In Step With The Spirit

May 18, 2025|In Step With The Spirit|Galatians 5:16-26

JD Cutler

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As we begin our sermon time in God’s word this morning, please you turn to the book of Galatians, chapter 5. Galatians chapter 5 and we will begin in verse 16.

If your copy of God’s word has division headings, you may see something like ‘Keep in step with the Spirit’ or ‘The Spirit versus the Flesh’, or ‘Life by the Spirit’ over or around these verses, or if you have the NASB, you may see ‘walk by the Spirit’ over all of chapter 5. Those are the scholars and interpreters attempt at summarizing what is contained within these verses, and although the headings and even the numbering of the scriptures themselves are not inspired, they can be helpful in approaching a section of scripture. Today’s sermon title takes is inspired by one of those headings, as well as the words of Paul contained within these verses. In step with the Spirit: Freedom and Fruitfulness.

Concerning the idea of being in step with the Spirit, the natural question that comes to mind is ‘am I keeping in step with the Spirit?’.

A good way to answer that question is to ask yourself

‘Am I living the Christian life I want to be living?’

‘Can I say with confidence that, to use Paul’s words, I am running the Christian life well?’

‘Am I using my freedom to serve one another through love?’ or

‘How well am I fulfilling the command to ‘love my neighbor as myself?’

The context of this epistle is that Paul is writing to churches that were running well, who were loving one another and serving one another, walking fully in the freedom of Christ, who knew they were justified by faith through grace when they embraced the good news of the gospel. But it seems that Judaizers had crept in and began casting doubt on whether they were truly saved if they weren’t circumcised and keeping Jewish law. Therefore, the churches in Galatia needed to be reminded of the true gospel in which they stand, but also instructed on how to live out their lives in light of the gospel. Paul calls them to not walk according to the law, or according to the things of the flesh, but to walk by the spirit.

Now I doubt many of you are being tempted by Judaizers, but there are always things that are tempting us to abandon the gospel in which we stand, to compromise our freedom in Christ by enslaving ourselves to man’s rules or traditions or worst, to use our freedom in Christ as an opportunity for the flesh. To allow our freedom in Christ as a cover up for evil, as Peter says in 1st Peter, of to pervert the grace of our Lord into sensuality as Jude says.

Paul wants the Galatian believers to make sure that these things are not true in their lives, but rather that they are sure that they are walking by the Spirit.

With that in mind this morning, I want to share with you three statements from Paul’s instructions to the churches in Galatia that remind us the importance of walking by the Spirit.

Our passage this morning begins with a conjunction, but. Paul wants them to see that there is a better way to use their freedom, there is a better way than operating in the flesh which results in division and destruction. This way of the Spirit is what Paul unpacks in the following verses we will be looking at this morning, beginning with the first statement. If you are a note taker, write this down, our first statement is…

I. We Resist the flesh through the power of the Spirit.

In two verses Paul highlights why so many of us are not experiencing the kind of Christian life we inwardly desire. Why so many of us have Godly desire awakened in us on Sunday and by Monday we have cooled so much that what set our hearts on fire Sunday barely kindles a spark on Monday. What gives? Paul says there is within every believer a war of desire going on. Paul frames these as desires of the flesh and desires of the Spirit. When God converts us from death to life, scripture teaches that he places a new heart in place of the heart of stone that is a result of sin. He gives us new life, and with that life comes new desires. The desires of the Spirit. And while our sins are completely covered by the blood of Christ and we stand forgiven before God, covered in the righteousness of Christ, we quickly find that we have not yet been perfected in the flesh. While we, spiritually, have new life, there remains traces of the sinful flesh we have been saved from.

Paul himself describes this battle within himself in his letter to the church in Rome.

Romans 7:14-25 (ESV) 4 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. 15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Paul says that when his desire to do right is kindled through the work of the Spirit within him, his flesh, or evil as he calls it here, lies close at hand. This tension drives Paul to exclaim, wretched man that I am!

Maybe you have felt that tension before in your own walk with Christ.

In that same letter, Paul goes on to tell the Roman believers to set their minds on the things of the Spirit and live according to the Spirit, for the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Here in his letter to the Galatians, he articulates it differently, but the emphasis is similar. Let’s pick up in verse 16 of Galatians chapter 5.

Galatians 5:16–18 (ESV)

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 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. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

One of the reasons I think that Christians don’t experience the blessings of walking in the spirit, gaining victory over the flesh is that too often we try to battle the flesh with the flesh. Listen to the way Paul explains the problem with this to the church at Colossae.

