Every Christian knows that when they believe in Jesus Christ, they should then live as a Christian. For example, instead of being angry, immoral or lazy, they may say, ‘I should now be helpful, pure or useful’. The new life we have—the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:2) is holy and we know this is now the way to live.
It doesn’t take long for any of us as Christians to realise that change isn’t as easy as we thought it might be. We all discover the same problem, that when we try to say ‘No’ to the past, the old inclinations and habits are still expecting to be noticed. And the world around us is travelling in a very different direction and calling us to conform. If we don’t find help for this problem, we may give up and say that the Christian life doesn’t work.
We need the help of the Holy Spirit.
Our life began as a Christian because God gave his Holy Spirit to us. We turned from being ‘good enough’ and trusted in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. Then, we received God promised gift, the Holy Spirit.
Jesus calls the Spirit ‘anotherHelper’. Until that point, hehad been the Helper for the disciples—answering their questions, connecting them with God, showing them the way to live and what to hope for. In particular, he showed them how to deal with their own failures. But now he says the Holy Spirit will do this work.
In fact, Jesus says it is better for him to go and for the Holy Spirit to come, so, the help he brings must be as real as what Jesus has brought, or better. He is God’s gift when we trust in Christ, but now, what help can he give to struggling Christians?
Paul deals with this matter when he writes to some young Christians in Galatia. He says that if we walk by the Spirit we won’t do what the flesh wants (Galatians 5:16). This is a big claim. Will one action—walking by the Spirit, fix the whole problem?
What the flesh wants is plain to see—being free with our use of sex, coveting what other’s have, pride and slander to mention a few. Paul mentions numbers of things (5:19-21). So does Jesus (Mark 7:20-23). Elsewhere, Paul says our natural tendency—our flesh—doesn’t want to do what God wants (Rom. 8:7). Will all this just go away if we walk by the Spirit? Well, yes, so long as we understand what Paul means by this.
Walking by the Spirit isn’t just being directed by some kind of heavenly GPS—saying ‘Go here!’ ‘Do this!’ or ‘Keep away from this.’ What Paul has said already in his letter to this young Galatian church shows that the Holy Spirit supplies everything we need to get going as Christians (3:2-5).
First, he enables us to relate and talk to God like Jesus did—he is ‘the Spirit of his Son’ in our hearts enabling us to say Father or ‘Abba’—a word that Jesus used (4:6 with Mark 14:36). Second, this relationshipsis so clear and firm that we know that what God has done in us will last until we meet God—we will be welcomed as righteous people in God’s sight (5:5). That is a life changing hope to have and to live by.
Now, he says, ‘Walk by the Spirit.’ Every day, we need to know we are not on our own. We have a helper.
Every day, we know we are righteous because of God’s gift and not because of our performance (3:2-5). For example, if we do wrong, we are not immediately back on our own having to stand before God as condemned—under law. We are in the presence of his grace—grace made real to us by God saying he will live with us by his Spirit—grace that is seeking our restoration.
Real changes in life don’t happen because we simply listen to different instructions. They happen because we find ourselves in a different relationship. We are God’s children.
It is true that the desires of our flesh fight against the new life God has brought to us, but then, the Holy Spirit within us also has strong desires—to master what we have been (5:17). He is present as our helper!
The result of this is that we can’t do what we want to do. We are not as free as we thought we were. One way or another, we need a master. And the Spirit is present, telling us that we are children of God, and that we will stand righteous before God on the last day. And he is making us feel awful about giving way to the flesh! That’s helpful!
When the battle is on, what will we choose? Will we make choices based on the fact that God doesn’t matter? The things our flesh keeps us working at are plain enough—and sometimes, hard work! Pleasing ourselves isn’t all plain sailing! Do we want this—for ourselves, or for the world?
On the other hand, the Spirit produces fruit. We may tend a garden but we can’t make an apple! Fruit grows and the good that grows in our lives as we walk by the Spirit is not forced, not us. God is working, and he is producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and much besides.
So Paul says, look at what you get when you go your own way (6:7-10). If you sow wild oats, that is what you will get. If you give way to yourself without God, again and again, you will get the results of that—corruption. But if you ‘sow to the Spirit you will reap eternal life. That is not only what you get when you die, it is the dignity and joy and permanence of doing something eternal right now.
Think about what happens if you remain your own person. Think about the fruit God produces. Live in line with the Spirit God has sent. You can’t see him. You can’t control him. But you can listen to what he is telling you about your Saviour and his grace, your Father God and your relationship to him, and the hopes he has for you, and you will see his fruit. And you can be confident that what God produces is real and will last.
Simply True 
Thanks Grant, so positive & something we need to hear time & again as we, as Paul states, can drift. Drifting is so subtle isn’t it, a little at a time until we have created a large chasm BUT thanks be to God that He is a faithful God, even in the face of our waywardness.