Walking by the Spirit by Pastor Michael Leong

Paul names the tension plainly. Romans 7 speaks of “waging war” in the inner life, where the desire to do good is dragged by the pull of sin. Galatians 5 places that war in sharp relief as the flesh pulling one way and the Spirit leading another. The picture lands like the old man’s line, “the one I feed the most.” Conversion puts a new desire in the heart, since the Spirit now dwells within. Sensitivity grows. What once felt fine now grieves the soul. That grief is not failure but evidence of life. Yet Scripture also warns that long familiarity can numb the heart, so the church must guard against dullness and lost first love.

Galatians 5 unveils the fruit on each tree. The works of the flesh are works because the flesh strains, grasps, and enthrones self. Paul groups them as bodily lusts, spiritual rebellion like idolatry, social fractures like rivalries and divisions, and self‑indulgence that never knows when to stop. The list is not exhaustive. A sober warning follows. Persistent domination by the flesh reveals a will that resists God’s rule. By contrast, the Spirit produces fruit, not fruits. The Spirit does not run a buffet line. He grows one Christlike life, love all the way to self‑control, in those who abide in Christ. True maturity is measured less by gifts or busyness and more by resemblance to Jesus.

The text then turns from diagnosis to action words. Walk by the Spirit is a command, not a suggestion. This is a moment‑by‑moment life under the Spirit’s guidance, possible because the very power that raised Jesus now lives within. That comfort also convicts. If such power dwells in believers, there is no ground to make peace with sin. Staying connected matters. Life lived like a phone on one percent will cave to the flesh, not because the Spirit is weak, but because the soul is unplugged from prayer and the Word.

Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh. The old self took a decisive deathblow at the cross, yet the flesh still kicks and screams. So Jesus’ daily cross matters. Pride resurfaces, anger flares in traffic, jealousy wakes at another’s promotion. Daily surrender nails them again. Finally, keep in step with the Spirit lands in community. Do not become conceited. Pride breeds comparison, provocation, and envy. Humility is the quiet mark of Spirit‑led life. The Spirit’s greatest proof is not only in power moments, but in ordinary days where only God can make a heart beat again. From that life, the church rises to carry the gospel to the nations.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. The battle proves spiritual life Grief over sin is not a sign of abandonment but of the Spirit’s presence. An unregenerate heart makes peace with sin; a regenerate heart mourns and resists it. The struggle itself is evidence of new desires awakened by God. Assurance grows as the believer keeps fighting under the Spirit’s lead. [11:37]
• 2. Feed the Spirit, starve the flesh Desires grow by what they are fed. Habits, inputs, and company either strengthen the flesh or cultivate the Spirit’s longings. Sowing to the Spirit looks mundane, but over time it reorders loves and weakens sin’s pull. What is fed, rules. [09:16]
• 3. Abiding bears one unified fruit The Spirit grows one Christlike life, not nine separate achievements to collect. Branches do not staple fruit; they remain in the vine and life appears. Real maturity shows up where love becomes patient, joy stays gentle, and self‑control holds steady. Character, not charisma, is the proof. [21:39]
• 4. Crucify the flesh every day Union with Christ means the old self was nailed to the cross, yet the flesh still fights for the driver’s seat. Daily denial applies the cross to today’s temptations and tomorrow’s subtle prides. Scripture calls this an ongoing surrender that keeps saying yes to the Spirit and no to self. [37:05]
• 5. Humility reveals Spirit‑led maturity Conceit turns community into a contest, provoking and envying until unity collapses. The Spirit moves the gaze off self toward love, honor, and quiet service. A humbled heart is hard to offend and quick to bless, which is why humility is a reliable sign of a Spirit‑kept step. [38:59]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [05:16] - Honest question about inner struggle
• [07:02] - Romans 7 and the war within
• [09:16] - “The one I feed the most”
• [12:31] - Warning against spiritual dullness
• [14:01] - Two ways of life contrasted
• [16:44] - Works of the flesh unmasked
• [21:39] - Abiding and the Spirit’s one fruit
• [25:24] - Command to walk by the Spirit
• [28:30] - Resurrection power dwelling within
• [31:43] - Stay plugged into the power source
• [33:44] - Crucifying the flesh daily
• [38:44] - Keep in step with the Spirit
• [43:05] - Only God revives the heart
• [45:35] - Spirit‑filled mission and closing prayer

Bible Reading
Galatians 5:16-25 (ESV)
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Romans 7:15-23 (ESV)
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.

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Observation Questions

1. In Galatians 5:19-23, Paul contrasts the "works of the flesh" with the "fruit of the Spirit." What difference does the language of "works" versus "fruit" imply about how these outcomes are produced? [15:30]
2. The sermon mentions the analogy of two dogs fighting inside us, where "the one I feed the most" wins. How does this analogy connect to Paul’s teaching in Galatians 5:16-18? [09:16]
3. According to Romans 7:15-20, why does Paul describe his struggle with sin as a war between his inner desires and his actions? What does this reveal about the human condition? [07:02]

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Interpretation Questions

1. Paul says believers "have crucified the flesh" (Galatians 5:24), yet he also urges them to "keep in step with the Spirit" (v. 25). How can both statements be true? What does this tension teach us about the ongoing battle against sin? [35:39]
2. The sermon states, "The Spirit produces fruit, not fruits." Why is it significant that the fruit of the Spirit is singular rather than plural? How does this shape our understanding of spiritual maturity? [20:22]
3. In Galatians 5:26, Paul warns against becoming "conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." How do these behaviors contradict the "fruit of the Spirit" listed earlier? What makes pride particularly destructive in a community? [40:48]

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Application Questions

1. The sermon compares staying connected to the Spirit to keeping a phone charged. What habits or practices help you "stay plugged in" to God’s power through prayer and Scripture? What drains your "spiritual battery"? [32:29]
2. Paul urges believers to "crucify the flesh" daily. What specific area of your life (e.g., pride, anger, jealousy) needs to be "nailed to the cross" again this week? How will you actively surrender it to the Spirit? [36:43]
3. The fruit of the Spirit is a unified reflection of Christ’s character. Which aspect of this fruit (love, joy, peace, etc.) feels most lacking in your life right now? What practical step could you take to cultivate it? [21:39]
4. The sermon warns that pride turns community into a "contest." When have you compared yourself to others or envied their success? How can humility reshape your relationships this week? [40:08]
5. "Grief over sin is evidence of the Spirit’s work." When have you experienced conviction over sin as a sign of God’s presence rather than His absence? How does this truth encourage you to keep fighting? [11:37]