Many times we have heard that to walk by the Spirit we must crucify the flesh (Gal 5:16).
It is essential to understand that Jesus’ experience on the cross is likened to a believer’s experience, as this is God’s wisdom. His experience—from His stripes, crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension—are all symbolic to a believer’s experience (Isaiah 53:4, Gal 2:20, Rom 6:8, Rom 6:4, Eph 1:3).
It is only the Holy Spirit that can reveal Jesus’ cross experience to us as our own experience (John 16:13–14).
Upon this revelation of Jesus’ experience, we can easily understand that we are dead to the flesh. Anytime the flesh wants to rise, our confession, and aligning our behaviour and conduct to our confession—just as Jesus did—goes a long way in walking by the Spirit (James 1:22, Rom 10:8–18, Gal 5:16).