October 26th, 1991                            "Living in the Spirit and Walking in the Spirit"                              Mrs. N. D. Daniel

Let us read from John 14:26 and Gal.5:25. "But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." "If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit." Jesus had taught the disciples the Word of God. He told them about heaven, and the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He said as he was about to part with them, "I shall not leave you comfortless, I will send you the Holy Spirit. He will abide with you, He will teach you all things. He will bring all things to your remembrance." So God has made a provision for us to be taught His Word by His Holy Spirit and to be reminded of the teachings of the Spirit of God.

Galatians 5:25 says, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." I could never understand this verse, because living in Spirit means living with the Holy Spirit. And then what is it to "Walk in the Spirit." The Spirit of God teaches us the Word in a way that we can understand, not by parables, but by explaining the Word with reference to practical life. When a child is born there is life in that child. That child can eat and sleep, but it cannot walk. There will come a time, when the child will walk too. She will, by taking food, get strength and then she will start walking. Those who are born again have life in them. As they read the Word and take in spiritual food from the Lord, taught by the Holy Spirit, there will come a time for them to start walking. Living in the Spirit and walking in the Spirit, St.Paul says, both are needed for a born again Christian. When a child is learning to walk, the mother or father will give their hand to help the child. Even the Holy Spirit God will teach us how to walk in the Spirit. Many people, do not read the Word, as they ought to. So when they have to preach also, they find it very hard. The Holy Spirit God has to remind us of the Word which we have read, and through meditation it helps us to fix it in our minds. Then only can we walk. The Holy Spirit God is there to teach and remind us what we have read or learnt earlier. "He will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have spoken unto you." When a temptation comes, the Holy Spirit God will help us to recognise it. "This is a temptation," He will say. He will teach us how to learn from God His Word and how to walk also. I have told you often that the Spirit of God will tell us that we should spend our life learning Christ, living Christ and glorifying Christ. Many people will be saying, "I forgot." But those who have the Spirit of God will be reminded of that which they need to remember. Talking about our young people, many of them do not know the Word. One boy told me, "I remember you telling me you were reading ten chapters a day when you came into the Lord’s work. He being a preacher in charge of one of our centres, said, "So I am reading ten chapters a day." We must know the Word of God and also live that Word. If we are living the Word and walking with the Holy Spirit, it is very easy to win souls. Those who live and walk in the Spirit will not find it so hard to remember the Word and the teachings of the Holy Spirit. This is the way, I understand, that the Spirit of God helps us. In small things also the Spirit of God helps us to remember. I will give you a small example to help you to understand how God, Jesus and the Spirit of God, all three are interested in our lives. Our Lord is a "prayer-hearing God" and "prayer- answering God." We prayed for His help at the Retreat and the Lord honoured His Name and honoured His own work by answering our prayers. Here is the incident I wished to tell you. I forgot where I had placed an important paper. I knew I had placed it carefully somewhere. But I did not know where it had gone and we searched for it. Then I thought it was lost. But then the Lord helped me. He reminded me of an incident and thereby told me where exactly it was placed. I told my assistant, "Go and get the paper." She did. He reminds us and He is so mindful of us to guide us into all the truth.

In everything we are seeing the Lord fulfilling His promises to His children. Can you say that you remember now all the messages given during the retreat? According to our need the Spirit of God is provided by God to remind us of all the things He has taught us, so that we may obey them. Some people desire the Holy Spirit and try to be filled with Spirit by saying "Praise the Lord; Praise the Lord." That is not necessary. Jesus has made every provision for us, so that we can walk in the Holy Spirit and we may bring glory to His name. So our part is to ask the Lord for a good foundation of holiness. Those who have the foundation of holiness, will be led by the Spirit of God into all truth. Not by effort do we get the Spirit of God but by maintaining a clean heart and obeying the Word of God. By preserving the Word of God in our hearts and following Jesus we will be filled with the Spirit of God. Our Father is the "Perfect Father in heaven." He desires that we also should be perfect. If we want to learn Christ, the Spirit of God will teach us how to become Christ-like in everything. Then He will help us to win souls. Let us ask for the Spirit of God to abide with us, guide us and make us victors. He will teach us how to pray in the Spirit also. He will answer our prayers.