Pastor John, what does it mean when the Apostle Paul calls Christians to walk by the Spirit

or to keep in step with the Spirit?

What does Paul mean by these phrases?

This morning, Tony, I was reading Galatians 5 as part of my regular walk through the

Bible and every time I come to Galatians 5, I am struck again by this gathering together

of statements about how I am supposed to live by the Spirit.

Here they are, verse 16, walk by the Spirit, verse 18, be led by the Spirit, verse 22, bear

the fruit of the Spirit, verse 25, live by the Spirit, second in that verse, keep in

step with the Spirit.

So five different statements and every time I read them I say, oh Lord, I want to do that,

I want to know experientially, what does it mean to walk by the Spirit and be led by

the Spirit and bear the fruit of the Spirit and live by the Spirit and keep in step with

the Spirit and I think the key is back in Galatians 3 because there we have an instruction

about how the Spirit came to us the first time and how it keeps on being supplied.

So in chapter 3 verse 2 it says, did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing

with faith?

So it tells you the Spirit came to you through faith the very first time you received

the Holy Spirit when you put your trust in Christ that that faith became the channel and

I think the Spirit created that channel by which you are united to Christ and the Spirit

flows into you by virtue of your union with Christ through faith.

And then he says in verse 5, does he who supplies, so now here we've got not the past receiving,

but the ongoing supply, does he who supplies the Spirit and works miracles among you and

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