DAY 15: WALK BY THE SPIRIT
by Pastor Heiden Ratner
Sept. 14th, 2026
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” — Galatians 5:16
DEVOTION
The life of a Jesus follower is not a sprint to the finish line; it’s a journey taken one step at a time. In fact, when you follow the life of Jesus, you never see Him in a hurry. Instead, you often see Him walking—and inviting His disciples to follow Him.
That imagery is still true for us today. As followers of Jesus, we are called to walk by the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t want us standing still on the sidelines. He wants to lead us, guide us, and direct our steps. Throughout Scripture, walking describes the way we live. Colossians 2:6 calls us to walk in Christ. Ephesians 5:8 tells us to walk as children of light, and Ephesians 5:15 tells us to walk in wisdom. Here in Galatians 5, Paul tells us to walk by the Spirit.
But Paul also makes it clear that there is a battle taking place within us. He says, “the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17). They are opposed to one another.
So walking by the Spirit requires a daily decision about which direction we’re going to walk.
Recently, I’ve been getting back into fitness and found a new trail to run. I’ve discovered there are always plenty of excuses that can keep me from getting out and taking that first step. But whenever I do, I’m glad I did. I feel stronger, healthier, and clearer in my mind.
In a much greater way, the same is true spiritually. Every step of obedience to the Holy Spirit strengthens our walk with God. When we walk by the Spirit, we follow the Lord’s lead. We feed what the Spirit desires and starve what the flesh desires.
Every step matters.
Today, my prayer for you is that you would starve the flesh by walking by the Spirit. And as He graciously leads, may you willingly follow—one step at a time.
“To ‘walk by the Spirit’ is deliberately to walk along the path or according to the line which the Holy Spirit lays down.” — John Stott
PRAYER
Holy Spirit, thank You for faithfully leading me. Help me recognize Your direction and willingly follow wherever You lead. Give me strength to say no to the desires of my flesh and yes to Your ways. Direct my steps today and shape my life to look more like Jesus. Help me walk with You, one step at a time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
