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Walking by Means of the Spirit
Distinction #1
Walking by the Written Word vs. Walking by the Spirit
Introduction
When a human being becomes saved, he does not wake up the next morning with a clear understanding that “walking by the written Word of God” and “walking by the Spirit” are different from one another. In fact, it takes most Christians a lifetime to learn this, and sadly, some never learn it. This paper is written for the purpose of differentiating “walking by the written Word” from “walking by the Spirit” because they are not the same. It also addresses many factors, none of which seem to lend themselves to a particular order of placement within this document. Each factor, however, needs to be understood as though it were a piece of a puzzle that when viewed together with all of the other pieces will paint the very clear picture that “walking by the written Word of God” is not the same as “walking by the Holy Spirit.”
If it appears as though there is some redundancy in this paper, that assessment will be correct; however, it is there for a purpose, namely, to make certain that what is being discussed is manifestly clear to the mind that is searching for the distinction between a “walk by the written Word” and a “walk by the Spirit.” My prayer is that by the time you have reached the end of this paper, having thoroughly considered ever factor in light of the whole, you personally will have discovered the meaningful and magnificent difference between “walking by the written Word” and “walking by the Spirit.”
The Meaning of Walking
For the purpose of this document, the word “walking” refers to making application of truth to the Christian life. Therefore, “walking by the written Word” means to apply the pertinent truths of God’s written Word to our Christian lives, and “walking by means of the Spirit” means to apply to our Christian lives those things communicated to us by the Holy Spirit through our human spirit. The Christian “walk” demands that we learn to do both, and they must be distinguished from one another.
Some General Thoughts That Must Be Understood
It is imperative for Christians to differentiate “walking-by-the-written-Word” and “walking-by-the-Spirit.” They are not the same.
To “walk by the written Word” is to walk in the realm of the visible. To “walk by the Spirit” is to walk in the realm of the invisible and inaudible.
The written Word is communicated by visible means, that is, it appears on paper, having been printed with ink, thus making it visible to the eye.
What the Spirit communicates cannot be seen with the human eye, nor can it be heard with the human ear. It is communicated to the Church Age believer by the Holy Spirit through the human spirit.
It is possible to talk about “the voice of the Spirit,” but only if the phrase is used figuratively. The Holy Spirit is invisible and His voice is inaudible, yet the inaudible voice of the invisible Spirit is just as real and true as is the visible, written Word of God.
Satanic Deception
Good and well-meaning Christians, settled in smug self-righteousness, think that they are walking in God’s approval because they are doing all they know to do. Herein lies the deception—thinking that all you know is all there is to know. Satan would like for every Christian to never learn to “walk by means of the Spirit.”
Things To Know: Categories of Truth
Truth can be categorized in three ways: hortatory truth, historical truth, and spiritual truth. Hortatory truths are the Bible’s commands, and the Bible is full of them. However, we as believers must learn to distinguish those commands that relate only to Christians from those that relate to persons or groups other than Christians. The commands associated with the Christian can be referred to as Church Age commands.
Historical truths are biblical narratives that chronicle the events and activities of a person, a group, or a nation. It is possible for a believer to have a wealth of knowledge regarding biblically historical facts, but this doesn’t make him or her a spiritual Christian.
This brings us to the third category called spiritual truth, and it is at this point that spiritual danger lurks. For our own spiritual benefit, the term spiritual truth will be very narrowly defined. Our definition will not include anything written in the Bible that can be seen visibly or felt tactilely by the blind. Here, spiritual truth is that form of truth that is communicated by the Holy Spirit to the born-again Christian’s human spirit and subsequently understood by that believer’s human mind.
While there are seven manifestations of the Holy Spirit, three are important to us at this point. The Holy Spirit teaches our human spirit. He leads/guides us through our human spirit, and He bears witness with our spirit. These three manifestations are discerned only when a believer is simultaneously meeting the following criteria:
1) The believer must be clean before the Lord through confession of sin. This can be referred to as being “confessed up to date” through the use of 1 John 1:9. To fail at this point is to grieve the Spirit.
