How to Define “Walking in the Spirit”

How can we be led by the Spirit in our daily actions? This is a question many believers struggle with because, in many cases, churches do not provide a clear definition of what it means to walk in the Spirit, which can cause confusion. This can lead to individual interpretations that may or may not align with Scripture. But the Bible is not silent on this matter. It provides us with direct insight into what walking in the Spirit truly means.

Walking in the Spirit is more than a vague feeling or an inner experience. It is about living according to God's will, which we see in His laws and commandments. Join me as we dive into several passages that shed light on this principle. We will start by defining what it means to walk in the flesh.

Galatians 5:16-18 - The Battle Between Flesh and Spirit

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Galatians 5:19-21 - The Works of the Flesh

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:22-23 - The Fruit of the Spirit

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

In these verses, Paul makes a distinction between the "works of the flesh"—sinful behaviors that reflect a life disconnected from God—and the "fruit of the Spirit," which is the righteous character that comes from living according to God's will. The works of the flesh represent attitudes and actions that oppose God's commandments, such as idolatry, jealousy, and hatred. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, and self-control—reflects a life aligned with God's commandments and led by His Spirit.

Romans 8:1-5 - No Condemnation for Those in Christ

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh,

4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

In Romans 8, we find a contrast between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. The "Spirit of life" refers to the promise of resurrection and eternal life through Christ Jesus. Through His sacrifice, we are not free to sin; rather, He frees us from the penalty of sin and death. That is the meaning of verse 2, which says He "made me free from the law of sin and death."

Again, this is important: being set free from sin doesn't mean we are free to continue sinning. Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it. The law is good; however, in the flesh, the law is weak because we, as humans, are imperfect in keeping it. Jesus, however, kept it perfectly and conquered sin for us.

Romans 8:6-10 - The Flesh is Hostile toward God

6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Here, the Bible shows us that being "carnally minded" or focused on fleshly desires leads to death. The carnal mind is opposed to God and is not subject to His law. Walking in the flesh is essentially walking in death because it's a rejection of God's commandments.

On the other hand, walking in the Spirit leads to life and peace. It means living according to God's law, which is truth according to Psalm 119:142. God's law defines true righteousness, and the Spirit can dwell within us through obedience.

Life and peace are the promises of the covenant throughout the entire Bible:

Ezekiel 36: 24-31 - A New Heart and Spirit

24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.

25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

29 I will deliver you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you.

30 And I will multiply the fruit of your trees and the increase of your fields, so that you need never again bear the reproach of famine among the nations.

31 Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities and your abominations.

Again, verse 27 says: "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." This passage in Ezekiel perfectly connects walking in the Spirit with keeping God's commandments. God promises to cleanse us, give us a new heart, and put His Spirit within us so that we can follow His statutes and judgments. Walking in the Spirit is a direct result of obeying God's law.

This prophecy also shows us the ultimate fulfillment: that when we are fully redeemed in the resurrection, we will no longer sin. We will be free from our former ways and empowered to live entirely according to God's will.

Ezekiel 11:17-20 Walking in God’s Statutes

17 Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord God: "I will gather you from the peoples, assemble you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." '

18 And they will go there, and they will take away all its detestable things and all its abominations from there.

19 Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh,

20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

In this passage, God promises spiritual and physical transformation for His people. He will gather us from our dispersion and return us to our land. Verses 19 and 20, God says he will give His people a new spirit that will cause us to walk in His statutes and judgments (commandments). This verse foreshadows a future time when God's people will fully align with His will, walking in obedience with His Spirit dwelling within them.

Romans 7:11-14 Sin Exposed Through the Law

11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.

12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.

13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.

14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.

In these verses, Paul explains the relationship between the law and sin. He emphasizes that God's law is spiritual, holy, and good, while sin is carnal, taking advantage of the law to lead us astray. Paul emphasizes the contrast between the purity of the law and the weakness of our flesh. He shows that walking in the Spirit involves recognizing that the law reflects God's holiness, while our sinful nature is bound to the flesh.

Walking in the Spirit is not a subjective and abstract concept; it is a practical lifestyle of obedience to God's commandments. The Bible clearly defines the distinction between the flesh and the Spirit in these verses. The flesh represents our sinful nature and worldly desires, which are opposed to God's law and lead to death. Walking in the flesh means living according to this sinful nature, driven by desires that separate us from God. In contrast, walking in the Spirit means living in obedience to God's commandments, which the Holy Spirit empowers to produce godly behaviors, such as love, peace, and righteousness.

These passages show that a life lived in the flesh directly opposes the life of faith and obedience God calls us to through His Spirit. By walking in the Spirit, we fulfill the righteous requirements of the law, and by doing so, we receive the blessings promised throughout Scripture, including the ultimate promise of eternal life.