Walking in the Spirit
A. B. Simpson's "Walking in the Spirit" emerged from his deep conviction that American Christianity had grown too comfortable with nominal faith and needed a fresh encounter with the Holy Spirit's transforming power. Writing as pastor of a thriving New York congregation and founder of what would become the Christian and Missionary Alliance, Simpson addressed believers who possessed sound doctrine but lacked the spiritual vitality he witnessed in scripture and experienced in his own dramatic healing and calling to ministry.
Simpson argues that the Christian life consists of two distinct phases: receiving Christ for salvation and receiving the Holy Spirit for sanctification and service. He contends that most believers remain stuck in the first phase, never progressing to the fuller life available through complete surrender to the Spirit's control. The book systematically explores how believers can move beyond mere forgiveness to experience the Spirit's power for holy living, physical healing, and effective ministry. Simpson emphasizes that this deeper spiritual life requires not human effort but radical dependence on the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence, which he describes as both a crisis moment of complete consecration and an ongoing walk of faith.
This work became foundational for the Holiness movement and Pentecostalism, influencing countless believers to seek a more vibrant spiritual experience. Simpson's integration of divine healing with spiritual formation proved particularly influential, helping establish healing as a legitimate aspect of Christian discipleship rather than merely a historical curiosity. His emphasis on missionary service as the natural outflow of Spirit-filled living shaped evangelical missions strategy for generations.
Who should read this: Christians who sense that their spiritual life lacks the power and joy described in the New Testament, particularly those from Reformed or evangelical backgrounds seeking to understand the Holy Spirit's role in sanctification. This is not for readers uncomfortable with supernatural elements in Christian experience or those seeking purely intellectual approaches to spiritual growth.