Colossians 2:20-23 (ESV) 20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

While you may temporarily refrain from fulfilling some desires of the flesh through methods of the flesh, the flesh is ultimately powerless to actually stop the indulgence of the flesh. What is Paul’s answer to this problem? If you walk by the spirit, you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

In verse 17 Paul explains why this is so important. 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. No wonder Paul is exhorting the Galatian believers to reject what he calls the yoke of slavery, the religious observation of days and months, seasons and years, of circumcision and dietary laws.

Listen to what how serious Paul considers this.

Galatians 5:2-4 (ESV) 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.

Is Paul saying that someone can fall away from grace in the sense that they were saved and have now lost their salvation?

If he is, then that would contradict what the NT as a whole teaches.

What I think he is saying is that if we think that we can work our way to salvation then we have not truly understood the grace of God’s salvation and whatever we may have confessed, we do not really belong to Christ in the first place, we are severed from Him and correspondingly, His salvation.

How then does Paul encourage those Galatian believers that have been struggling with their flesh and are being tempted to entertain the idea of fighting the flesh with the flesh?

Walk by the spirit.

Greek, “By (the rule of) the (Holy) Spirit.

Or maybe we could say regulate your life by the Spirit.

Paul says in as much as we surrender our lives to the influence and power of the Holy Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Paul says in as much as we surrender our lives to the influence and power of the Holy Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Notice with me that he does not say, we will not have the desires of the flesh, but rather we will not fulfill them. Look at what he says at the conclusion of verse 17. ‘to keep you from doing the things you want to do’.

I think there is both a positive and a negative application for us here. The word translated ‘want to do’ is a word that means ‘desire to do’ Negatively then, when we are walking in the flesh, because the desires of the flesh are opposed to the Spirit, our flesh can keep us from doing the things we want to do.

This is what we were talking about in the beginning of our time together, why the strong Godly desires awakened in us on Sunday don’t come to fruition on Monday.

Positively and inversely then, when we are walking by the Spirit, because the desires of the Spirit are opposed to the flesh, it can keep us from doing the things we want to do that arise from the sinful flesh.

This is what fighting for holiness looks like. Yes, we will still struggle with sinful desires, but if we are walking by the Spirit, we can resist the flesh.

Paul says if we are led by the Spirit, we are not under the law, which is his way of saying that we are set free from the law. Elsewhere Paul argues that the law is for those in the flesh and that those in the Spirit are not under the law but under grace.

If we had to summarize Paul’s point here, it is this, our weapon for waging war against the flesh is a life fully surrendered to the Spirit of God. This is how we resist the flesh, this is how we participate in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in us.

...our weapon for waging war against the flesh is a life fully surrendered to the Spirit of God

A question for reflection before we move on this morning.

Is there any area of your life that you have not surrendered to the control of the Holy Spirit?

For instance, have you trusted Christ with your life and hope of everlasting life, but are still trying to walk in your marriage in the flesh, trying to manage your career in the flesh, raise your kids in the flesh, playing church in the flesh?

The encouragement from Paul is to truly resist the flesh we must walk by the Spirit, we must bring every area of our lives under the control and influence of the Holy Spirit. The second statement that reminds of the importance of walking by the Spirit is…

II. We Reject the destructive deeds of the flesh.

Paul moves from the desires of the flesh to the works of the flesh, or what it looks like to gratify the desires of the flesh. These things he says are plainly known or apparent. Let’s pick up in verse 19 of chapter 5.

Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

While not an exhaustive list and at times difficult to separate the meaning behind similar words, this list is still helpful in identifying the things that the desires of the flesh produce.

Let’s quickly walk through the list Paul gives.

Sexual immorality- this is an sexual activity outside of the design and parameters that God gives of a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman in marriage.

impurity- impure motives, or general uncleanness

sensuality- excess or unbridled lust, especially in a crude or offensive way

The first three seem to all relate to sexual sin, whether sin outside of God’s design, or impure motives in sexual relationships even within God’s design, and an excessive or unbridled lust. Paul’s instruction seems to imply that even though we are operating within God’s design for sexual relationships, we can do so in a way that is fleshly or sinful.

The next two seem to deal with the worship of idols.

