Walking in Step with the Spirit: Living by the Fruit of the Spirit

Time moves quickly, and as we approach the end of the year, it’s a good moment to reflect on the direction of our lives. Galatians 5:16-26 invites us to consider not just what we do, but the trajectory of our hearts, minds, and actions. We often love lists—they help us organize, remember, and simplify complex things. But there’s a danger in reducing our spiritual lives to a checklist. The abundant life God offers isn’t found in ticking off religious boxes, but in a living, dynamic relationship with Him.

Paul gives us two lists in this passage: one that describes the “works of the flesh” and another that describes the “fruit of the Spirit.” These aren’t exhaustive, but they paint a picture of two possible directions for our lives. The “flesh” list isn’t just about obvious sins; it’s about anything that distorts the image of God in us and severs right relationships—with God, with others, and even within ourselves. Interestingly, Paul spends the most time on matters of the heart—hatred, discord, jealousy, selfish ambition—reminding us that the condition of our hearts is central to the life we live.

In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—describe a life that is free, whole, and aligned with God’s design. This is what true freedom looks like: not the absence of boundaries, but the presence of God’s Spirit shaping us from the inside out. These qualities are not achieved by sheer willpower, but are the byproduct of walking in step with the Spirit, stewarding our energies in the direction of shalom—right relationship and flourishing.

We each have a part to play. God redeems and empowers us, but we are called to steward our hearts, minds, and actions. This happens best in community, through honest relationships, confession, repentance, and daily choices. The direction of our lives is shaped less by big, dramatic moments and more by the small things we do often. Each step, each choice, moves us either toward or away from the life God desires for us. The invitation is to keep in step with the Spirit, to take the next step—however small—in the direction of love, joy, and peace.

Key Takeaways

• 1. The Danger of Living by Lists Lists can help us organize and simplify, but they can also make our faith rigid and reductionistic. When we reduce our relationship with God to a checklist, we miss the deeper reality of life with Him. True spiritual growth is not about checking boxes, but about cultivating a living, responsive relationship with God that shapes every part of who we are. [06:07]
• 2. The Directionality of Our Energies Our hearts, minds, and actions are always moving in a particular direction—either toward the Spirit or the flesh. Stewardship means intentionally directing our energies toward life, shalom, and right relationship. The question is not just what we’re doing, but where those choices are taking us over time. [15:18]
• 3. The Centrality of the Heart Paul’s list of the “works of the flesh” focuses heavily on matters of the heart—hatred, discord, jealousy, and more. These are often overlooked but are deeply destructive. Guarding our hearts is essential, because the trajectory of our lives flows from the condition of our inner world. [21:13]
• 4. Freedom Through the Spirit, Not the Law True freedom is not found in rule-keeping, but in walking by the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is the natural outgrowth of a life rooted in God’s love and grace. As we keep in step with the Spirit, we experience a freedom that the law could never provide—a freedom marked by love, joy, and peace. [23:00]
• 5. Small Things Often Shape Our Trajectory The direction of our lives is determined less by big, dramatic moments and more by the small, daily choices we make. “Small things often” in the direction of the Spirit add up to a life that looks like Jesus. Each step matters; each choice is an opportunity to move toward shalom. [30:51]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:33] - Reflections on Time and Baptism
• [02:02] - Introduction to Galatians 5:16-26
• [03:23] - The Power and Pitfalls of Lists
• [06:07] - Lists and the Danger of Reductionism
• [08:12] - The Big Story: Creation to Restoration
• [11:06] - Living in the Tension: Spirit vs. Flesh
• [12:27] - Misunderstandings About Flesh and Spirit
• [13:31] - The Incarnation and Whole-Person Spirituality
• [14:49] - Stewarding the Direction of Our Lives
• [16:26] - Paul’s Two Lists: Flesh and Spirit
• [18:37] - Sin as Anti-Shalom
• [19:55] - The Heart: The Overlooked Battleground
• [22:24] - The Fruit of the Spirit and True Freedom
• [25:46] - Practices for Living in Freedom
• [28:55] - Walking in Step with the Spirit
• [30:51] - Small Things Often: Shaping Our Trajectory
• [32:00] - Responding: Next Steps and Prayer
• [34:23] - Communion and Closing Prayer

Bible Reading

Galatians 5:16-26 (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. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Observation Questions

1. What are the two lists Paul gives in Galatians 5:16-26, and how do they contrast with each other?
2. According to the sermon, which category of the “works of the flesh” does Paul spend the most time on, and why is that significant? [19:55]
3. What does Paul mean when he says, “against such things there is no law” in reference to the fruit of the Spirit? [22:33]
4. How does the sermon describe the difference between living by a checklist and living by the Spirit? [06:07]

Interpretation Questions

1. The sermon says that the “works of the flesh” are not just about obvious sins, but about anything that distorts the image of God in us and severs right relationships. How does this broader definition of sin challenge the way people usually think about right and wrong? [18:37]
2. Why do you think Paul focuses so much on matters of the heart—like hatred, discord, jealousy, and selfish ambition—in his list of the “works of the flesh”? What does this reveal about the source of our actions? [19:55]
3. The sermon talks about “directionality of our energies.” What does it mean to steward your heart, mind, and actions in a particular direction, and how is this different from just following rules? [15:18]
4. The fruit of the Spirit is described as a byproduct of walking with God, not something achieved by willpower. How does this understanding affect the way someone might approach spiritual growth? [23:23]

Application Questions

1. The sermon warns about the danger of reducing faith to a checklist. Are there areas in your spiritual life where you tend to focus on “checking boxes” rather than cultivating a real relationship with God? What would it look like to shift your focus? [06:07]
2. Think about the “small things often” idea from the sermon. What is one small, regular practice you could start this week to move your life in the direction of the Spirit? [30:51]
3. The “works of the flesh” list includes things like discord, jealousy, and selfish ambition. Is there one of these that you notice in your own life? What is one step you could take to address it honestly, either with God or with someone you trust? [20:27]
4. The sermon says that the direction of our lives is shaped more by small, daily choices than by big, dramatic moments. Can you think of a recent small choice that moved you either toward or away from the life God desires for you? How might you make a different choice next time? [31:04]
5. The fruit of the Spirit includes qualities like patience, kindness, and self-control. Choose one that you find challenging. What is a specific situation or relationship where you could practice this fruit in the coming week? [22:24]
6. The sermon emphasizes the importance of community, confession, and repentance. Is there someone in your life you could invite to help you process the direction of your life, or with whom you could practice honest confession? What might be holding you back? [26:44]
7. The sermon asks, “What is your next step?”—not a big leap, but a small, intentional move toward shalom. What is your next step in keeping in step with the Spirit? [32:00]