2) The believer must be yielded to God the Holy Spirit. This is a mental attitude of surrender toward God the Holy Spirit with an expectation and an anticipation of Him manifesting Himself in any of the three ways presently under consideration.
3) The believer must be applying every pertinent truth stored in his soul’s stream of consciousness to the circumstances of his or her life. To fail at this point is to quench the Spirit.
While meeting the three criteria just mentioned, this yielded believer is able to make sense out of the Holy Spirit’s ministry to his human spirit. For example, when the “light turns on” regarding a truth being taught, it should be understood that that truth was not discerned through human reason, but by Holy Spirit illumination. The Holy Spirit must be given credit for teaching the human spirit, while with the human mind, the yielded believer comes to an understanding of what the Spirit has taught. When this teaching takes place, the believer “feels” nothing, however, when illumination occurs, the believer reverts to arrogance when he considers that his new understanding occurred because he had “figured it out” via his own intellect.
The Holy Spirit also leads/guides the yielded believer through his human spirit. How do we know what to do on those occasions where there is no “proof-text” Scripture verse to guide us? For example, what verse of Scripture tells you to go to the Philippines as a missionary? There is none—not one. Yet, yielded believers receive this type of guidance every day by the Holy Spirit in their human spirit.
The Holy Spirit also has a confirmation ministry in our human spirit. This is called “bearing witness with our spirit.” The Holy Spirit grants confirmation to the believer regarding all matters in which a believer is seeking a “yes” or a “no.” This type of confirmation is purely subjective in nature and is the very reason why no other believer can tell another what the Holy Spirit is “saying” to him or her. When a believer says, “The Holy Spirit is leading me” or “the Holy Spirit is confirming for me,” no other believer has the right to say that this leading or confirmation is being misunderstood by the believer being led or receiving the confirmation. The exceptions are when the leading or confirming is known to be in direct conflict with a pertinent principle, promise, doctrine or technique unique to Church Age function, or is in direct conflict with legitimate Christian authority. Then and only then does one believer have a right to challenge the leading or confirmation of another Christian. The proof of the Spirit’s leading or confirming ministry is always in the outcome of that leadership or confirmation. If He isn’t leading, the ensuing mess or lack of evidence in the believer’s life will verify that that believer missed-the-boat on what he thought was Holy Spirit leadership. The same thing is true concerning the confirming ministry of the Holy Spirit. If He really hasn’t confirmed what the believer says He has confirmed, the ensuing mess or lack of evidence in the believer’s life will verify that that believer missed-the-boat on this matter also.
This leadership/guidance and confirmation are not the same as the “word of wisdom” or the “word of knowledge.” (1 Corinthians 12:8) The “word of knowledge” and the “word of wisdom” were spiritual gifts that ceased to function by AD96, but the leading/guiding and confirming work of the Holy Spirit in the human spirit of the born-again Christian will continue as a function of the Holy Spirit until the rapture of the Church occurs.
Two final thoughts at this point. First, the Holy Spirit will never lead/guide a believer in any manner that violates even one Church Age principle, promise, doctrine or technique. Second, the Holy Spirit will never lead/guide a believer in a manner that conflicts with any legitimate Christian authority.
Objective Reality vs. Subjective Reality
The term “objective” is used here to designate something whose source is separate and apart from a believer. In this case, that which is objective reality is the written Word of God.
The term “subjective” is used here to designate something whose source is found inside the believer. In this case, subjective reality is the indwelling Holy Spirit’s ministry through a believer’s human spirit.
Walking by the Written Word
The “written Word” is just that. It is the written Word of God because it is written. It is visible to anyone who can see, and if it is written in the language of the reader, the reader should be able to academically understand what he is reading.
To “walk by the written Word” means to apply the written Word to life situations. For example, if the written Word of God tells the Christian to do something, the Christian is obligated to do it. If the written Word of God prohibits something, the Christian is obligated to avoid that which is prohibited.
