Many believers are living spiritually defeated lives. They feel powerless and unproductive in their Christian experience. But the truth is, Christ offers us a vibrant life full of purpose and adventure if we walk daily in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The mark of being a Christian (belonging to God) is that the Holy Spirit dwells in that person. The moment you believe in Jesus as your Savior and trust Him as your Lord, the Holy Spirit gives you the new life in Christ and resides in you. He is united with your new self in Christ.
So, walking by the Holy Spirit is essential for all believers in Christ. It is a lifestyle of being directed and empowered by Him. When you are filled with the Spirit by faith, you will remain Spirit-filled as long as you are obedient to Him because you are submitting to His guidance. But you may intentionally or accidentally take back control of your life. You stop trusting the Holy Spirit. You may commit a sin. When you realize that you are no longer filled with the Spirit, you quickly confess it and repent. Giving thanks to God, you renew your commitment to be guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This process of “course corrections” is called spiritual breathing.
Years ago the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Bill Bright, compared walking in the Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis to breathing. When you breathe, you exhale impurities, and inhale pure air and oxygen.
In “spiritual breathing”, you “exhale”–by confession–sin, and “inhale”–by faith–the Holy Spirit’s control. Exhale: Confess your sin–agree with God concerning your sin and thank Him
for His forgiveness of it. Confession involves repentance–a change in attitude and behavior. Inhale: By faith, surrender the control of your life to the Holy Spirit.
Trust that He now directs and empowers you.
As you regularly practice spiritual breathing, you will become more sensitive to His presence and guidance in your everyday life. You begin to consistently live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, obeying His guidance and relying on His empowering presence. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit.
Key Verse
“if we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25)
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“Power Through Spiritual Breathing“
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Watch the video series on “How to Walk in the Spirit” (Watch videos)