What Does ‘Walking in the Spirit’ Mean?

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Galatians 5:16 says: ‘Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.’

Most sermons treat this as a disposition, an attitude, or simply a general orientation toward God. But the verse is operational. It assumes a conflict is already happening. It means that two kingdoms are already competing for the same person.

Key Takeaways

• Galatians 5:16 emphasizes actively choosing to walk in the Spirit amid a conflict between flesh and spirit.
• The ‘flesh’ represents a spiritual entity influenced by Satan, not just the physical body.
• Walking in the Spirit requires faith, personal scripture engagement, spiritual fruit production, and endurance in truth.
• Success in walking in the Spirit reveals spiritual maturity, which requires continuous obedience, not a one-time event.
• Believers should reflect on their walk in the Spirit and consider the truth of their faith, as outlined in the article.

This command is not about feeling spiritual. It is about deliberately choosing, and repeatedly relating to which kingdom to act from.

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after THE FLESH, but after the Spirit."  (Romans 8:1)

"Because THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY [or is an enemy] AGAINST GOD: for it [i.e. the Carnal Mind that walks in 'The Flesh'] is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."  (Romans 8:7)

What does ‘…the flesh’ mean in Galatians 5:16?

The book ‘God’s Great Plan for Mankind – REVEALED!’ extracts and expounds upon many spiritual lessons from the Apostle Paul’s letters. Generally speaking, Paul refers to his letters as ‘Walking in the Spirit‘ (Romans 8:1). Even the Apostle Peter referred to Paul’s writings as being unique, in that he said:

"And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;  16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood [because they required a spiritual mind], which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest[le], as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."  (2 Peter 3:15-16)

Where Paul refers to ‘…the flesh’ (Galatians 5:16), he is not referring to the physical body. He is referring to the spiritual entity within everyone’s humanity that responds to the call from Satan’s kingdom rather than the voice from God’s kingdom.

In reality, any individual who has a “…carnal mind” is one whose mindset “….walks in the flesh“. This refers to Christians who have preferred to adopt a theological set of beliefs that are convenient to their lifestyle or desires, rather than to Biblical truths.

This means that such Christians prefer to embrace a comfortable doctrine such as ‘Once Saved Always Saved’ over (say) a demanding TRUTH that says:

"If a [Christian] man ABIDE NOT IN ME [Jesus Christ], he is CAST FORTH [from Christ] as a [FRUITLESS] BRANCH, and is [become spiritually] withered [or 'dry']; and men [meaning angels - Matthew 13:41-42 later] GATHER THEM, and CAST THEM INTO THE [Lake of] FIRE [Revelation 20:11-15], AND THEY ARE BURNED [throughout eternity - Isaiah 66:23-24]."  (John 15:6)

What the above verse indicates is that if there is NO spiritual “Fruit” produced by a Christian for God to partake of, it means they have NO Salvation.

The role of mankind’s ‘Spirit’

The Bible says the spirit of a man is located in the “belly” region of our bodies. It is located just under the heart (Proverbs 20:27).

Each individual’s personal ‘spirit’ has the potential to conform their will to the obedience of God’s commands (John 14:15). It can also desire to perform God’s will (Matthew 12:50). If conforming one’s will to God’s will becomes our will, this enables God’s child (2 Corinthians 6:18) to navigate the ‘Narrow Way‘ that leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:14-15).

To commence this journey requires a NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT to be given to God’s child, as promised by Him in Ezekiel 36:26.

Therefore, ‘Walking in the Spirit‘ can only be accomplished from a capacity of exercising FAITH in the scriptures, rather than choosing a religious-based faith.

"For TO BE CARNALLY MINDED IS [physical, never ending] DEATH [in the Lake of Fire in an immortal body that can never die - Mark 9:43-48]; but to be spiritually minded is [eternal] LIFE and PEACE [with our Creator]."  (Romans 8:6)

Why God has placed this ‘flesh / Spirit’ conflict inside every believer

The structure of the book explains why the flesh-Spirit conflict is not a design flaw in God’s Great Plan for Mankind. It is His means of testing everyone born upon the Earth to determine who it is who really loves Him (Matthew 6:24).

