Spiritual Growth is More of Holy Spirit and Less of the Flesh.

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

Walk by the Holy Spirit means lean on Him every day, every hour and every moment of your life. It is like a rod a person would use to walk. He leans on the rod and takes each step forward. This is how a believer must live every day. The Holy Spirit of God is a person. The triune God -God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit. One God in three persons. God is One God and three distinct persons in one substance, essence or nature.

When you call upon the name of the Son of God, Jesus Christ for salvation, the forgiveness of sins and eternal life, God grants His Holy Spirit to indwell in you. Therefore, a believer in Jesus has two mechanisms- old flesh and the new Holy Spirit. Our insight admonishes us to walk by the Holy Spirit. The reason for this admonition is flesh desires what is contrary to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposite to each other. The more you obey the Holy Spirit and less the flesh, the spiritual growth happens.
You and I get can walk by the Holy Spirit or walk according to the fleshly desires. You need more of the Holy Spirit in you and less of the flesh to stop living for the flesh. Jesus said and it is recorded in Luke 11:11-13, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Beloved Jesus says if your son asks for a fish, will you give him a snake instead? If he asks for an egg, will you give a scorpion? The same way if you ask the Father in heaven to give you the Holy Spirit, how much more he would give you? This means you can ask for more of God’s Holy Spirit and He will be given to you. It is a good prayer asking for more Holy Spirit. As we discussed yesterday, the Holy Spirit counsels, helps, teaches, reminds and guides you. Therefore you need more of the Holy Spirit.

The spiritual growth means more filling of the Holy Spirit and less of the flesh.

The acts of the flesh include sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idol worship, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfishness, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and sins like these. (Galatians 5:19-21).

In contrast, God’s Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control inside you. Marvelous fruit humanly unachievable.

You should look like more of the second set above and less of the first set above these days. Do you know why? The reason is the days now are evil. Bible says in Ephesians 5:17-20 do not be foolish in these evil days we live in. Instead, understand the will of the Lord. It is the will of God that you do not drunk with wine, because it eventually would lead you to indecent actions and ruin. Then it says it is the will of God that you be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is a command – be filled with the Holy Spirit. It says there when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will have a conversation about the Bible and its verses, sing hymns, and spiritual songs. Your heart would be filled with gratitude toward God. The filling of the Holy Spirit produces a God-honoring lifestyle and character. These are in essence the result of the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 3:16-17 says you would produce the same results – speaking of God’s word to one another, sing hymns and songs, and thankful to God when the Word of God richly dwell in you. Remember yesterday’s insight- do you see the connection here between the Word of God (Bible) and the Holy Spirit. When the word of God richly dwells in you, and you lean on the Holy Spirit every day, He helps you by counseling, teaching, reminding and guiding you by the God-breathed word of God, which is the Bible. You would bear more of spiritual fruit and less of fleshly action – more of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You obtain this when you allow the Holy Spirit fills you by asking God in prayer and studying accurately the Word of God-the Bible.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I believe your Son, Jesus Christ, died and rose again for my sins. I accept Him as my savior and Lord. Lord, I pray to grant and fill me with your Holy Spirit. Help me to lean on the Holy Spirit, not on my flesh in my life. I know the desires of my flesh and the Holy Spirit are contrary to each other. I surrender and submit my life to you and pray to help me to lean on the Holy Spirit every day. Help me to study your Word- the Bible. Help me to grow in you every day of my life. In Christ’s name, I pray, Amen.”