By the Spirit

I sat down for the umpteenth Sunday service. Same row. Same struggle. Same
insecurity. Never perfect enough…or perhaps just never enough. I was
exhausted by the hamster wheel of performance and anticipated leaving
church just like I’d come in. Until…

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
flesh.”

“Did I hear that right?” I quickly turned my Bible’s pages to Galatians
5:16. “Aha!” I had read this verse beginning to end many times. But all
this time, the way I lived it out was backward. All. This. Time. I had been
living as though Paul’s letter to the Galatian church implored, “But I say,
do not gratify the desires of the flesh, and then you can say you walk by
the Spirit.” Catch the difference? It’s a big one.

I looked around to see if anyone else was ready to start a dance party. The
truth was suddenly clear: I didn’t have to run faster. I could stop
running! I didn’t have to hide. I knew God was inviting me off my hamster
wheel…and out of my cage too.

Let me explain. For years, I walked with Christ (“by the Spirit”) like
this…

Work really hard. Do better than others. Then you will be named
valedictorian.

Work really hard. Do better than others. Then you will get the job.

Work really hard. Do better than others. Then you will win the scholarship.

Give and get. Work and receive. But Galatians 5:16 says the only power to
overcome these insecurities and misplaced identities comes from Jesus
Christ’s Spirit. It’s His power. We cannot catch it, claim it, or contain
it apart from the work of Christ. If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, the
Spirit of Jesus lives inside you. “So I say, walk by the Spirit.” You don’t
need to prove yourself. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the
grave for you, you are counted worthy in God’s sight. You are named Child
of God. You already got the job. You already won. • Kelly Carlson

• Do you ever find yourself trying to power through a struggle in order to
earn or prove your worth? God loves you so much, it was worth it to Him to
go to the cross for you. In Christ, you’ve already received God’s
acceptance (Romans 15:7; 1 John 4:19).

• Read Galatians 5:13-26. What are the acts of the flesh? What are the
fruits of the Spirit? Why is it important that the only way we can resist
the acts of the flesh—and instead produce the fruits of the Spirit—is by
the Spirit’s power?

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
flesh. Galatians 5:16 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Matt.11.25-Matt.11.30|Gal.5.13-Gal.5.26|Zech.4.6