The Christian is obligated to apply the principles, promises, doctrines, and techniques associated with the Christian way of life. Application is synonymous with “walking.” The following examples of commands, principles, promises, doctrines, and techniques found in the written Word are representative, but not exhaustive:
· a divine command (do’s):
Galatians 5:16 “ . . . Walk in the Spirit, . . .” (KJV)
1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice evermore.” (KJV)
· a divine prohibition (don’ts):
1 Corinthians 6:9 “. . . Be not deceived: . . .” (KJV)
Ephesians 4:30 “ . . .grieve not the holy Spirit of God, . . .” (KJV)
Ephesians 5:18 “ . . . be not drunk with wine, . . .” (KJV)
1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Quench not the Spirit” (KJV)
· a principle: a fundamental truth
Human beings are totally depraved: 1 John 3:7
God’s righteousness demands righteousness from Christians.
· a promise: a guarantee from God
God promises to save the person who believes in Jesus Christ: John 3:16
God promises to reward those who serve Him properly: 1 Corinthians 3:14
· a doctrine: Bible information that has been developed and categorized by subject matter
The Doctrine of Sin
The Doctrine of Hell
The Doctrine of Salvation
· a technique: biblical “how to’s”
how to be saved: John 3:16
how to confess sin: 1 John 1:9
how to become like Christ: Ephesians 5:18
The preceding examples can be found in the Bible’s written form. They are visible to the eye, however, “walking by the written Word” means more than just being visible for the purpose of reading. It means to apply what can be read, namely, the commands, principles, promises, doctrines, and techniques.
Each of the preceding examples is either found in the Bible as written information or is developed from written information found in the Bible, and just because a believer has read this information so as to know of its existence, mere knowledge of its existence does not constitute “walking by the Word.” Walking demands a walk!
The Written Word Declares the Walk by the Spirit
The written Word contains all of the information related to the “walk by the Spirit.” Some examples of this information follows:
Romans 6:13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin {as} instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members {as} instruments of righteousness to God. (NAS)
Romans 8:4 in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (NAS)
Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (NAS)
Galatians 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (NAS)
1 John 3:24 And the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And we know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. (NAS)
Suppose a believer becomes aware of every written truth the Bible contains regarding the “walk by the Spirit.” A mere knowledge of these written truths does not constitute the “walk by the Spirit.” It constitutes only a knowledge of what the written Word says.
Let’s conclude here, then, that it is possible to “walk by the written Word” without “walking by the Spirit.” If we are being obedient to every written command, every written principle, every written promise, every written doctrine, and every written technique except those truths related to and associated with the command to “walk by the Spirit,” we are “walking by the Word, but we are not “walking by the Spirit.” In this sense, the majority of Christians, today, may be “walking by the written Word,” but few have truly learned to “walk by the Spirit.”
The Meaning of Walk by the Spirit
To “walk by the Spirit” means “to believe,” “to trust,” “to do” what the inaudible voice of the Spirit communicates to the believer’s human spirit.
To “walk by the Spirit” is the antithesis of “walking by the flesh.” These two “walks” are mutually exclusive. To “walk by the Spirit” implies that you are not “walking by the flesh,” and to “walk by the flesh” implies that you are not “walking by the Spirit.”
To “walk by the Spirit” means to be unconditionally yielded to God the Holy Spirit so as to allow His ministry and power to function within you as a believer.
The believer learns that he is to “walk by the Spirit” from the written Word, but his moment-by-moment “walk by the Spirit” is accomplished only by the power of the indwelling Spirit as the believer follows the inaudible voice of the Spirit who communicates with the believer through his human spirit. The very nature of the “walk by the written Word” is to follow the visible while the “walk by the Spirit” is to follow the invisible and inaudible.
Suppose that an automobile may be visible in a driveway, but if the owner does not drive it, the owner is not going anywhere. In that same sense, to see the principle of “walking by the Spirit” in the written Word of God does not guarantee a “walk by the Spirit.
