As I continue my study of the Old Testament in 2023, I have noticed a correlation between keeping in step with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25, and habitually walking with God. Moses describes the spiritual life of Enoch and Noah to habitually walking with God. Rather than being consumed with unwholesome addictions, bad habits, and lustful cravings, these two godly men kept in step with God’s Spirit. Inquiring minds want to know, how is this possible to accomplish while living in 2023?
Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you. 26 Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright. 27 Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil, Proverbs 4:25-27.
One of the wisest human beings to ever walk the face of the earth chimes in on this topic in the passage above. King Solomon claims that being task and goal oriented isn’t enough to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. Rather, you need to be vision oriented, living with your eyes daily fixated on Jesus, Hebrews 12:1-2. When considering where to go and what to do like Jesus in Mark 1:35, ask yourself does this activity align with God’s will? Whatever you decide, following the advice in Proverbs 4:27 will guide you in the right direction to keep in step with the Holy Spirit.
Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, 2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God, Hebrews 12:1-2.
The context of the passage above occurs immediately following the Bible’s Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11. The individuals recognized for this lifetime achievement award each demonstrated the ability to keep in step with God’s Holy Spirit. Subsequently, when the author starts with therefore to begin a new chapter, this a call to follow in their spiritual footsteps of faith. You can’t clearly keep in step with the Holy Spirit until you strip away and throw off any addicts, bad habits and unwholesome cravings from your life. As you mature spiritually by daily confessing your sins to God, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. While this process will take weeks, months and years to complete, somewhere along the way you will keep in step with the Holy Spirt, Galatians 5:25.
by Jay Mankus
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