Walking by the Spirit begins with setting my mind on the things of the Spirit. The Spirit of Christ is His gift to me dwelling in me as He (Jesus) has ascended back to the Father seated at His right hand. Jesus told us that the Spirit will glorify Him. So the Spirit of Christ in me points my attention to Christ – the beauty of His character and high calling of His mission. This is why I am instructed to set my mind on things that are above, not on thing that are on the earth.
The Spirit of Christ in me affirms my position in Christ – that I am safe in the grip of His grace, having His forgiveness and righteousness making me a fully loved and accepted child of God. The mind set on that truth – that reality – will live in light of that truth instead of being paralyzed by guilt and bondage.
The Holy Spirit in the believer is the means of transformation by placing my focus on Christ so that I am captivated by his beauty and goodness. Through this shift of my attention, I am able to rise above the brokenness of bane natural behavior. That being true, the Spirit in me is also my ability to reflect Christ’s character and pursue His purpose. The ambition of one who is walking by the Spirit is to please God, thereby increasing in the knowledge of God.
For these reasons, we are informed that to set our minds on the things of the Spirit is life and peace. I must remember that the imago Dei in me gives me the selective power of what occupies my mind. The Spirit is my prevailing aid in this endeavor.
In contrast to a “Christian walk” that is bent on doing things for God, walking by the Spirit is an integral part of a DAWDLing* faith. I have been reconciled to God, not for the things I can do for Him, but because He wants ME. He created me for Himself. His pleasure is me finding my highest good and deepest satisfaction in Him. So I…
Draw near to God and He draws near to me
Abide in Christ as a branch draws life from the vine
Walk by the Spirit – I feel most alive when His wind fills my sails
Dwelling in me richly is the word of Christ
Love others as Christ has loved me
To serve in the new way of the Spirit rescues me from my natural legalistic thinking that “if I just do the things I’m supposed to, God grants me favor.” Instead, I am called to keep on being filled with the Spirit meaning every part of me is constantly under His control and guidance – I am the glove, He is the hand in the glove. The outcomes of this continual filling (gratitude, joy and humility) are equal to letting His word dwell in me in all of its richness (compare Ephesians 5:18-21 and Col. 3:16-17). Let me state this clearly, I cannot be walking by the Spirit if His word is not richly dwelling in me.
Walking by the Spirit is fulfilling my highest function and the greatest command…
Loving God with all my mind to where I think His thoughts with transformed attitudes.
Loving God with all my heart to where I love what He loves with transformed affections.
Loving God with all my strength to where I serve in His power with transformed actions.
Loving God with all my soul to where I engage with grace in transformed associations.
Walking by the Spirit does not come by a formula or a list of “things I have to do.” It is a matter of abiding, the habit of dwelling, the outflow of a transformed delight – delight in God Himself. It is the delight of dwelling that develops in me the disposition of His grace and goodness. Whoever abides in Him does not think or behave in a way that is contrary to His character or purpose. Walking by the Spirit, rather, produces the fruit of the Spirit which magnifies Jesus (seeing Him for His beauty and majesty) and points others to the goodness of God.
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*To dawdle means to linger intentionally. In other words, be labor intensive in your relationship with God. Jesus recognized Mary for choosing “the one thing that is necessary” (Luke 10:41-42) – to linger at His feet. He calls us to abide in Him, for without Him we can do nothing.
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