What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?

"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." —Galatians 5:25 (NKJV)

When it comes to the Christian faith, a believer's "walk" is a metaphor for how we live our lives, what we do, and who we choose to follow.

Another translation of Galatians 5:25 reads, "If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit" (ESV, emphasis added). The metaphor of "walking" alongside or "keeping in step" with the Holy Spirit implies a few things about the way God intends for us to live our lives.

Walking = Movement

"Let us not grow weary of doing good..." —Galatians 6:9

"Walk" is verb. Verbs require action, and walking generally requires forward motion. That means spiritual maturity through listening to God's guidance and making intentional choices that benefit our personal growth and relationships.

As believers, we're expected to DO things—and GOOD things at that (Galatians 6:9). James 2:14 (NLT) asks, "What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?" What this passage basically means is that the good things we do are a natural result of being committed to living as God wills.

Sometimes we'll struggle to do the right thing, and we take steps back or even stop walking. That's a normal part of being human. God will always gives us an opportunity to start again.

Walking = Journey

"I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." —Philippians 3:14 (NLT)

If walking in the Spirit means we're moving, then our faith is a journey. On all important journeys, we're striving to make consistent forward progress. Every believer may walk at a different pace and in different ways, but we should all endeavor to move forward—even if only a little bit at a time.

We may stall or stumble along the way—or hit roadblocks—but, with God's forgiveness and the Holy Spirit, we can eventually get up, brush ourselves off, and start walking again (1 John 1:9; Philippians 3:14).

Walking = Finding Direction

"[Jesus] is your example, and you must follow in his steps." —1 Peter 2:21b (NLT)

If our faith is a journey, how do we know what we're supposed to be doing or which direction we should go? The Bible gives us the answer: Jesus. In fact, "Christian" literally means "follower of Christ." To follow Christ means that we live our lives by Jesus' example (John 14:6; 1 Peter 2:21).

Will we always do it perfectly? Not likely. Should we keep trying anyway? Absolutely!

Jesus knew this would be a hard journey. That's why He sent the Holy Spirit—to be with us and remind us of His teachings (John 14:16, 26, 15:26). When we allow the Holy Spirit to choose where we go, then we're following His lead and open to His influence. He'll always lead us toward righteousness (Galatians 5:16-18). When we resist His direction and rebel against God's will, we bring sorrow upon Him.

"Do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption." —Ephesians 4:30 (NLT)

How can I tell if I'm walking in the Spirit?

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." —Galatians 5:22-23

Examining ourselves on a regular basis is a good way to make sure we're still walking in step with the Spirit. One of the things we can look for is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Bearing this fruit is the result of walking with the Holy Spirit over time.

When we see the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we can consider this as evidence that we're allowing the Holy Spirit into our hearts, allowing Him to work within us, and practicing obedience to His guidance (Romans 6:11-14). Here are a few ways we can spot spiritual fruit:
  • When we practice patience by not losing our temper.
  • When we show kindness, love, and concern for others' needs.
  • When we hold to God's good virtues, morals, and standards.
  • When we stay faithful to God in the midst of adversity.
  • When we're gentle and loving to those around us.
  • When we practice humility and grace.

Galatians 5 lists more "evidences" of the Holy Spirit's work in the life of a believer:
  • We place all our hope for righteousness in Jesus (Galatians 5:5).
  • We realize that we have freedom from the old laws in Christ (Galatians 5:18).
  • We practice self-control over our physical desires (Galatians 5:16).

There are more passages in the Bible that describe what it looks like to walk in the Spirit too:
  • When we're filled with thankfulness, singing, and joy (Ephesians 5:18-20)
  • When we make decisions in our lives according to God's Word—allowing the Spirit to teach, rebuke, correct, and train them in righteousness (Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:16).
  • When sinful temptations become steadily easier to resist (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Progress is the goal—not perfection.

Now, to be clear, the human's spiritual journey is NOT a perfect process. We are definitely NOT saying that this is a checklist that any incompletion equals failure. That's an unbiblical, legalistic view, and we do not subscribe to it. Every person's spiritual journey is going to be full of ups and downs, growth and pruning, forward and sideways motion, and sometimes even going backward or standing still.

Perfection is NOT the goal. Progress is! ALL CHRISTIANS will struggle. If anyone claims to have no sin, they're a liar (1 John 1:8). But we also ALL have the Holy Spirit right there with us—picking us up and comforting us when we stumble (John 15:26), helping us pray (Jude 20), and giving us new life (John 3:6).

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TL;DR

"Walking in the Spirit" means allowing the Holy Spirit to choose where we go, then following His lead. When we walk in the Spirit, we're open to the Holy Spirit's influence as He leads us toward righteousness (Galatians 5:16-18). Spiritual fruit is a result of walking with the Holy Spirit over time (Galatians 5:22-23). Our walk with the Spirit will be full of ups and downs, growth and pruning, forward motion and sideways motion and sometimes even backward motion. All Christians will still struggle with sin (1 John 1:8), and that's OK. We may stall or stumble along the way, but with the Holy Spirit, we can get up, brush ourselves off, and start walking again (Philippians 3:14).

Writer & Managing Editor: Catiana (Cat)

Cat is the web producer and managing editor of 412teens.org. She is known as "412teens" on the 412teens Discord. She loves audiobooks, feeding the people she cares about, and using Christmas lights to illuminate a room. When Cat is not cooking, gardening, or practicing creativity, she enjoys spending time with her two adult kids, six socially-awkward cats, and her amazing friend-amily.

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