Lesson 11 – Are You Walking in the Spirit or the Flesh?
Question 5
Walking in the Spirit: Illustration from life
Rusty and his gait belt.
A student from Setting Captives Free asked, “How do I walk in the Spirit, so I don’t fall?”
I thought: "Good question."
On the weekends, I used to work with my friend Rusty, a 58-year-old gentleman who needed 24-hour care. He was VERY unstable on his feet and required a gait belt around the house or wheelchair for long distances. I used the gait belt with Rusty to help him walk from point A to point B in the house - he was very fearful of falling. I had to come alongside behind him with my right hand securely hanging on to the gait belt in the middle of his back, my left hand supporting his left hand. My body was next to his, and I walked with "his gait," yet I was keeping his center of gravity over his feet while guiding him in the direction he was to go.
I was also telling Rusty, "It's okay; I won't let you fall because friends don't let friends fall." And I was instructing Rusty where we were going, like the toilet, or his favorite chair to watch TV, etc. I also had to remind Rusty not to get up on his own, like when he was on the toilet, because, at times, he would get up and start walking and would always fall. He would take a few steps - panic - and fall. He had his "free will," and at times, he used it without me. I had to be at arm’s reach and be able to "catch him" before he fell.
I think it is that way with us. By ourselves - we will fall - but the Holy Spirit is there who comes alongside, holding us up and telling us - "this is the way, walk in it."
Jesus uses this image when calling the Holy Spirit, our Helper, Advocate, Comforter, Counselor. (John 14:16,26; 15:26 and 16:7)
The Greek word is: (παράκλητος paráklētos: summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid, in the widest sense, a helper, aider, assistant, advocate lawyer.)
The Holy Spirit was destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the kingdom of God.
When I am listening, the Holy Spirit walks with "my gait" but keeps my "center of gravity" over my feet while guiding me in the direction He wants me to go. Then He reminds me - "Don't get up without Me." But at times, I get up, take a few steps on my own, and it is only a matter of time I find that I have fallen. When Rusty fell, I didn’t scold him for disobeying me; I gently reassured him that he was okay; I picked him up and helped set him back down where he should be.
I had been working with Rusty for many years – when I first wrote this response, it was the first time I saw how the Lord had been caring for me like I had been caring for Rusty. The only difference was Rusty listened to me more than I had been listening to the Lord. By God's grace - I'm going to let the Lord grab hold of my "gait belt" before I get up.
I can do all things through Christ. Is it I or Christ? If you could have asked Rusty – he thought he was doing the walking – but he would fall and be helpless to get up without me.
5. What do you need to do to let the Holy Spirit grab your “Gait belt?”
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