Brother… today we’re stepping into the heart of holy living. Not the behavior. Not the discipline. Not the white-knuckle effort. But the source. Because purity doesn’t come from willpower; it comes from presence — the presence of the Holy Spirit guiding your steps.

Walking by the Spirit isn’t mystical, spooky, or complicated.It’s simple.It’s intimate.It’s daily.

It’s God whispering, leading, nudging, strengthening, redirecting, and empowering you so you don’t fight battles alone. When the Spirit leads, temptation loses its grip. When the Spirit guides, your flesh gets quieter. When the Spirit fills you, holiness isn’t something you chase — it’s something you walk in.

Let’s dive in.

📜 OUR SPRINGBOARD FOR TODAY’S DISCUSSION IS:

Galatians 5:16 (ESV)“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

📖 TEACHING

Paul doesn’t say, “Fight the flesh and then you’ll walk in the Spirit.”He flips it completely.He says, “Walk by the Spirit… and THEN the flesh loses its power.”

Holiness isn’t about resisting temptation —it’s about staying close to the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is not a feeling you chase.He is a Person who leads.

He whispers when your flesh gets loud.He redirects when your emotions get tangled.He strengthens when your resolve wears thin.He reveals what you can’t see and warns you of what you can’t sense.

Walking by the Spirit means you treat every step as if God is walking beside you — because He is.

It means you pause before reaction, look inward before speaking outward, and lean on His voice more than your own instincts. And Brother, the more you walk with Him, the more your desires begin to shift. You stop wanting the things that once tripped you. You stop craving the things that once poisoned you. You stop fighting battles that no longer belong to you.

Holiness becomes a byproduct of relationship.Purity becomes a result of presence.

The Spirit is not trying to suppress your flesh —He’s trying to replace its influence with His own.

🧍‍♂️ PERSONAL STORY

Brother, walking by the Spirit is something I had to learn slowly… painfully… honestly. I spent years trying to control my flesh with discipline. I tried to regulate my reactions, silence my impulses, and fix things from the outside in. And it worked — until it didn’t.

There was a moment — you’ve heard this before — when I reacted out of the flesh instead of the Spirit. My tone was sharp. My words were cutting. My emotions were louder than my discernment. And the aftermath was something I wish I could erase.

But it was in that moment, standing in the wreckage of my own reaction, that God whispered with such clarity:

“Matthew… this is why you can’t lead yourself. Walk with Me. Let Me guide you.”

It wasn’t condemnation.It was invitation.

I remember seasons when Michelle would gently ask, “Did you pray before responding?” Not judgment. Just truth in love. And she was right — every time I reacted in the flesh, it was because I moved without listening to the Spirit. And every time I paused, breathed, listened, and surrendered… the Spirit led me differently.

Walking by the Spirit saved my marriage more times than I can count.It softened the rough edges my grandfather passed down to me.It restored relationships I had damaged.It re-centered my heart when pride tried to lead.

Walking by the Spirit is not about perfection —it’s about connection.

💪 LIVING APPLICATION

Walking by the Spirit means you don’t rush ahead of God. You let Him set the pace, shape your reactions, guide your decisions, and strengthen your convictions.You listen.You respond.You surrender.And you walk.

Holiness flows naturally from that place — because the Spirit empowers what the flesh could never produce.

🙏 PRAYER

Father, teach me to walk with Your Spirit every moment of every day. Quiet my flesh so I can hear Your whisper. Lead me, strengthen me, and guide me. Make me sensitive to Your voice, surrendered to Your will, and steady in Your presence. In Jesus’ name — amen.

⚡ Let’s Get To Work.

My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe