Recognizing the Real Battle

[David]

Why the Christian life feels like a war you didn’t sign up for

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ~ Galatians 5:17

Most people think their biggest battles are happening around them, but the Bible says your greatest fight is happening inside you. The moment you came to Christ, you stepped onto a battlefield you may not have even known existed. Scripture pulls the curtain back and tells the truth without soft edges: “The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit” ~Galatians 5:17. That means the war is real. The struggle is not in your head. The conflict you feel is the evidence that the Holy Spirit lives in you. Before Christ, sin didn’t fight you because sin owned you. But now that you belong to Jesus, the flesh doesn’t leave quietly. It pushes back, resists, and tempts, hoping you’ll forget who you are and Who you belong to.

The flesh isn’t your old buddy. It’s your old master, and it wants its throne back. Scripture calls it “hostile to God” ~Romans 8:7. This is why you feel pulled in two directions. The Spirit calls you upward, the flesh drags you downward, and you stand in the tension of the tug of war. That pull isn’t a sign that you’re failing. It’s a sign that you’re alive. Dead people don’t fight. Only the born again feel the clash between the old nature and the new. And God has not left you defenseless. He tells you the truth so you won’t be blindsided. “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation” ~Matthew 26:41. Awareness is the first step to victory.

You must recognize that the real battle isn’t against people, culture, or circumstances. The real battle is the one raging in your heart and mind. Scripture says, “Abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” ~1 Peter 2:11. That’s the language of combat, not comfort. The flesh wages war because it knows that if you ever learn to walk in the Spirit, it loses its power. That’s why the enemy lies to you and tells you the fight is pointless, the temptation is unbeatable, or that God has abandoned you. The Word exposes those lies. “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” ~1 John 4:4. The Spirit of God is not intimidated by your struggle. He is stronger than it.

This battle is not meant to crush you. It’s meant to shape you. God uses the conflict to teach you dependence, humility, and obedience. The struggle is where faith gets muscle. Every temptation you resist trains you to stand stronger next time. Every lie you reject with Scripture strengthens your grip on truth. Every choice to obey feeds the Spirit’s work in you. The fight is not a sign God is far. It’s the proof that He is near. “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” ~Galatians 5:16. The Spirit does not leave you to fight alone. He walks with you, equips you, convicts you, and empowers you.

Recognize the real battle, and you’ll stop fighting the wrong enemies. You’ll stop blaming circumstances for what’s actually happening in the heart. And you’ll start living with clarity, confidence, and purpose. The war is real, but so is the power of God in you. When the flesh rises up, remember that the Spirit rises higher. When temptation comes, remember that Scripture cuts through it like a sword. And when you feel the pressure, remember that the struggle is the evidence you belong to Christ. Stand firm, stay alert, and fight with the truth in your hands. Victory doesn’t come from ignoring the battle. It comes from seeing it clearly and walking with the One who has already overcome.

The battle is raging, you can feel it, but prayer is your weapon, to fight in His power, not your own. “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation” ~Matthew 26:41. Prayer is not empty words, but it is allowing your heart to be tuned to His. Prayer is bringing our lives into alignment with Him. It is asking the Spirit to be Lord and guide and strengthen and change us. That is how you stand in the heat of battle.

When you sense the weight of the warfare in your mind or your heart, don’t fall back, pray. When temptation says you are too weak, pray. When fear or guilt scream louder than the truth, pray. Each time you bow in prayer to God you are resisting the temptation to give in to the flesh and leaning into the victory that is yours in Christ. “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” ~James 4:8.

Prayer keeps your heart in the presence of the One who never loses a battle.

 

[bobinfaith]

Good morning, David;

This thread, Recognizing the Real Battle is an excellent well thought out message. Thank you for sharing.

When I was a Christian babe, I couldn't understand why we were so "happy" during Church but right afterward we'd get upset about something. At the time we didn't understand about the battle nor did we grasp that Jesus always wins.

It took years for this discipline to sink in and then it took the discipline to study and apply the teachings from Matthew 26:41, Galatians 5:17, or 1 John 4:4.

I could write a novel on the battles within me today in my Christian walk. But nobody is throwing stones at my house. It's the fight that is happening in me.

On a daily basis our fire and ambulance sirens is constant in our community. This is very personal to me so I stop and pray for every officer and victim from early in the morning to late at night. It only takes seconds but it feels right for me to pray.

But at times I get weary of praying and it feels bothersome to hear the sirens. It's about me because it interferes with my privacy. When I come to my senses, push through and pray to the Lord followed with thanksgiving. Afterward, I wonder, why did I get all worked up?

My wife and I turned off the news, cable and certain social media about 2 months ago. We were getting so angry and (I was worse) became polarized just like the very people I was beginning to hate.

We now pray; God loves us unconditionally, therefore, we desire to love everyone including our enemies, those we disagree with, especially in our country. This love has brought us peace and we sleep better.

God still makes a way for us to be informed of the world stage so we know how to pray for all situations.

There are many, many other battles more intense than my personal battles. But the couple of examples I shared hone back in to the original message. The battle is the Lord's but He also equips us within ourselves to stand ready in every circumstance and thought.

God bless you, David.

bobinfaith