Here’s a Danger
I have just alluded to another aspect of what it means to “walk by the Spirit.” It means to “walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.” There is tremendous danger in the Christian way of life. The danger is to “walk by [ every facet of ] the written Word” of God except the injunction to “walk by the power of the Spirit.” The written Word enjoins the Christian to “walk by the power of the Spirit,” and when the believer is “walking by the power of the Spirit” he is “walking by the written Word,” that is, he is doing what the written Word tells him to do. Again, the danger is when the believer “walks by the written Word” to the exclusion of “walking by the power of the Spirit.” To “walk by the written Word” to the exclusion of “walking by the power of the Spirit” is to apply the ethical standards of the Christian way of life in the energy of the flesh, and nothing done in the energy of the flesh pleases or honors God. In short, there is no Christian benefit derived from anything done in the energy of the flesh. We may do the right thing (the ethical standard), but unless it is done in the right way (walking by the power of the Spirit), all spiritual benefit is negated.
The Indwelling Holy Spirit and Walking by the Spirit
The believer can “walk by the Spirit” only because he is indwelt by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit actually resides inside the human spirit, and it is to the human spirit that the Holy Spirit manifests Himself in seven different ways: He develops Christian character within the believer; He distributes one spiritual gift to each believer; He teaches the believer; He promotes praise and thanksgiving within the believer; He leads/guides the believer; He bears witness with the believer’s human spirit; and He makes intercession to God the Father on behalf of the believer.
Although the Holy Spirit indwells the human spirit of every born-again Christian, He cannot manifest Himself unless the Christian meets the conditions necessary for the manifestation to occur. He must be saved, clean before the Lord through confession of post-salvation sins, yielded to the Holy Spirit, and applying pertinent truth to the circumstances of life. He must not quench the Spirit and he must not grieve the Spirit. Look at it this way:
The Holy Spirit cannot manifest Himself to or through anyone who is not saved.
The Holy Spirit cannot manifest Himself to or through any believer who has unconfessed sin in his life.
The Holy Spirit cannot manifest Himself to or through any believer who is not yielded to the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit cannot manifest Himself to or through any believer who is not applying pertinent truth.
The Holy Spirit cannot manifest Himself to or through the believer if the believer is quenching the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit cannot manifest Himself to or through the believer if the believer is grieving the Spirit.
When ALL of the conditions necessary for the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself are being met, those manifestations will always be with an inaudible voice from an invisible Spirit to the human spirit that He indwells.
It should be very clear that something visible to the eye because it is written in the Bible is vastly different from the inaudible voice of the Holy Spirit manifested to the human spirit.
Walking in the Light and Walking in Truth
The written Word teaches the Christian to walk in the light.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (KJV)
It also teaches the Christian to walk in truth.
3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. (KJV)
Light and truth are synonyms. When a Christian is walking in the light, he is walking in truth, and when he is walking in truth, he is walking in the light. When a Christian walks in the light, that light may come from the written Word or it may come from the voice of the Spirit, but remember that walking by the written Word and walking by the Spirit are not the same. When a Christian walks in truth, that truth may come from the written Word or it may come from the voice of the Spirit, but walking by the written Word and walking by the Spirit are not the same.
While the written Word of God and the voice of the Spirit and different from one another, both are necessary for the moment-by-moment Christian walk, and one will never contradict the other.
A Healthy Spiritual Life
The health of a Christian’s spiritual life demands that he learns to “hear” the voice of the Spirit communicating to his human spirit. Failure to “hear” this voice limits the Christian walk to every biblical truth except those that deal with the moment-by-moment “walk by the Spirit.” Remember that the truths associated with this “walk” may be known, but unless the believer is “walking” in these truths there can be no “walk by the Spirit.”
What Is the Human Spirit?
The human spirit is a divine receptor organ. It is a receptor because it receives communication. It is divine because the communication it receives comes from God the Holy Spirit. It fits the definition of an organ because it is the means by which an action is performed. The action performed is the reception of communication from God the Holy Spirit.
Three Truths Regarding the Human Spirit
The human spirit is regenerated by the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (KJV)
The regenerated human spirit determines that the believer has become a trichotomous being—spirit, soul, and body.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)
The human spirit is the place of residence of the Holy Spirit (see the next section).
