When we first trusted in Jesus, by repentance and faith, the Holy Spirit was given to us. He caused us to be born again into God’s family (John 3:3-8), and sealed us with God’s promise of eternal life (Ephesians 1:13). It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the inner assurance that we belong to God (Romans 8:15-17). The Holy Spirit also guides us into understanding the truth (John 14:26), convicts us of sin (John 16:7-8), and helps us as we pray (Romans 8:26-27). He is God ‘in us’, ‘on the move’ and ‘up to the minute’ in our lives.
 
Every believer will experience temptations and diversions to get us out of line with God. So it requires a conscious daily discipline to keep listening to the Lord and communicating with Him, through Bible reading and prayer. If we do not choose to stay close to Him, other people, things, feelings and thoughts will get in the way to make us unproductive in our faith, a hindrance to others and an obstruction to the Lord. The Holy Spirit is not given to us primarily to make us feel good (although the blessing of His presence is immense); He is within us so that we can be assured of His love so that we can be useful partners in God’s ‘family business’. So let us not frustrate Him, but keep in step with Him today.
 
So Paul uses the metaphor of marching in step with the Spirit. Although God knows everything about the future, and we do not, God wants us to be ready to work with Him at any moment. ‘Keeping in step’ is a marching discipline which enables the soldiers to get to their destination, at the right time and in good order, without tripping others up along the way. God does not want us to get in the way of what He is about to do by having our own agenda; we need to keep in step with His.