Stay On Step - November 18

Read Galatians 5:22-26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Reflect

Since you became a Christian, what has been the biggest change in your life?

One of my sons is in the marching band at school. As I watched his band perform this fall, I was reminded just how important it is that everyone stays on step. Musically, the band members have different parts to play. In a field show, they may be walking in different directions and making different formations. But each and every member of the band should be marching to the beat of the same drum. They should even be on the same foot! When they are all in step, they all move as one unit.

Likewise, Paul wrote that if we want to live by the Spirit, then we need to keep in step with the Spirit. But what does he mean by that? Well, if we recall the context, we remember that Paul has been explaining how Christ has set us free from the law. The law does not have the power to save us, only faith in Christ’s gracious work on the cross on our behalf.

But Paul emphasized in Galatians 5:13 that we shouldn’t use our newfound freedom in Christ to gratify our sinful fleshly desires. In the previous verses, we read a list of “works of the flesh.” Unfortunately, all of these things come very naturally to us. In fact, apart from Christ, we are enslaved to them. But once we have been spiritually reborn, we are new creations. The problem is we still have to battle our flesh. We have to choose to put on our new selves, otherwise, we’ll just return to old, sinful ways.

This isn’t easy. We can’t accomplish this using our own willpower. Plus, if we place our trust and reliance in our own efforts again, we’re returning to the bondage of legalism! When we rely on legalism, all we do is change our outsides while the problem of sin still remains on the inside. Thankfully, in Christ, a changed life doesn’t depend on us, it is a work of the indwelling Holy Spirit—an Agent of change from the inside out.

Earlier, Paul listed out the deeds of the flesh but in this passage, he listed the “fruit of the Spirit.” All of these virtues are the polar opposite of the deeds of the flesh. Those of us who identity with Christ in His death and understand that He died in our place belong to Christ. As Paul said in Galatians 2:20, our flesh has been crucified with Christ. Now, it is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us! We have new spiritual life and the flesh no longer dominates us! Plus, that new life produces good fruit.

In his New Testament Commentary, Warren Wiersbe pointed out that fruit is grown whereas works are manufactured. He wrote: “When you think of ‘works’ you think of effort, labor, strain and toil; when you think of ‘fruit’ you think of beauty, quietness, and the unfolding of life. The flesh produces “dead works” (Hebrews 9:14), but the Spirit produces living fruit. And this fruit has in it the seed for still more fruit (Genesis 1:1).”

Our job is to stay in step with the Spirit and move as one with Him. That means that we submit ourselves to the Spirit’s leadership in our lives and rely on His power rather than our own. We have to keep walking. We keep moving forward. But these steps are guided by the Spirit so that we go where God leads, not where our flesh leads. And step by step, He produces a fruitful life in us.

Respond

Lord, I want to be led by Your Spirit. Help me to stay in step with You. Please guide my steps and produce Your good fruit in my life. Amen.

Reveal

Think about someone in your life who seems weighed down—maybe they’re discouraged, overwhelmed, or just going through a hard week. Pick one “fruit of the Spirit” and let it shape how you show up for them. If it’s kindness, bring them lunch or send a note of encouragement. If it’s patience, listen without rushing to fix anything. If it’s joy, invite them to do something that makes you both laugh. You don’t have to announce what you’re doing—just quietly let the Spirit’s fruit flow through you. As you walk in step with Him, others will begin to taste that goodness too, often before they even know its source.