Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

Paul gives us some much needed, timely advice in this verse. But what exactly does he mean by this statement? It actually brings a picture to my mind from my brief stint in the marching band at Lancaster High School. I played trumpet in the band for a couple of years, and one of the highlights of playing in the band was being able to go to all the football games, where the band would perform at halftime. In order to be in the marching band, you, of course, had to learn to march in step. Every member of the band stepped in unison – where a hundred sets of footsteps sounded as one. We were all marching in step with everyone else.

The picture Paul is drawing is that of the disciple of Jesus Christ walking in step with Him by walking in the Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. It would mean being guided by the Spirit, allowing Him to direct our thoughts, our actions, our behaviors, and our attitudes. It would entail yielding ourselves to Him, allowing Him to have control of our surrendered mind, heart, and will.

Paul says that to do so will give us power to refrain from engaging in acts that are guided by the flesh, and he then goes on to give a list of the works of the flesh. It is a rather sordid list of sinful activities that every disciple of Christ should refrain from engaging in. It is not to be thought of as an all-inclusive list, as many other sinful acts could be added. Rather, it is a sampling of behaviors that every believer should guard themselves against.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissentions, heresies, 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: 19-21

This is what it looks like to walk in the flesh. It does not mean that an individual would be characterized by all of these behaviors, but that their life would be recognized as being in alignment with the spirit which leads to these actions.

The person who is walking in the Spirit, on the other hand, would be characterized by a different list of behaviors. Paul says, in contradiction to the works of the flesh, that the fruit of the Spirit is:

…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25

This list of the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit bears testimony to character traits of those who are walking in step with the Spirit. And Paul asserts that those who walk in the Spirit will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

In another of Paul’s letters – the letter to the Ephesians – he gives a graphic illustration of what living in the flesh looks like. He says:

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:18-19

Here, Paul gives a contrast and comparison between being drunk with wine and being filled with the Spirit. It is truly a picture that can’t be missed. If you have ever seen anyone under the influence of alcohol, then you can understand the imagery. We sometimes hear someone say that a person who is drunk is out of control. But that isn’t exactly true. They are actually under control – the control of the alcohol. They are being controlled by walking in the spirit of the drink.

In contrast, Paul says that the person who is filled with the Spirit – who is walking in the Spirit – will be living differently, as he/she is under the influence of the Spirit. They will be characterized by the things of the Spirit, and not by the things of the spirit of the world. It would mean that he/she is living a life that bears testimony to the reality of being in step with the Spirit.

A good question to ask ourselves periodically would be, “With whom am I walking in step? The Spirit God, or the spirit of the world?” And the answer will be found in your conduct, your behavior, your attitudes and your actions. Let’s strive to always walk in the Spirit so that we don’t fall prey to the lusts of the flesh.

Blessings!