“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” | Galatians 5:25
How do we live the Christian life? Since we are born again by the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Jesus – then to live the Christian life, we must keep in step with the Spirit. This is how we live as God’s children. “All who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).
But what does it mean to walk by the Spirit in daily life? The Greek word “keep in step” means to be in a row or line, following the person in front of you, keeping in step with their every move. To walk in step with the Spirit means an active, personal engagement following him. Being led by the Spirit is an ongoing process – waiting, watching, seeking, listening, obeying. He is leading us, and we are actively following him
Pastor John Piper has taught how he uses a process called APTAT as a practical way to keep in step with the Spirit in life and ministry. Building off of this, I made a few adjustments to this process and found it to be a great help for walking with the Spirit in my personal growth, marriage, family, and ministry. Consider these five stages of following the Spirit through LATAT – Look, Admit, Trust, Act, Thank.
LOOK – watch and listen through the Word of God, Prayer, and Fellowship
Before you can follow the Spirit, you have to look and see where he is and listen to the directions he is giving you. This begins with regular time in the Word of God. This is the first and most foundational way we see God, know God, hear from God, and learn to follow God.
We also look to the Holy Spirit in regular times of prayer. This should not be separate from our Bible reading. Don’t read the Bible, close it, and then pray. Pray through the Word of God. Pray as you read. Pray God’s Word back to him. Let what God has spoken in his Word, guide your prayer. As you pray, the Spirit will steer your heart and guide your desires.
We should also look to God as he is working in the lives of fellow believers. As you study the Word and pray with fellow Christians, you learn from them. The Spirit teaches you through others. As you see God transform others, you see how you need to be transformed. As you see others, step out in faith, you are emboldened to step out in faith. Paul’s letter to the Christians in Ephesus calls us to be filled with Spirit in these ways.
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children… understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” | Ephesians 5:1, 17-21
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might… and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” | Ephesians 6:10, 17-18
ADMIT – what you don’t want to do, can’t do, or don’t know how to do
As soon as we look and see who the Holy Spirit is calling us to be and what he is calling us to do, we are immediately overwhelmed by our natural inability to do it! Confess your utter weakness and need to Lord.
Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” | John 15:5
I find it helpful to specifically admit to God one – or more – of the ways I am unable to follow him.
- We lack desire: We hear God’s command to love our enemies, or forgive as we’ve been forgiven – and we don’t want to do that!
- We lack ability: We see that we are called to reflect God and bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control – and we realize we can’t do that in our own strength!
- We lack understanding: We hear the call to be ambassadors for Christ and share the good news with those who don’t know him – and we don’t know how to do that!
Only once we admit our weaknesses can we find God’s power. When I am weak, then I am strong.
The Lord says, “‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” | 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
TRUST – ask and believe that God’s Spirit will work in and through you
Don’t just ask for general help–ask specifically. If you need strength, ask. If you need faith, ask. If you need patience, ask. If you need direction, ask. You have not, because you ask not (Jas. 4:2)! Jesus said the Holy Spirit comes to those who ask in faith.
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” | Luke 11:13
Ask and trust that God will fill you and meet your need – maybe not in the way you wanted – but in fact better than you could ask or imagine. God gives the Spirit without measure (John 3:34). So, trust that God’s Spirit will fill you and overcome your doubt, temptation, worry, or fear. As Christians, we walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7) – not just in our initial moment of trusting Christ, not just in a general sense of believing in God – but with specific faith, in our specific moments of need! Live by faith, moment by moment. Trust God’s commands, promises, and presence.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” | Proverbs 3:5-6
ACT – step with the Holy Spirit to think, say, and do his will
If we are going to keep in step with the Spirit, we have to listen to and follow him. Living a Spirit-filled, supernatural Christian life doesn’t mean we are passive – just waiting for God to overcome our will without our participation. We do have to put one foot in front of the other. We have to act. We have to obey. We have to think rightly about God, speak his words, and do what he commands. We don’t do this in our own natural power, but with his supernatural power – “whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies” (1 Pet 4:11). This is why Jesus sent his Spirit to us.
“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 end of the earth.” | Acts 1:8
To act by the power of the Spirit doesn’t just mean your behavior – your heart must be in step as well. Our thoughts, words, and deeds must be in step with the Spirit. I have called this before Grace Empowered Effort but it is just as theologically accurate to call it Spirit Empowered Effort. The Spirit of God is the driving force behind our actions, obedience, maturity, and fruitfulness. The Spirit leads and empowers us! We don’t live the Christian life passively floating on a raft, or working in our own strength like a rowboat. The Christian life is like a sailboat. The sailor is very active on the sailboat, but he doesn’t go anywhere without the power of the wind. We must cooperate with the Spirit and work with his energy.
“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” | Colossians 1:29
THANK – recognize what God has done and will do in you and others
If you are walking with the Spirit of God – looking to him, admitting your weakness, trusting him to work, and acting in his power – then he will be at work in you and through you! This should make us thankful. It is easy to be negative, critical, doubtful or to focus on what hasn’t been done or where you failed. But a big part of maturing in holiness as we keep in step with the Spirit is growing in gratitude. When we don’t rejoice and give thanks, we quench the Holy Spirit.
“…be filled with the Spirit… giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” | Ephesians 5:18, 20
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” | 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19
Look, Admit, Trust, Act, Thank
When you walk with God’s Spirit, he will keep you in his will, mature you, empower you, bear fruit in you, and grow you in holiness. This is how we can live the supernatural Christian life in every area of life – our goals, plans, health, marriage, kids, friendships, spiritual growth, ministry, community witness – all of life!
For more, listen to the sermon Pastor Tim preached on this topic.
0 Comments