God has placed every soul on this Present Earth under Satan’s influence (Ephesians 2:2). Satan has proven himself to be the perfect liar, deceiver and enemy of humanity. God uses him and his “devices” to ensnare all unbelievers in unbelief in God (i.e. the Big Bang Theory). God also allows Satan to deceive Christians using false doctrine from his ministers in the pulpits (2 Corinthians 11:4).

"Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices [unlike most of those in the church]."  (2 Corinthians 2:11)

In other words, God allows Satan to specifically create a set of conditions to test upon every one of God’s children. This is demonstrated in the account of Job, as stated below.

"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job [for testing], that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?...12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he [Job] hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord [to afflict Job]."  (Job 1:8, 12. See also Job 2:3, 6)

The struggle that Paul describes about himself in Romans 7:14-25 does not represent evidence of any failure in God’s creating of humanity. Paul was describing how the “flesh lusted against his spirit” and vice versa. In other words, there was a war going on inside him that his spirit had to have victory over (Romans 7:2-24). The same applies to every Christian today.

"Behold, I was shapen [or formed in my mother's womb] in INIQUITY [or rebellion against authority]; and IN SIN did my mother conceive me."  (Psalm 51:5)

"WASH ME thoroughly from mine INIQUITY, and CLEANSE ME from my sin."  (Psalm 51:2)

The Eight Stages of Walking in the Spirit (Book Figure 13)

The book contains an illustration (below) that portrays what Walking in the Spirit represents. In essence, it presents the various stages of spiritual maturity.that God expects to see as being evident in His children on Earth.

A believer at Stage-4 (a “Little Child“) walks in the Spirit differently than one at Stage-7, who has “…overcome the wicked one [i.e. Satan and his wicked devices]” (1 John 2:14) .

Many Christians today claim they are “…born-again” – but are they? Spiritual maturity is not a one-time event! It is an ongoing direction of growth that deepens across a lifetime of deliberate obedience towards God and His words. It becomes more of a RACE (Hebrews 12:1-2) rather than an event that happens in a moment in time.

For more information about Salvation, see my previous article titled, ‘Biblical Salvation as viewed from the spiritual perspective‘.

Three practical realities of ‘Walking in the Spirit’ for an ordinary Christian today

First: regular, serious interaction with Scripture is a high requirement for entering into God’s kingdom.

"STUDY [the Bible] to shew thyself APPROVED unto God, a WORKMAN [who serves both God and Christ - 1 Corinthians 7:22] that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  (2 Timothy 2:15)

The many TRUTHS embedded in the study of scripture is where God teaches His children personally – John 6:45 . This only happens to those who are seeking God’s truths (John 4:23).

Second: producing spiritual fruit through personal evangelism (not passive churchgoing) is essential for producing the required quantity of spiritual “fruit” unto God. This is clearly stated by Jesus in John 15:1-2.

"...herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear MUCH FRUIT)" 
(John 15:8)

Third: Endurance for scriptural TRUTH rather than choosing a comfortable doctrine when Scripture becomes demanding. These are the practical expressions of Galatians 5:16 that most church teaching ignores.

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh [a set of comfortable doctrines]."  (Galatians 5:16)

The book – ‘God’s Great Plan for Mankind REVEALED!‘ by Alan Manson contains over 300 KJV verse quotations. The book is not so much about the author’s beliefs. It is about what the Bible has to reveal to those who are seeking Biblical ‘TRUTH’.

"Let a man [you the reader] so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD."  (1 Corinthians 4:1)

Others who have read the book have posted their reviews here.

Other articles in this series are:

1. In the Pre-Adamic world, did an Original Earth exist before Adam?
2. Is ‘Salvation’ Simply Believing in Jesus?
3. Biblical Salvation as viewed from the spiritual perspective
4. What Does ‘Walking in the Spirit’ Mean?
5. How Does God Test Believers?
6. Who Is Satan in the Bible Really? <<Coming Soon>>

Invitation

I encourage you to share this article with your pastor and your trusted church members to determine for yourself whether the claims in this article are true or not.

On the contrary, if this article has caused you any concern about your Christian faith, feel free to post a comment or question in the Comments box below.

If you prefer to ask me a private question, feel free to contact me using my website’s Contact form.

Alan Manson
A Disciple of Jesus Christ
Retired engineer
Australia