WALK BY THE SPIRIT

  "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh...

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."  

Galations 5:16, 25

I am reading Francis Chan's book, Forgotten God.  If you have not had the opportunity to dive into this book, then I recommend that you put on your swim trunks and take the plunge!  It is AMAZING! If you have read the book, then you will probably agree with me in saying that God is using Francis to be a voice of instruction for "radical living" in this crazy, selfish world!

I just finished Chapter 6 (yes, I am a little behind Bible Study friends from FBC Bentonville)  and was left with some thoughts that I wanted to journal about here on my blog.  God continues to reveal His Word to me in new and refreshing ways - even though I have read some of the  scripture over and over!  And that is the case with Galations 5:16 and 25.  In Paul's letter to the Galations, he is encouraging the believers there to "keep in step with the Holy Spirit."  We often hear the phrase or even say it ourselves, "walking with the Spirit".  And often times we use it as a desire for the revelation of God's ultimate "will" for our lives.  If we "walk" with  the Spirit, then surely God will reveal His plan for the rest of our days, right?  But Francis puts it so beautifully in his book.  I am quoting from Chapter 6 in Forgotten God:

I think dwelling on God's plan for the future often excuses us from faithful and sacrificial living now.  It tends to create a "safe zone" of sorts, where we can sit around and have "spiritual" conversations about what God "might" have planned for our lives.  Thinking, questioning, and talking can take the place of letting the Spirit affect our immediate ACTIONS in radical ways.  God wants to see His children STAKE EVERYTHING on His power and presence in their lives.        

That hit me so hard this morning - stake everything on His power and presence!  

People, that is what RADICAL is all about!  

I don't want to just "talk" about it anymore.  Tim and I have been "talking" about God's plan for our future - wondering what it will look like, praying for His will to be revealed - and all that is well and good.  But what RADICAL (not ridiculous) steps are we taking to "walk by the Spirit" daily?  Walking is a verb - which means ACTION!  

My prayer is that Christians would truly WALK -TAKE ACTION in their daily lives to live for Jesus and make His name renown!  This is a call for radical faith:

"Being willing to suffer anything and forsake everything for the sake of the gospel!