What does “walk by the Spirit” really mean?

　　So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. - Galatians 5:16

　　In 1933, bowler Bill Knox had a large screen placed just above the bowling lane so that he couldn’t see the pins. All he could see was a few feet in front of him. Yet, much to the amazement of the crowd, he bowled a perfect game!

　　So how did he do it? Very simply, he put a mark on the floor in line with the pins. Instead of looking down the long lane at the pins, he only tried to hit that mark that was near him. This technique of “spot bowling” resulted in a huge success for Knox!

　　Many Christians can feel overwhelmed when they look down the “lane” of life and try to honor God with their entire lives. They see God’s character and theirs, and become discouraged because they don’t see a way they can fulfill all the “duties” that God requires of them.

　　But what if instead of trying to live perfect lives, we simply walked by the Spirit day by day? This would completely take away the daunting task of trying to be the “super-Christian” we think we should be, and would allow us to experience the freedom of walking in the Spirit!

　　Don’t think of the Christian life as climbing a mountain. Think of it as taking a single step right now in front of you. Let God’s Spirit guide you step by step and you’ll begin living in true freedom!

　　Prayer Challenge

　　Pray that God would help you to live each day in freedom as you walk in step with His Spirit.

　　Questions for Thought

　　Why do you think people often feel overwhelmed when faced with the “duties” of the Christian life?

　　How might your life look differently if you saw living in obedience less like a task and more like a daily relationship with the Holy Spirit?

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