Let The Holy Spirit Guide Your Life

In Galatians 5, the Apostle Paul shifted his focus. He went from talking about our freedom in Christ to letting the Holy Spirit guide our lives. He concluded it with the following verse.

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:25

Let’s back up a few verses to observe Paul’s concern about the possible abuse of freedom. Jewish converts told the Gentile believers to follow the requirements of Judaism, mainly circumcision.

He confirmed that we receive our salvation by placing our faith in Christ Jesus. In this portion of scripture, he warned the Galatian Christians about abusing their newfound freedom.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13

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He advises us to avoid the attitude of “I have the freedom to do what I want.” Instead, he encourages us not to focus on ourselves but to use our freedom as a service tool for others.

He continued to describe the ongoing battle that continually goes on within us. Our sinful nature, with its evil desires, fights against the good intentions of our new nature.

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. Galatians 5:17

Beware of Worldliness

If we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, our desire for worldliness will try to overtake us. Paul gave us a list of evil activities followed by this disclaimer, “and other sins like these.”

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Galatians 6:19-21

In 2 Timothy, Paul described the overall spiritual climate the closer we get to the end times. The Christians who don’t allow the Holy Spirit to guide them could get swallowed up in worldliness.

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.
For people will love only themselves and their money.
They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
Also, they will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.
They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
Plus, they will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.
Stay away from people like that! 2 Timothy 3:1-5

If you search the scriptures, you’ll find other lists, too. Paul reported what happens to Christians who get involved in worldliness when they stop letting the Holy Spirit guide them.

Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 6:21

The Holy Spirit will Guide Us Into Freedom

Remember, the apostle is still building on his conversation of our freedom in Christ. He says we should allow new fruit to grow out of our lives. We call it the Fruit of the Spirit.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 6:22-23

When you plant a garden, what do you spend most of your time doing? Weeding, correct? As we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, that fruit grows and pushes out the weeds of worldliness.

We’re back to the place where we started. Paul said that when living by the Spirit, we should let the Holy Spirit guide every part of our lives. He followed that statement with a three-part exhortation.

Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another. Galatians 5:26

If Satan senses weaknesses in us, he can use any of these three areas to undermine our Christian walk. Paul aimed the first warning at how we view ourselves.

Our Possible Weaknesses

Let us not become conceited. He tells us that we are nothing in ourselves — but everything in Christ. Therefore, we cannot brag about anything we’ve done but only about what Jesus has done.

Paul aimed the second one at how we should treat others.

Let us not provoke one another. In other words, don’t make others angry. The word provoke means to deliberately make someone annoyed or angry. Provoking swings far from loving.

The third one mentioned, deals with how we feel about others.

Let us not be jealous of one another. The word jealous means feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. Paul listed jealousy and envy as desires of our sinful nature.

Today’s key to this study comes down to letting the Holy Spirit guide our lives. The more we depend on the Lord, the more we will let His Spirit lead us.

Lord, thank you that by your Holy Spirit you guide our every step. We pray that the Fruit of the Spirit grows in us and pushes out the weeds of worldliness.

Check out these other related Post on living by the Holy Spirit.

You would enjoy reading the cornerstone post on discipleship called How To Be An Effective Devoted Disciple Of Jesus

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