Gal 5: 16 This I say then, Walk (command continuous, be occupied with, to pursue a course of action or way of life, conduct oneself, behave, continue in union with) in the Spirit, and ye shall not (no, never) fulfill (execute, perform, to carry it through) the lust (strong desire, longing, craving) of the flesh (seat of carnal desires and appetites).
There are three words in the Greek for not, a conditional negative, a full negative and a double negative. Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh is a double negative-not, not. It strengthens the denial, meaning not at all, no never. It means it is impossible to fulfill the lust of the flesh because you are in a different realm where it does not exist.
It literally reads walk spirit and not, not fulfill desire flesh. The definite article is not used so spirit refers to our spirit. Walk refers to all our activities being spirit.
To walk in the spirit we have to be aware of our spirit. It is a matter of focus, we are commanded, or directed to be continually occupied with and moved in our spirit through its communion with God. We are to conduct our life in the spirit, to live in the spirit.
Every day we are to open our spirit to the Lord, for his Spirit and life and presence to flow into it. We are to continually join our spirit to the Lord to become one spirit. In this way we begin to learn the voice of the Lord and be Led by his Spirit.
17 For the flesh lusts (epithuméō;
two words in the Greek- 1 in 2-the mind. To have the affections directed toward something, to lust, desire, and long after. The word in is epi- it speaks of motion upon or towards and means to rest upon, or in. the second word is thumos and speaks of a passion of the mind, to move impulsively, to move suddenly, stir up emotions-like the wind, inward impulse, drive, passion, fixing the desire upon something) against (in opposition to) the Spirit, and the Spirit against (in a hostile sense) the flesh: and these are contrary (to oppose) to one another; so that you cannot do the things that ye would (purpose, desire, motivating one to act.)18 But if ye be led (to rule, to govern, to motivate, to cause, the influence of the Spirit taking over) by the Spirit ye are not under the law.
The flesh desires against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. The definite article is used speaking of the Holy Spirit and the definite article is used speaking of the flesh, the vehicle the enemy uses.
When we become aware of the gateways of spirit, soul and body and we experience the life of God flowing into our spirit, then we must go through a process of sanctification or transformation so that we are restored and become a whole person.
When we experience first love and the life of God filling our spirit, and then choose to yield to the gratification of the flesh, we will sense a spirit of rebellion at work in us. Our spirit is alive to God and our flesh alive to the enemy, disembodied spirits that want to use our body to find expression in the natural realm.
This is an inner warfare that a person whose spirit is not alive to God does not experience. It is not our spirit and our flesh, but God at work in our spirit and the enemy at work in our flesh and we find ourselves powerless to walk in the spirit.
If we are having problems with anger, fear, jealousy or any of the works of the flesh listed in Galatians, it is because the gateways of our spirit, soul and body have not been cleansed, healed and restored. There is a process we have to go through to become a mature spiritual person who is led by the Spirit of the Lord.
Once we become aware of our spirit, and our soul and body come under submission to the lordship of Jesus over our spirit. Then we can begin to walk in the spirit.
It starts out just being aware of our spirit in communion with God, where the enemy has no place in us. Then as all the gateways of our spirit are open, we begin to be continually aware of the presence of the Lord and the gateways of our spirit become bigger and expand. Then the gateways of our soul begin to be developed and we begin to be able to live in dual realms, in the realm of the spirit and the natural realm.
Most Christians live in the soul realm, and are not even aware of their spirit. God is calling us to a walk in the spirit. We can learn how to walk in the spirit like Enoch did, but it does not automatically happen. There is a process we must go through and the Holy Spirit will lead us step by step.