The following is taken from the Expositors Study Bible by Jimmy Swaggart. Blue is KJV scripture and commentary in (Parentheses) is complied by Jimmy Swaggart. You can purchase one here and I highly recommend you do. I make notta, zilch, nothing, other then knowing that it may lead someone out of bondage!
Ephesians 5:16-24 "This I say then, Walk (order your behavior)
in the Spirit (we do so by placing our Faith exclusively in Christ and the Cross, through which the Spirit works exclusively [Rom. 8:1-2]),
and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (This proves the existence of the sin nature in the Believer. It declares the consciousness of corrupt desires. As stated, the only way to not fulfill the lust of the flesh is for our Faith to be placed exclusively in the Cross.)
17 For the flesh (in this case, evil
desires) lusteth against the spirit (is the opposite of the Holy Spirit),
and the Spirit against the flesh (it is the Holy Spirit Alone, Who can subdue the flesh; He does so, as we have repeatedly stated, by our Faith being placed exclusively in the Cross):
and these are contrary the one to the other (these two can never harmonize; as Paul has stated, the old nature must be cast out, which the Holy Spirit Alone can do):
so that you cannot do the things that you would. (Without the Holy Spirit, Who works by the Cross, the Believer cannot live a Holy life.)
18 But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the Law. (One cannot follow the Spirit and the Law at the same time, but regrettably that’s what most modern Christians are attempting to do. Unless one properly understands the Cross as it regards Sanctification, one cannot be properly “led of the Spirit,” Who works exclusively within the framework of the Finished
Work of Christ.) 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these (if one attempts to function by means of Law of any nature, the “works of the flesh” will be manifested in one’s
life); Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like (if one is walking after the flesh [Rom. 8:1], one or more of these sins will manifest themselves in one’s life; the only way, and I mean the only way, one can walk in perpetual Victory is to understand that everything we receive from God comes to us by means of the Cross; consequently, the Cross must ever be the Object of our Faith; this being the case, the
Holy Spirit, Who works exclusively within the confines of the Sacrifice of Christ, will exert His mighty Power on our behalf, which will enable us to live a Holy
life): of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past
(refers to the fact that the Apostle was not afraid to name specific
sins), that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. (This tells us in no uncertain terms that if our Faith is not everlastingly in Christ and the Cross, we simply won’t make it. God doesn’t have two ways of Salvation and Victory, only one, and that is “Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.”)
FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
22 But the Fruit of the Spirit (are not “fruits” but rather “Fruit”; they are to be looked at as a “whole,” which means they grow equally)
is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, Faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no Law. (Against such there doesn’t need to be a Law. But let the Reader understand that this “Fruit” is of the “Holy Spirit,” and not of man. It can only develop as we are “led of the Spirit.” And we can only be led by the Spirit by making the Cross the Object of our Faith.)
A SPIRITUAL LIFE
24 And they who are Christ’s have Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (This can be done only by the Believer understanding it was carried out by Christ at the Cross, and our being “Baptized into His Death” [Rom. 6:3-5]. That being the case, and as repeatedly stated, the Cross must ever be the Object of our Faith, which alone will bring about these
results.) 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit
(“walk” refers to our lifestyle; this Passage declares both life and Holiness to be the Work of the Holy Spirit; He operates Salvation and He operates Sanctification; both are realized on the Principle of Faith, and that refers to the Cross ever being the Object of our Faith; many know they have received Spiritual Life, as it regards Salvation through Faith, but they think they can only secure Sanctification by works; this is a great error; it never brings victory; believing in Christ and the Cross for Sanctification, as well as for Justification, introduces one into a life of power and victory, which is the only way it can be accomplished.)
26 Let us not be desirous of vain Glory (which is a sign that one is functioning according to Law),
provoking one another (self-righteousness), envying one another.
(These are works of the flesh, and will manifest themselves if our Faith is in things other than the Cross.)