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Walking in the Spirit
Walking in the Spirit is a journey into what the Bible teaches about life in the Holy Spirit. Author Kenneth Berding uses the apostle Paul and his words in Romans 8 to model what it looks like to live both empowered and set free by the Spirit.
Written at an accessible level, Berding speaks to a wide audience as he seeks to connect readers to the life of the Spirit. His practical guide covers a variety of topics, showing readers how to set their minds on the things of the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the body, be led by the Spirit, know the fatherhood of God, and hope and pray in the Spirit.
Berding applies the Bible to life through many of his own personal experiences, helping readers make connections to their own spiritual journeys. Discussion questions for each chapter facilitate personal reflection and small-group study.
Written at an accessible level, Berding speaks to a wide audience as he seeks to connect readers to the life of the Spirit. His practical guide covers a variety of topics, showing readers how to set their minds on the things of the Spirit, put to death the deeds of the body, be led by the Spirit, know the fatherhood of God, and hope and pray in the Spirit.
Berding applies the Bible to life through many of his own personal experiences, helping readers make connections to their own spiritual journeys. Discussion questions for each chapter facilitate personal reflection and small-group study.
- GenresTheologyChristian Living
130 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 5, 2011
24 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 28, 2020
An older friend of mine walked me through this book when I was newer believer. Now, I had the opportunity to walk a younger friend through it as well. It's a really good book if you're a younger believer or relatively new to the faith. Berding does a great job to show the Christian that we can fight sin and put it death by the Spirit. He makes the reader appreciate the Holy Spirit and its work in the believer.
The book also does a great job of addressing people with different viewpoints on the Holy Spirit and sheds light on the reality of how walking in the Spirit is a Biblical matter.
The book has really memorable examples (ones that I've remembered for years now) which have been super helpful to remember the points he covers.
Discussion questions at the end of each chapter that directly relate to the readings and an exercise to help memorize each chapter's heading (appendix 2) help make this a great book to read with someone.
The book also does a great job of addressing people with different viewpoints on the Holy Spirit and sheds light on the reality of how walking in the Spirit is a Biblical matter.
The book has really memorable examples (ones that I've remembered for years now) which have been super helpful to remember the points he covers.
Discussion questions at the end of each chapter that directly relate to the readings and an exercise to help memorize each chapter's heading (appendix 2) help make this a great book to read with someone.
October 26, 2018
This is an excellent book that believers from many theological backgrounds can glean so much from. I so appreciate the balance of grace and truth, trust and obedience, intimacy and reverence of God that the pages contain. I read it in one sitting and will read it again right away more slowly. I believe the Lord led me to read this book at this exact time in life. The personal examples and practical pointers are so encouraging.
June 1, 2016
This was a beautifully simple explanation of what life looks like when walked in/with/by the Spirit. I have had the privilege of learning under Dr. Berding at Biola University and I can testify to the fact that this man lives what he preaches. This book was such a refreshing view into how our lives can be more Spirit-centric.
December 15, 2024
Reread with my wife after a short time.
All over the Scripture are the instructions to do such and such "in the Spirit." But I think a lot of believers don't really know what that means.
Berding does an amazing job at clear and succinctly explaining both what it means and what it looks like. Romans 8 is his main passage he breaks down, but he uses a lot of scripture and also some amazing personal examples. This book is really enriching to me in my understanding of how to walk with God, and very easy to read!
All over the Scripture are the instructions to do such and such "in the Spirit." But I think a lot of believers don't really know what that means.
Berding does an amazing job at clear and succinctly explaining both what it means and what it looks like. Romans 8 is his main passage he breaks down, but he uses a lot of scripture and also some amazing personal examples. This book is really enriching to me in my understanding of how to walk with God, and very easy to read!
July 20, 2017
A fairly ordinary Bible Study on an extraordinary Person, the Holy Spirit. This is not a doctrinal book, but a study of Romans chapter 8 as it relates to "walking the Spirit." It is different in that it focuses more on "how" to walk in the Spirit than who or what the Spirit is - although it certainly touches on those topics in order to accomplish its purpose. It would be very easy to do in a group Bible study.
January 25, 2024
This short book is a meditation on living a life in and with the Spirit. Looking at Romans 8 and highlighting the role of Spirit-ual living. Written in a simple yet profound way, the author guides the reader through 7 practices, sharing insights from Romans 8 and his own walk with the Spirit.
I benefited from this book. For me, nothing groundbreaking but good reminders and some bits of insight.
Valuable as a devotional kind of book.