Idolatry- the worship of false gods

sorcery- the occult, usually in reference to idolatry

The next eight seem to relate to interpersonal relationships.

enmity- opposition or hostility in relationships

strife- quarreling

jealousy- an envious and contentious rivalry,

fits of anger- quick boiling anger- flares up quickly

rivalries- a desire to put one's self forward

dissensions- divisions (between individuals)

divisions- a body of men following their own tenets- divisions (between groups)

envy- envy

The last two deal with excessive amounts of alcohol and the lowered inhibitions that result from it

drunkeness- excessive amounts of alcohol that lead to inebriation

orgies- used generally of feasts and drinking parties that are protracted till late at night and indulge in revelry

Finally, Paul says and things like these- things resembling these indicating that Paul’s list is not meant to be exhaustive but characteristic of works of the flesh.

This means that we cannot just avoid things on this list, but reject anything that is not from faith and rooted in love.

Paul says that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

This can be a difficult thing for us to wrap our minds around, especially since there may be things on this list that we see glimpses of in our own lives, and we know that salvation in Christ is not a works based salvation.

But I think the word Paul chooses is important for us to understand. Essentially, he says those busy with such things or those that carry on in such activities. Paul is not describing the Christian that stumbles and has an outburst of anger, or a Christian that stumbles and pridefully tries to put himself before others, or a Christian that stumbles and is jealous or divisive. None of those things are good and none of those things are honoring to God, but I do not think Paul is describing the Christian who stumbles, repents, who hates their sin, and resolves to reject it, I think he is describing someone whose life is characterized by these activities.

I do not think Paul is describing the Christian who stumbles, repents, who hates their sin, and resolves to reject it, I think he is describing someone whose life is characterized by these activities.

There are two ways we reject these destructive deeds of the flesh.

One we keep a watch over our own lives and not let any of seed of sin take root in our hearts that would lead to this kind of lifestyle. We must hate even the seed of the sin of division, or sexual immorality, or idolatry, or uncontrolled anger. When we see, even a hint of envy or division or the like, we must not tolerate it because it is small, but quickly bring it to the light before God to deal with understanding the dangerous and deadly consequences that sin brings forth.

Two we must reject any version of Christianity that says you can follow Christ and carry on in these kinds of ways, continually and constantly indulging the desires of the flesh.

In both of these, we need the power of the Spirit working within us to transform us and renew us according to the image and likeness of Christ.

This is why it is so important for us to walk by the Spirit, bringing all areas of our life under His control and influence as we seek to follow Christ.

How do we do this?

Here at Emmanuel we say we pursue His word through study and His power through prayer.

We are able to walk by the Spirit when we stay immersed in God’s word and in communion with God through prayer, and all of that is insulated between our commitment to Christ and His church and our connection to the community he has placed us in through connecting and caring for one another.

This brings us to our last statement from Paul’s teaching here in Galatians 5.

One, we Resist the flesh through the power of the Spirit.

Two, we Reject the destructive deeds of the flesh.

Lastly this morning…

III. We Reap the fruit of the Spirit when we keep in step with the Spirit.

This brings us to a familiar and well known scripture, where Paul contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. One interesting thing to note is that although Paul lists the works as plural, individual actions that can even be in contrast with one another, he list the fruit, singular, of the Spirit as a harmonious list of attributes that fit together and work together. Let’s pick up in verse 22 of chapter 5.

Galatians 5:22–26 (ESV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

The first thing I want you to see is that Paul does not call these works of the Spirit. These are not things that we can produce, or to say it another way, these are not things that we are the authors of. I am reminded of Paul’s instruction to the church at Philippi where Paul says.

 Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV) 12 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, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Paul calls them to obey, but then reminds them that it is God who works in them, both to will and to work. Any will we have to obey God, and desire for Godliness or Holiness is not a desire that comes from our flesh, but it comes from God’s work within us and his sanctifying work on our lives.

Can you produce some of these things on this list apart from the Spirit? Surely.

We probably all know men and women who reject Christ that seem to be kinder than we are or more gentle than we are, unbelievers who have a great amount of self-control.

So what is different about these? Motivation.

Someone can have self-control because they believe it will lead to a greater reward or goal in the future. Someone can be gentle not because they care for others, but because they know it will advance their career or win them favor with others. You see the difference?

On Wednesday evening we have been studying the book of Acts, and when Paul is in Athens he encounters some Epicurean philosophers. Interestingly enough those that follow Epicurus’ way can be what we would call moral people. Some of the things they hold up as admirable are some of the very things on the list, however, they are not motivated by a desire to please their creator, they are not motivated by the overwhelming love and grace God pours out on those that belong to Him, they believe that the highest blessing in life is to live a life free from pain and displeasure, so when they act morally, it is because they believe to act immorally is to bring unnecessary pain into their lives.

