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Thank you so much for your excellent post and those beautiful Scriptures! Truly, we must walk after the Spirit not after the flesh.

[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. – Romans 8:1-9

To God be the glory!

"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." -- Romans 8:9

AMEN!

We're supposed to discern among ourselves as best we can as to whether or not each of us is truly led by the Holy Spirit, for we are to "try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)

But we should never deny that God's children are led by the Spirit. This is the method by which God has chosen to order His creation -- we are either led by the Holy Spirit or we are left to our own, death-loving habits and Christ-denying natures.

"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." -- Ephesians 4:14-16

And since it seems there's always more to be found in Scripture than what we're even looking for, isn't this a beautiful verse from Ephesians 4:8?

"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."

Christ, when He rose from the cross, "led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men."