I benefited from this book. For me, nothing groundbreaking but good reminders and some bits of insight.
Valuable as a devotional kind of book.
January 14, 2012
Have you ever seen couple that has been married for many years? You may have one in your neighborhood or at church. You may see them take walks together in the park, hold hands and sit on a park bench while reminiscing about the past and what they would do if they had another 50 years together. You know the couple I am describing. You could characterize them as having a unified mind and spirit about their lives together. They are walking in step with one another. But it didn’t happen overnight. It took their entire marriage to get to this point.
This picture of a unified mind and spirit as the result of a long fruitful marriage is a good description of the kind of relationship Christians should have with God as they walk in the Spirit. In his new book, Walking in the Spirit, Kenneth Berding takes us through Romans 8:1-27 and helps us to gain a better understanding of what Paul means when he tells us to “walk according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4).”
This is not a book offering 7 steps to a new walk with God by next week. Berding is quick to point out that a life of walking/living in the spirit is the result of a life of walking/living with the spirit. “There is no shortcut to learning how to keep in step with the Spirit (p. 19).” There is much to learn about walking in the Spirit but it must be learned as we actually do it. Walking in the Spirit is an active act of obedience. It is not a hands off approach to the Christian life.
In Walking in the Spirit, Berding presents seven principles of living life in the Spirit:
Walk in the Spirit.
Set your mind on the things of the Spirit.
Put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit.
Be led by the Spirit.
Know the fatherhood of God by the Spirit.
Hope in the Spirit.
Pray in the Spirit.
As a happy marriage of fifty years takes time so it is with the Christian life that is characterized by walking in the Spirit. “The Spirit-ual walk is the sum total of a lot of little steps taken in submission to God’s Holy Spirit (p. 23).” These many little steps over time help to build a strong walk in the Spirit. We must continually set our mind on the things of the Spirit. We must continually say no to sin when tempted. We must continually allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit by following the Spirit when He leads us in one direction or another. Our hope in the redeeming and sin freeing work of Christ as applied to us by the Spirit must remain daily in our hearts and minds. We must never give up on praying for steadfastness in our walk with the Spirit.
There is only one issue I would take with Berding. In his discussion on the leading of the Spirit and how God accomplishes that today he rightly argues that God leads all believers broadly in many of the same ways but also specifically according to His plan to each person. I agree with this 100%! However, he goes on to state that “the Holy Spirit sometimes puts forward more direct communication in various ways, as the Bible records again and again (p. 57).” Some examples he cites are God verbally calling Abraham in Gen. 12:1, Elijah in I Kings 18:1 or Cornelius in Acts 10:5. He also cites references “when God puts something into their hearts or minds to do something” like Nehemiah 2:12 or Paul in Acts 20:22 (p. 58). In response to those who believe that these are special cases for a certain time in redemptive history Berding states, “I believe that God can and does still lead in these ways today, though I don’t know of anywhere in the Bible where the claim is made that God will always do so for every decision we make (p. 58).” I think this is missing the point though and is arguing against a claim that someone like myself is not making. God’s verbally speaking to the saints of old the way He did was necessary in order to communicate His will for their lives because there was no written revelation from God to direct them in those cases. For the New Testament Christian, Hebrews 1:1-4 is clear that though God spoke to the prophets and fathers in many ways “in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son.” What I disagree with is that God still verbally speaks to us today (which seems to be what Berding is implying) as he did to Abraham in Ur, Moses in the wilderness and Paul on the road to Damascus. Christ is the final prophet and is the very word of God. He has given His word to us in Scripture which the Holy Spirit leads us into understanding (John 14:15-31). It is interesting that in all of the personal examples that Berding gives of the Spirit leading his decisions they all fit into the category of God directing his heart or mind and none in the category of God verbally speaking to him.
Despite this small quibble Walking in the Spirit is a good book for any Christian. Berding’s many personal examples as well as those of others he has worked with on this issue are very helpful towards seeing the concept of walking in the spirit more clearly. I would especially recommend this book to a new believer or a more seasoned Christian who is feeling discouraged about their walk with God because of sin in their lives. The book is written in a devotional style and has study questions at the end making itself easy to use in a small group setting.
This picture of a unified mind and spirit as the result of a long fruitful marriage is a good description of the kind of relationship Christians should have with God as they walk in the Spirit. In his new book, Walking in the Spirit, Kenneth Berding takes us through Romans 8:1-27 and helps us to gain a better understanding of what Paul means when he tells us to “walk according to the Spirit (Rom. 8:4).”
