Led By the Spirit

Galatians 5:18-23
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[a] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders,[b] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

When we are being led by the Spirit we are not under the law. This means that we are NOT walking by our own desires which lead to the works of the flesh that are listed in vs. 19 and 20. And when we are being LED by the Spirit we will bear fruit such as that listed in vs. 22 and 23. So how do we know when we are being led by the Spirit? It is when there is evidence of the fruit of the Spirit; then we can know we are being led by the Spirit.

In the Colossians 3 below, notice in vs. 8 that Paul tells us to “put off” all these. He is telling us not do the things we used to do when we were under the law. These are the deeds of the "old man." Notice how he tells us in vs. 10 that we should "put on" the “new man.” Notice that WE are "putting off" and "putting on."

This might seem like a silly example, but when we get up in the morning and we dress ourselves, we don’t wait for the Lord to dress us. We take off our night clothes and put on the clothes that we are going to wear that day. We are making a conscious decision in what we are going to wear that day. There is no reason why our walk with Christ shouldn’t be the same. Sometimes it’s easy to recognize the deeds of the old man; and sometimes it’s not so easy because self rears its ugly head and will tell you it’s impossible. But we know this: Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Colossians 3


1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.