Keeping in Step with the Spirit: Trusting Christ First

Let’s be honest—most of us like to feel in control. We love the idea of pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps and being "self-made." But when it comes to faith, this mindset can lead us down the wrong path. Galatians 5 reminds us that we can’t add our own efforts to Christ’s work. It’s not "Jesus plus our good deeds." It’s just Jesus. Period.

Paul uses the image of yeast in dough to make his point. Even a tiny bit of yeast affects the whole batch. Likewise, when we try to mix our efforts with God’s grace, it changes everything—and not for the better.

This struggle isn’t new. In the fifth century, a teacher named Pelagius claimed we could be perfect without God’s help. The church quickly shut that down, but traces of this idea still creep in today. The truth? Following God’s law is good, but it can’t save us. Only faith in Christ can do that.

Paul’s words in Philippians 2:12–13 help balance things out. Yes, we work out our salvation—but it’s God working in us that makes it possible. We’re not the ones doing the heavy lifting—He is.

The good news? We don’t have to carry the weight of our faith alone. Christ already did the hard part. Our job is to trust Him, follow His lead, and let the Spirit guide us.

So, let’s take a breath and let go of the pressure to do it all ourselves. Keeping in step with the Spirit isn’t about striving—it’s about walking with Him, one step at a time.

Faith isn’t about earning—it’s about trusting. Christ has done the work.

All we need to do is follow His lead and let the Spirit set the pace. So let’s relax, trust, and keep walking with Him.

Keep Looking Up!

Pastor Micah Moreno