In the end, any goodness produced in their life finds its root in a selfish desire for an easy life.

This is not the same thing Paul is saying here when he talks about the fruit of the Spirit, even though there may be some things on this list that we see in non-believers.

Furthermore, as I mentioned previously, Paul is not envisioning separate fruits, but a harmonious fruit that reflects all of these things. Picture not a fruit basket full of various kinds of fruits, but a singular orange where each portion or slice makes up the whole.

So if the fruit of the Spirit is not a list of things that we produce in our lives, and not even individual attributes, how can we experience the fruit of the Spirit?

We keep in step with the Spirit. We walk by the spirit, we live by the Spirit, we are led by the Spirit.

Specifically, Paul tells us what we can do in order to produce the fertile ground that God uses to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives in verse 24. Those that belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Paul tells us what we can do in order to produce the fertile ground that God uses to produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives in verse 24. Those that belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Paul says it like this in Romans.

Romans 6:5-6 (ESV) 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Romans 6:11-14 (ESV) 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

There is a sense in which our old self has been crucified and a sense in which this is a daily choice we make to crucify our flesh because we no longer belong to ourselves but to Christ who purchased us by his precious blood. When we, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, put to death the flesh we are keeping in step with the Spirit, which places us in the place where God’s sanctifying work in us will allow us to reap the fruit of the Spirit. Our lives will be marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control; not because we are striving to produce those things but because we are seeking to be bring our lives under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit.

As way of conclusion, let us look at Paul’s final words. These final words may feel disconnected but in reality, he is reminding us that in our pursuit of Christ, in the sanctifying work of the Spirit, we are neither to look down on others for what God is producing in our lives or look envious at others for what God is producing in their lives.

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

The word translated as conceited is a joining of two words, the greek word for empty and the greek word for glory. Eager for empty glory. Here is Paul’s warning to us as we walk by the Spirit. As we reap the fruit of the spirit in our lives, as we are conformed to the image of Christ, let us not imagine that we deserve the glory for it.

If we fall into this trap it will go one of two ways. We will provoke one another- which is the idea of contesting with one another. I think Paul is getting at the idea of pitting ourselves against one another as combatants. Placing ourselves over another. The other way is that in comparing ourselves to others, we will be envious. The way of keeping in step with the Spirit is to be focused on what He is doing in your life moment by moment and day by day, not overly concerned with how you stack up against those around us. Our measuring rod is always Christ. If we keep that in mind we will not be tempted to elevate ourselves unduly or be envious of those around us.

Why is it so important to walk by the Spirit?

Because we resist the flesh by the power of the Spirit.

Because we reject the destructive deeds of the flesh when we walk by the Spirit.

Because finally, we reap the fruit of the Spirit if we keep in step with the Spirit.

As we close this morning, I want to address a few people who may be here this morning.

One, you know Christ but you are frustrated by the lack of spiritual growth in your life. I hope you see this morning that you do not need to try harder, but rather surrender more fully. Immerse yourself in His word and in prayer and trust that God will bring his word and power to bear on your life.

Two, you claim to know Christ but your life is marked more by works of the flesh than the fruit of the Spirit. I pray that you would ask God to show you this morning whether you have ever truly surrendered your life to Him.

Third and finally. You know you are not a believer, you know your life is being lived in the desires of the flesh and you have seen, perhaps for the first time, that the Bible says those who lives are lived like that will not inherit the kingdom of God and that you are separated from Christ. I pray that you see the answer is not trying harder to be good, but to recognize that you are hopelessly controlled by the sinful desires of your heart and mind and you desperately need to be saved from yourself. This is the good news of the gospel. Christ defeated sin in the flesh and then paid the price for our sins with his blood so that we might experience new life.

If you want to know more about that or want to schedule a time to talk more about what it means to surrender your life to Christ, during the last song I will be off to the side and I would love to meet you and pray with you. But even more than that, I want you to know that in order to be saved, you do not need a special prayer from a pastor, you do not need to come down front, the Bible says you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of your sin, and call out to him in faith.

If you feel the Spirit calling you to do that this morning, let me encourage you to be obedient to that call.

Wherever you are this morning, I pray that you have been encouraged to continue walking by the Spirit and keeping in step with the Spirit, or you have been challenged to do so.

Let us pray.