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (KJV)
The Holy Spirit Resides in the Human Spirit
1 Corinthians 6:19 indicates that the Holy Spirit resides in the body, but by analogy it is concluded that the Holy Spirit actually resides inside the human spirit. Consider this. Just as the temple was divided into three parts: the outer court, the inner court, and the Holy of Holies, so the Christian is divided into three parts: human spirit, soul, and human body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Just as the path that led to the Holy of Holies was first through the outer court into the inner court, and then into the Holy of Holies, so the path into the human spirit is from the human body into the soul, and then into the human spirit. Just as the Holy of holies was the innermost past of the temple, so the inner most part of the Christian is the human spirit. As God indwelt the innermost part of the temple, by analogy, God the Holy Spirit indwells the human spirit that is the innermost part of the Christian. Well then, does the Holy Spirit indwell a believer’s body or his human spirit? The answer is both? Generally speaking, He indwells the body, but more specifically, He indwells the human spirit. Let’s illustrate this: The name of the city in which I live is Maumelle. Maumelle is in Pulaski County. It is also in the State of Arkansas, and it is also in the United States of America. Generally speaking then, I can say that I live the United States, and I’d be correct. I could also say that I live in Arkansas, and I’d be correct. I could also say that I live in Pulaski County, and I’d be correct, but if I want to be specific, I’d say I live in Maumelle. In that same way, generally speaking, the Holy Spirit indwells the body of every believer, but more specifically, He indwells the human spirit.
Hearing the Voice of the Spirit
It must be clear that the voice of the Spirit is inaudible. In the post-Canon period of the Church Age, the voice of the Spirit is not heard audibly, and any claim of hearing the audible voice of God, whether it be the voice of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, runs contrary to “rightly dividing the Word of truth.” “But I heard the voice; I truly did,” we are often told. For us to acknowledge that a voice might have been heard does not acknowledge or specify the source of that voice. The deceptive capabilities of the human mind are amazing, especially when the Word of God is NOT “rightly divided.” The human mind can be so deceptive as to cause one to believe that he has heard a voice when there was no voice. The voice of God is inaudible today. It comes through inaudible Holy Spirit communication within a believer’s human Spirit.
Understand this. One believer is not required to know the specific source of an audible voice heard by another belier. Speculation is fruitless and cannot be confirmed. The only requirement is to know that the voice did not come from God. That’s “rightly divided” biblical truth!
Different Content but Consistent
The human spirit does not have mentality, volition, or emotional capacity. It is a receiver only. It is with the human spirit that the believer hears the inaudible voice of the Holy Spirit, and the content of His voice (what He is saying to you) will be different from the content of the written Word.
Don’t panic! Think! The content of the voice of the Spirit will be different from the content of the written Word, but the content of the voice of the Spirit will be consistent with what the Bible says in the sense that the voice of the Spirit will never violate one “do-or-don’t,” or one principle, one promise, one doctrine, or one technique contained in the written Word.
How can the content of the voice of the Spirit differ from what the Bible says? The following examples will make this clear. Suppose that God is calling you to become a missionary. There is not one verse of Scripture that tells you the location on the planet to which God is calling you. He will use the circumstances of life to point to your geographic location, but it will be the Holy Spirit who confirms that location to you, and that confirmation takes place in the human spirit. There will be no audible voices, no supernatural feelings, and no supernatural experience that provides confirmation. It is simply the inaudible voice of the Spirit speaking to your human spirit, and you just say, “Yes, this is it.” You just know that you know that you know! How is this different from what the Bible says? If the written Word doesn’t specify the geographic location--and it doesn’t--yet, the Holy Spirit confirms the specific location, that’s what makes it different. The Holy Spirit has disclosed something that is not specified in the written Word.
