“Walking in the Spirit” is a biblical term that refers to living a life that is guided by the Holy Spirit — allowing Him to guide your thoughts, words, and actions.
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“If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit.” —Galatians 5:25
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God.” —Romans 8:14
“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” —Galatians 2:20
Barriers to Walking in the Spirit
Prideful Self-reliance
“For the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.” —Romans 8:7
Worldliness
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.” —1 John 2:15–17
Approval of Others
“The fear of people becomes a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord will be set on high.” —Proverbs 29:25
Lack of Faith
“Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” —Hebrews 11:6
Unconfessed Sin
“But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.” —Isaiah 59:2
Be Filled by the Spirit
Desire to Live by the Spirit
“But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” —Galatians 5:16-18
Confess Your Sins to God
“But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness.” —1 John 1:9
Surrender to the Spirit
“Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice–alive, holy, and pleasing to God–which is your reasonable service.” —Romans 12:1
Live Spirit-filled by Faith
“And do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” —Ephesians 5:18-21
Abide in Christ
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.” —John 15:4
Renew Your Mind
“Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God–what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.”—Romans 12:2
Depend on God
“Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,…” —2 Corinthians 3:5
Be Humbly Concerned About Others
“Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself. Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but about the interests of others as well.” —Philippians 2:3-4
Seek God’s Approval
“Am I now trying to gain the approval of people, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ!” —Galatians 1:10
Understand God’s Will
“For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects—bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of all patience and steadfastness, joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.” —Colossians 1:9-12
Expect Above and Beyond
“Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” —Ephesians 3:20-21
The Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” —Galatians 5:22
Love
“I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” —John 13:34
“By this we know that we reside in God and he in us: in that he has given us of his Spirit.” —1 John 4:13
“And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” —Romans 5:5
Joy
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” —Romans 15:13
“For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” —Romans 14:17
“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction.” —1 Thessalonians 1:6
Peace
“For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace,” —Romans 8:6
“…making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” —Ephesians 4:3
“And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 4:7
Patience
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,” —Colossians 3:12
“Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.” —Romans 12:12
“And we urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the undisciplined, comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient toward all.” —1 Thessalonians 5:14
Kindness
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another,…” —Colossians 3:12-13
“Instead, be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ also forgave you.” —Ephesians 4:32
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.” —Luke 6:35
Goodness
“I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.” —Romans 15:14
“So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who belong to the family of faith.” —Galatians 6:10
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” —2 Peter 1:5-7
Faithfulness
“Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful.” —1 Corinthians 4:2
“His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’” —Matthew 25:21
“Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.” —Revelation 2:10
Gentleness
“Let everyone see your gentleness. The Lord is near!” —Philippians 4:5
“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,” —Colossians 3:12
“…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,” —Ephesians 4:2
Self-control
“For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control.” —2 Timothy 1:7
“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,…” —Titus 2:11-12
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments[j] to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.” —Romans 6:12-13
Empowered by the Spirit
Empowered with Access to God
“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” —Ephesians 2:18
Empowered in Prayer
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.” —Romans 8:26
Empowered with Freedom
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.” —2 Corinthians 3:17
Empowered with Truth
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” —John 16:13
Empowered with Wisdom
“But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.” —James 1:5
Empowered for Unity
“Now may the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus,…” —Romans 15:5
Empowered in the Inner Person
“I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith,…” —Ephesians 3:16-17
Empowered with Life and Peace
“For the outlook of the flesh is death, but the outlook of the Spirit is life and peace,…” —Romans 8:6
Empowered to Be Free from the Law
“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” —Galatians 5:18
Empowered Over Sin and Death
“For the law of the life-giving Spirit in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.” —Romans 8:2
Empowered Over the Flesh
“(for if you live according to the flesh, you will die), but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.” —Romans 8:13
Empowered Over Temptation
“No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” —1 Corinthians 10:13
Empowered with Godly Desires
“…for the one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort—for the sake of his good pleasure—is God.” —Philippians 2:13
Empowered for Good Works
“For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.” —Ephesians 2:10
Empowered with Spiritual Gifts
“Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.… It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.” —1 Corinthians 12:4-7,11
Empowered to Bear Fruit
“My Father is honored by this, that you bear much fruit and show that you are my disciples.” —John 15:8
Empowered to Witness
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth.” —Acts 1:8
Empowered to Overcome
“You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” —1 John 4:4
Empowered for Every Circumstance
“I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all things through the one who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:12-13
Empowered Over Adversity
“My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” —James 1:2-4
Empowered to Stand Against the Devil’s Schemes
“Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” —Ephesians 6:10-11