This is not a book offering 7 steps to a new walk with God by next week. Berding is quick to point out that a life of walking/living in the spirit is the result of a life of walking/living with the spirit. “There is no shortcut to learning how to keep in step with the Spirit (p. 19).” There is much to learn about walking in the Spirit but it must be learned as we actually do it. Walking in the Spirit is an active act of obedience. It is not a hands off approach to the Christian life.
In Walking in the Spirit, Berding presents seven principles of living life in the Spirit:
Walk in the Spirit.
Set your mind on the things of the Spirit.
Put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit.
Be led by the Spirit.
Know the fatherhood of God by the Spirit.
Hope in the Spirit.
Pray in the Spirit.
As a happy marriage of fifty years takes time so it is with the Christian life that is characterized by walking in the Spirit. “The Spirit-ual walk is the sum total of a lot of little steps taken in submission to God’s Holy Spirit (p. 23).” These many little steps over time help to build a strong walk in the Spirit. We must continually set our mind on the things of the Spirit. We must continually say no to sin when tempted. We must continually allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit by following the Spirit when He leads us in one direction or another. Our hope in the redeeming and sin freeing work of Christ as applied to us by the Spirit must remain daily in our hearts and minds. We must never give up on praying for steadfastness in our walk with the Spirit.
There is only one issue I would take with Berding. In his discussion on the leading of the Spirit and how God accomplishes that today he rightly argues that God leads all believers broadly in many of the same ways but also specifically according to His plan to each person. I agree with this 100%! However, he goes on to state that “the Holy Spirit sometimes puts forward more direct communication in various ways, as the Bible records again and again (p. 57).” Some examples he cites are God verbally calling Abraham in Gen. 12:1, Elijah in I Kings 18:1 or Cornelius in Acts 10:5. He also cites references “when God puts something into their hearts or minds to do something” like Nehemiah 2:12 or Paul in Acts 20:22 (p. 58). In response to those who believe that these are special cases for a certain time in redemptive history Berding states, “I believe that God can and does still lead in these ways today, though I don’t know of anywhere in the Bible where the claim is made that God will always do so for every decision we make (p. 58).” I think this is missing the point though and is arguing against a claim that someone like myself is not making. God’s verbally speaking to the saints of old the way He did was necessary in order to communicate His will for their lives because there was no written revelation from God to direct them in those cases. For the New Testament Christian, Hebrews 1:1-4 is clear that though God spoke to the prophets and fathers in many ways “in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son.” What I disagree with is that God still verbally speaks to us today (which seems to be what Berding is implying) as he did to Abraham in Ur, Moses in the wilderness and Paul on the road to Damascus. Christ is the final prophet and is the very word of God. He has given His word to us in Scripture which the Holy Spirit leads us into understanding (John 14:15-31). It is interesting that in all of the personal examples that Berding gives of the Spirit leading his decisions they all fit into the category of God directing his heart or mind and none in the category of God verbally speaking to him.
Despite this small quibble Walking in the Spirit is a good book for any Christian. Berding’s many personal examples as well as those of others he has worked with on this issue are very helpful towards seeing the concept of walking in the spirit more clearly. I would especially recommend this book to a new believer or a more seasoned Christian who is feeling discouraged about their walk with God because of sin in their lives. The book is written in a devotional style and has study questions at the end making itself easy to use in a small group setting.
January 15, 2024
Great way to see the Holy Spirit in Romans 8. Really enjoyed reading this book.
October 18, 2025
I have had Dr.Berding now for two courses: Biblical Interpretation (Last Semester) and now Romans this semester. First, let me say Dr.Berding walks the talk. What is in any and every book he writes, is lived out in his daily life. Thus, this book is the real deal. He writes from a place of honesty in the sense that what he is writing has come forth to be experienced in his own life. This book will be one I look back to and have close to me as a pocket book of sorts in how to truly live life “in the Spirit”.
January 27, 2016
"We are not under condemnation.
We are not debtors to the flesh.
We have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
We belong to Christ.
Our spirits are alive.
We are children of God.
We are adopted into his family.
We are coheirs with Jesus Christ.
We will be glorified together with him."
We are not debtors to the flesh.
We have been indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
We belong to Christ.
Our spirits are alive.
We are children of God.
We are adopted into his family.
We are coheirs with Jesus Christ.
We will be glorified together with him."
January 21, 2014
Very good clarification of how to walk with the Spirit as presented in Romans 8. An easy read with first hand examples from the authors life.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews