Here’s my thoughts, and some Scriptures, on how to walk in the Spirit/spirit.
Someone asked me about how to walk in the Spirit. I think it is essential to understand that walking in the spirit, small s, leads to walking in the Spirit, capital s.
Galatians 6:7-9 indicates to me that we can simply give ourselves to doing good without growing weary. As we do this, we will surely find ourselves having to re-energize ourselves pretty much every day.
One of the ways we can do this is by simply praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 1:20), which I do not think means praying in languages, but can include that.
So moving on to actual spiritual things, walking in the spirit, small s, and thus walking in the Spirit, capital S, involves mostly what we think about. That’s why praying in (Jude 1) and with (1 Cor. 14) the spirit, small s, helps us to live in the Spirit, capital s.
If you are born again, a new creature, then God has brought your spirit, which was dead in sins and trespasses to life. The Spirit of God has merged with your spirit in the same way a man and wife are one flesh (1 Cor. 6:19 and context).
The Holy Spirit speaks to us from deep inside. Scripture suggests it comes from our gut (literally, kidneys) and influences our mind. Nowadays we know the science behind our gut literally being part of the brain system and all its feelings.
We activate this by what we think about. We renew our minds (Rom. 12:1-2); we set our minds on Jesus (Col. 3:1-4; Heb. 12:1-2).
Romans 8:5-8 says this most clearly. The spiritual man sets his mind on the things of the Spirit (spirit?) and has life and peace. When Paul fights with and for the Corinthians with spiritual weapons, it is all about changing their way of thinking (2 Cor. 10:4-5).
I could say so much more about this, but let your spirit lead you, not your flesh. Feed your mind spiritual things, and meditate on the word.
It is not for nothing that God gave the Israelites food laws, even though they were just a shadow. If you want to be clean, ruminate on the words of God and split from the world; reject its ways and thoughts even though you have to interact with those who are of the world. Do not adopt their thoughts nor their ways.
That is the basics of walking in the spirit and thus the Spirit. Get your guidance from your spirit that is one with Jesus and give yourself to doing good because you are created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Eph. 2:10) and he purchased you to make you zealous for good works (Tit. 2:13-14).
I know people don’t like me to tie good works and walking in the Spirit too closely together, but you have to if you have learned Jesus in truth (Eph. 4:20-32).
I’m convicted. It’s not that I don’t do this, but I think the apostles gave themselves to walking in the Spirit by holy discipline a lot more than I do in my 60’s (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Php. 3:8-15). Never mind the apostles! I think Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Watchman Nee, and a lot of others had a lot more holy discipline than me.
I think I like D.L. Moody’s way of diligently walking in the Spirit better than my way of sometimes walking in the Spirit. Time to make some changes. Now is the acceptable time; today is the day of salvation.
I’m off to run boldly to the throne of favor and find mercy plus favor to help in this time of need (Heb. 4:16). God’s favor is everything (Rom. 5:1-2; 6:14; Tit. 2:11-12).
The Rest of the Old, Old Story 
Hi David
Thanks for taking the time to write your thoughts and share some of your experience – really helpful.
Jon
[For some reason my first attempt at posting this comment ended with it appearing on a completely different post from two years ago. Sorry and please delete].
Me again (I really hope I am not annoying you with a sudden number of comments and emails after a long period of none).
Are you able to spell out even more clearly what setting your mind on spiritual things looks like practically? In other words, exactly what things?
The reason I ask is that I do try to do this and I think I do at times get what you mean. However, all to often setting my mind on spiritual things can easily turn into a) Thinking about interesting or controversial aspects of scripture and doctrine, b) Having theological debates in my head or c) Discouragement and condemnation.
Thanks again
Jon
Jon, your question made me think of tors passage on Philippians 4:
“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Do the things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:6-9 WEBUS
I have experienced myself exactly the same few problems that you’ve outlined in your comment. A few thoughts to go along with this:
It’s not a completely conquered thing in my life so far but I’ve had to learn how to reject condemnation. Romans 8:1 is true, no matter what I feel at the moment. The enemy is called the accuser of the brethren, and really hopes to put us under condemnation. I think because it’s a great way to paralyze us in our faith. in my experience, God convicts me, but he does not condemn me. I’ve had to learn the difference between those two, which helps navigate the source.
I enjoy trying to figure things out theologically. I think God loves more revealing his truth and his nature to us as we walk in obedience. to that end, I have to be cautious that my intellectual pursuits do not distract or interfere in, but actually motivate me in, doing what the Lord commands.
I can’t seem to find a way around the need to discipline our minds and the way that we think. We are set on all sides, through our own self natures and the world’s culture, with a myriad of distractions and influences that are contrary to what God wants for us. This is not an easy thing to do, but it is possible. It’s also not a Short thing. This is much more of a trust the process type of discipline. Jesus said that we’re supposed to judge things by the fruit and scripture tells us what the fruit of the spirit is. to start, I don’t think that we have to know what the full spectrum of all the possible things we should be thinking about is. We have the ability to learn what the voice of God sounds like, and we have the need to build that discernment up so that we can actually obey it. So how to do that? Simply by doing. You actually have to do some experimentation, you have to set yourself to try to obey God, knowing that he will honor those who obey him. he gives us some pretty amazing promises to those who set their hearts to seek him. For me, this has been stepping out in faith in small ways, whether that is rejecting a condemning thought, struggling through constantly trying to turn my wandering mind back to stillness and thinking about God, or going and doing a service or talking to someone because I think that I might be being prompted in the spirit. All of these have fruit that we can look at and judge. Sometimes that’s a lot more apparent than others, but I think that’s the way we learn. “We’ll, that was a bust, I think I got it wrong.”, “I experienced god working!” – that’s the learning experience
that practice, over a long course of time, builds in us peace, trust in the leading of God, and greater spiritual discernment. And, even more importantly than that, it leads to more and more encounter and deeper fellowship with God himself. It’s like a virtuous cycle, where the techniques just start to fall away because they’re replaced with him.
hope that’s helpful.