Continue Walking by the Spirit
By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. John 15:8
How can you know if you're being led by the Spirit or the flesh? Very simple: Look at your behaviour. If you respond to a given situation by exercising love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, you are following the Spirit's lead (Galatians 5:22,23). If your reactions and responses reflect the deeds of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21, you are following the flesh.
What do you do when you discover you are not walking by the Spirit? Acknowledge it for what it is. You have consciously or unconsciously chosen to live independently of God by walking according to the flesh. Walking according to the Spirit is a moment-by-moment, day-by-day experience. Acknowledge your sin to God, seek the forgiveness of anyone you may have offended, receive forgiveness, and be filled with the Spirit.
Here are a couple of things to consider when you are faced with righting fleshly wrongs.
First, the scope of your confession should only be as broad as the scope of your offence. If you lashed out at a relative with angry words, you need only confess to God and that relative. If you entertain a secret, lustful thought or proud attitude without any overt, offensive behaviour, you need only confess it to God. Confession literally means to agree with God. When you recognize an internal fleshly response, immediately acknowledge it in your mind. That's it; just agree with God and walk in the light.
Second, the process of restoring a relationship through confession and forgiveness is a step of spiritual growth. Your role as a spouse, parent, friend, co-worker, or fellow-Christian is to model growth, not perfection. If you're trying to keep up a front of Christian perfection in order to encourage saints and win sinners, forget it, it will never happen. But when you openly admit and ask forgiveness for your fleshly choices, you model the kind of spiritual growth that will touch saints and sinners alike.
Pray
Lord, I sometimes walk according to the flesh. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit so the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in my life today.
Neil T. Anderson is the founder of Freedom in Christ Ministries. He began the ministry in 1989 and continues to spread the message of freedom to this day.