Fancy a Life-Changing Challenge? Towards the end of his epistle to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul issues a profound call. It’s easy to gloss over it without giving it the full attention it deserves. But there it is, clear as day, in Galatians 5:25: “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” It’s a radical summons to a life not merely inspired, motivated, and led by the Spirit, but actively aligned with Him.
Even for charismatics, it’s not enough to talk about the Spirit or to agree in theory that He leads us. No, this is a call to something far deeper. There’s an urgency here—a summons to practical, daily obedience that shapes how we think, act, and engage with the world. It’s an audacious challenge. To live by the Spirit is to acknowledge that we owe our very lives—our spiritual awakening and our new birth—to Him. So far, so good. But we need to pause as Paul presses further. It’s not enough to wander aimlessly in our new life in the Spirit. Something else is vital. Our willing response must be to endeavour wholeheartedly to walk in the Spirit’s direction, keeping pace with Him in everything.
The Context of Galatians 5
To understand this, we need to examine the broader context Paul paints in this chapter. He urgently contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit—and the divide is striking. The works of the flesh present a grim, dark list, a picture of humanity unrestrained and living as if God does not matter. It’s a list we sadly recognise in our society and culture today: sexual immorality, idolatry, envy, and fits of anger. These behaviours are not isolated; they are symptoms of a deeper issue—the pull of our sinful nature, which opposes God at every turn.
Paul, elsewhere, identifies idolatry with greed (cf. Colossians 3:5), but idolatry is evident in every corner of life. It’s a life that prioritises self above all else, leaving chaos and carnage in its wake. No wonder Paul makes it clear that those who live this way—who are defined by these things—will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). It’s a sober warning: the stakes are high.
But then Paul shifts focus, describing the bountiful fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23). These aren’t just virtues to aspire to; they are the full evidence of a life submitted to the Spirit. Notice how Paul calls them “fruit.” Fruit grows as the result of being in the right environment. What’s more, you can’t force it or fake it; it’s the natural outworking of the Spirit’s presence in our lives.
This doesn’t mean we’re passive spectators, waiting for fruit to appear as if the Spirit’s work is only for others. Paul’s call to “keep in step” with the Spirit reminds us that growth happens in the context of active cooperation. If we are truly walking by the Spirit, it will be evidenced in how we measure our steps, pacing ourselves with Him.
Aligning Our Lives with the Spirit
To keep in step with the Spirit means to align our lives with His leading. This is not an esoteric or mystical process; it is deeply practical and comes down to small, daily choices. It means intentionally rejecting the desires of the flesh and choosing instead to follow the Spirit’s prompting—a far easier concept than practice, yet essential.
For example, it means managing anger and choosing patience, not feeding envy but celebrating another’s success, and walking in self-control. These deliberate choices reflect whether we are truly walking in step with the Spirit or being pulled off course by the flesh.
Being intentional in our walk with God is at the heart of this. Keeping in step with the Spirit is not about earning God’s approval. Paul has already made it clear earlier in Galatians that salvation is by grace through faith, not by works of the law (Galatians 2:16). Here, Paul addresses something else: having begun our walk with God, filled by His Spirit, we are invited into a richer, more meaningful journey of intimacy with Him. This is about walking with God, not striving to prove ourselves.
The Spirit is not a taskmaster demanding flawless obedience; He is a Helper who empowers us to live in freedom. And while perfection is not the expectation—we will stumble—the Spirit is there to convict, lead us to repentance, and remind us of the vast reservoir of grace we have in Christ.
Grace and Partnership
Grace is absolutely central to this journey. Without it, we could never hope to keep in step with the Spirit. It is grace that enables us to live by the Spirit in the first place, and grace that picks us up when we falter. But in case we get complacent, grace doesn’t mean passivity—it calls us to participate in what God is doing. It’s an invitation to deep intimacy with Him, being actively involved in what the Spirit is doing. The Spirit leads, but we must follow; He convicts, but we must respond; He produces fruit, but we must stay rooted in Him.
So, how do we actually keep in step with the Spirit? It starts with surrender, prayer, and obedience. We recognise and acknowledge that we cannot walk this path in our own strength. We need Him—and all the help we can get. It’s a daily posture of dependence.
It also requires attentiveness. The Spirit speaks, but we must listen. He leads, but we must pay attention to His direction. This means cultivating habits that help us stay tuned to His voice—prayer, Scripture, worship, and fellowship with other believers—and sometimes simply reminding ourselves not just of who we are, but whose we are.
Keeping in step with the Spirit also involves obedience—this is the hardest bit. When He convicts us of sin, we repent. When He prompts us to act, we act. This isn’t about waiting for some grand revelation like Isaiah or Ezekiel might have had; often, the Spirit leads us in the ordinary moments of life—a nudge to speak a kind word, an inward conviction to apologise, or a reminder to serve, help, or encourage someone in need. Our small steps of obedience are how we stay aligned and increasingly synchronised with Him.
A Communal Walk
Keeping in step with the Spirit is not always easy. The desires of the flesh are real, relentless, and lifelong. Paul describes this as a conflict, a battle between two opposing forces. The Spirit and the flesh are fundamentally incompatible, like oil and water. To walk by the Spirit is to resist the flesh, deny its lure, and choose a different way. This can feel like a struggle—and it is. The good news is that we do not fight this battle alone. The Spirit Himself empowers us, not merely pointing the way but giving us the strength to walk in it.
Christianity is not individualistic; it is communal—we are the church together. Paul warns against becoming conceited, provoking one another, and envying one another. So keeping in step with the Spirit is not just an individual endeavour; it’s something we do together as God’s people. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, and the rest—are relational by nature. They shape how we treat one another and how we live as a community. When we keep in step with the Spirit, we reflect His character not just in our own lives but in how we relate to others. Everybody benefits!
A Life Worth Pursuing
The urgency in Paul’s words cannot be ignored. This is not a side issue or an optional part of the Christian life. It is central to what it means to follow Jesus. To live by the Spirit and keep in step with Him is to participate in the very life of God, reflecting His image in a world desperately in need of His light. It’s a call to move beyond a shallow, self-centred faith and embrace the transformative work of the Spirit in every area of our lives.
Paul’s closing words in this passage—“Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another”—are a reminder of the pitfalls that can trip us up. Pride, comparison, and division are works of the flesh masquerading as spirituality. Keeping in step with the Spirit means expressly, intentionally, and wilfully rejecting these attitudes, and walking humbly with God and with one another.
Ultimately, this is about trust—trusting that the Spirit knows the way, that His path leads to life, and that His power is sufficient for our weakness. Trusting that when we stumble, His grace is enough to lift us up, and trusting that the fruit He produces in us will not only transform our lives but also bear witness to the world of the goodness of God.
Hopefully, you are convinced! If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
We do so not just in theory, not just when it’s convenient, but every day, in every decision, in every moment. And we do so because this is where life is found—not in the fleeting desires of the flesh, but in the enduring, life-giving work of the Spirit.
And that’s a life worth pursuing with everything we have.
