Spiritual Order – Walking in the Spirit

Last week, we learned the truth about submission and spiritual order and this week we will learn to walk in the Spirit, also known as ordered living. Spiritual order gives us the framework needed to live God’s Way in the Tree of Life – with our spirits united with God and our soul and body submitted to our spirit. Why our spirit? Our spirit was designed by God to be our command center and our soul and body are to follow the spirit’s lead. 

In 2 Peter 1:3, Peter tells us, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” In other words, we have all we need to live a godly life but we still struggle. Why? Our spirit is not in the lead. The “world” constantly “feeds” our soul through all we see and hear and our body clearly lets us know when it is hungry or tired. So, how do we get our spirit into the leadership position? We have to be intentional to feed our spirit and make it the most influential in our lives.   

Of our three distinct parts – spirit, soul, and body – which is in control in your life? Most often it is the soul, the seat of our emotions. Who hasn’t seen a toddler throw himself on the floor and demand to have his way? As adults, we have the same tendency adopting sayings like, “If it feels good do it.” In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul explains this type of  behavior is that of a soul-led life and features “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.” Later, in Galatians 5:22-23, Paul contrasts a spirit-led life which produces “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” and results in incredible benefits like spiritual growth, protection, and the power to overcome obstacles and challenges.   

So, which is in control of your life – spirit, soul, or body? What should we do when we fall short and are out of spiritual order, letting our soul or our body take the lead which belongs to our spirit? When we’re out of spiritual order, we need to stop and repent, asking for and receiving His grace. May we do just that this week as we repent, change the way we think, and allow our spirit to be led by the Spirit. 

If you want to learn more, there’s still time to pick up your copies of A Year to a Better You, the year-long devotional, and the companion S.O.A.P. Journal.