Here is another example. There is not one verse of Scripture that tells you how much money to place in the offering plate next Sunday morning, but if you are led by the Spirit, you will give the amount He communicates to your human spirit. You may not be comfortable with that amount because it may be more than you would have given had it been your personal determination; but since you are being led by the Spirit, you give the amount that He has communicated to you. The amount may make no sense to you, but you know that you know that you know that that is what you are to give because the Holy Spirit is leading. When His leadership strains your personal budget, you may never be comforted by the amount given, but your comfort will always come from knowing that you have done what the Holy Spirit has led you to do. How is this leadership different from what the Bible says? If the written Word doesn’t specify the amount to give--and it doesn’t--yet, the Holy Spirit confirms the specific amount, that’s what makes it different. The Holy Spirit has disclosed something that is not specified in the written Word.
Here is another example. Suppose it is a cold and windy day, and you see a person in need of warm clothing. At that moment, what Church Age verse of Scripture—stop!! I said, “Church Age verse”--tells you to take off your coat and give it to THIS person in need? Actually, there is no Church Age verse that tells you to do so, but--oh my--there’s something gnawing at you, and this gnawing is prompting you to take off your coat and give it to this needy person. What is this gnawing? It is the Holy Spirit communicating with your human spirit, and He is leading you to give away your coat. Don’t fight against His leadership. How is this different from what the Bible says? If the written Word doesn’t specify THIS man--and it doesn’t--yet, the Holy Spirit confirms THIS specific individual, that’s what makes it different. The Holy Spirit has disclosed something that is not specified in the written Word.
In this latter example, as well as the others above, the opposite could have occurred. For example, after seeing the person in need of warm clothing, suppose you were NOT led to take off you coat and give it away. Is this a lack of compassion on your part? Absolutely not! If the Holy Spirit did NOT lead you to give away your coat, move on! God knows this person. God knows who he is; where he is; and what his need is. Unknown to you, but known to the omniscience of God, another Christian is coming along later with a need to learn to follow the Spirit’s leadership, and God would not be able to teach this lesson if you had already given away your coat when not led to do so. AMAZING GRACE!!
Yes, They Are Different
As has been shown, following the voice of the Spirit and following the written Word are different from one another, and until the Christian is able to make this distinction, he will severely limit his moment-by-moment walk with the Lord. In fact, he may limit his walk to a walk by every truth written in the Word of God except those related to the “walk by the Spirit.” To do so is to walk in the realm of religion. Religious, yes! Spiritual, no! and what a tragedy—to miss in its entirety what the Christian walk is intended to be—a “walk by means of the Spirit.”
The “do’s and don’ts,” and the principles, promises, doctrines, and techniques of the Christian way of life are clearly stated in black-and-white within the pages of the WRITTEN Word of God, and can be read and understood by all who choose to read; however, the voice of the Spirit can only be discerned by the Christian to whom the Holy Spirit is speaking. This is why one Christian cannot tell another Christian what the Holy Spirit is saying to anyone. The voice of the Spirit can only be understood by the person whose human spirit is receiving that communication from the Holy Spirit.
It is destructive to the spiritual life when one Christian senses the Holy Spirit’s leadership, and then quenches the Spirit because another Christian deems that leadership to be ridiculous or foolish or impossible. The proof of Holy Spirit leadership is always in the outcome. The outcome will always be the intended purpose for which the Spirit gave leadership in the first place.
Beware! After stepping out in faith to follow the Holy Spirit’s leadership, the bottom often drops out of everything, resulting in the following conclusion—often with the help of others—perhaps the leadership of the Spirit was misinterpreted. WRONG!! This is simply a spiritual test sent from the Lord to determine your level of faith. Will you give up that easily or will you continue to trust Him with the Spirit’s leadership until His intended purpose is realized?
In conclusion, “walking by the written Word of God” and “walking by the Spirit” are different from one another. “Walking by the written Word” is to apply the “do’s and don’ts,” the principles, promises, doctrines, and techniques contained in the written Word, but to “walk by the Spirit” is to follow the dictates of the invisible Holy Spirit as He empowers, leads, guides, teaches, and confirms with His inaudible voice, heard only with the human spirit of the believer who has learned to tune-out the overpowering voices of the world, the flesh, and the devil. May we all learn to “walk by means of the Spirit.”