Go! And Walk By The Spirit - Galatians 5:16–26 Series

GO! And Walk By The Spirit - Galatians 5:16–26

INTRODUCTION — A CALL TO A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIVING

If there were ever a passage that exposes the war within the human heart, it is Galatians 5:16–26. We live in a generation that tells us to “follow your heart”, yet Scripture tells us the heart is deceitful, prone to wander, and constantly pulled between the sinful nature and the work of the Holy Spirit.

Everyone in this room knows the tension:

You want to live for God, but temptation whispers.

You want to walk in peace, but anger rises.

You want to show love, but bitterness lingers.

You want to be patient, but everything feels urgent.

Today’s message is God’s answer: “Go! And walk by the Spirit.”

GALATIANS 5:16–26 (NLT):

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

17 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.

18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,

20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,

21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.

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

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

THE WAR WITHIN (vv. 16–18)

“Let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.” (v. 16)

Paul uses the Greek verb pe??pate?te (peripateite) — “walk continually”. This is not a momentary spiritual high; this is daily, deliberate, ongoing obedience. To walk by the Spirit is to live a Spirit-directed lifestyle, not just have a spiritual opinion.

The Conflict Explained

Verse 17 describes two opposing forces:

s??? (sarx) — the sinful nature, the self-centred, God-resisting part of us.

??e?µa (Pneuma) — the Holy Spirit producing God-honouring desires.

They are “constantly fighting” — the Greek ??t??e?ta? (antikeitai) means “set in opposition, waging war.”

This explains why even Christians feel internal tension.

In Romans 7:15–25, Paul confesses this struggle, saying: “I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.” (v. 19)

Paul writes both Romans and Galatians to show believers that spiritual victory does not come through willpower or the Law but through the Spirit.

If you feel torn between right and wrong — good news — that struggle is evidence the Spirit is at work in you.

John Piper: “The Christian life is war. It is a warfare fought by the Spirit, empowered by the Gospel, and aimed at holiness.”

Piper is right: this isn’t a Sunday stroll; it’s a daily battle. And the battlefield is your heart. The Spirit wins the war as we yield—He never forces Himself; He leads.

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH (vv. 19–21)

Paul lists 15 examples of what happens when we follow the sinful nature.

A Word Study on “Works” — ???a (erga)

“Works” of the flesh are manufactured. They are things we produce when left to ourselves. The flesh never rests. It always produces something destructive.

Paul is not giving a full list; he says “other sins like these.” The point is not to memorise the list but to recognise the source — the sinful nature.

Ephesians 2:1–3 tells us before Christ we were:

Dead in sin

Obedient to the devil

Following the passions of our sinful nature

Ephesus was filled with pagan immorality — similar to modern Western society.

The Two Dogs

An old illustration tells of a man with two dogs who constantly fought — a black dog and a white dog.

Someone asked, “Which dog wins?”

He replied, “The one I feed the most.”

The flesh and Spirit are not equals. What you feed grows.

Feed lust ? lust grows.

Feed pride ? pride grows.

Feed Scripture, prayer, worship ? the Spirit’s fruit grows.

R.T. Kendall: “The greatest threat to holiness is not the devil outside us, but the sin that remains within us.”