Because of the freedom purchased by the cross, we continually fill our minds with the promises of God.
FILLING of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
L_____________________ your mind with the promises of God from Scripture.