In the journey of faith, every Christian faces an internal battle—a tug-of-war between the desires of the flesh and the leading of the Holy Spirit. This struggle is vividly described in Romans 7:15, where the Apostle Paul confesses, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do." This verse captures the essence of the Christian’s daily conflict: the tension between our sinful nature and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit within us.
The Two Dogs Within Us
Imagine two dogs within us—a white dog representing the Spirit-led life and a black dog symbolizing the flesh. The one we feed will grow stronger. As Christians, we are called to feed the white dog, allowing the Holy Spirit to prevail in our lives. Yet, in today’s world, envy, jealousy, and strife often dominate our interactions, even among believers. These behaviors stem from our fleshly nature, which Romans 7:14 reminds us is enslaved to sin. To overcome this, we must be "born again," surrendering our lives to Christ and allowing His Spirit to take control.
The Natural Man vs. The Spiritual Man
The Bible distinguishes between the natural man and the spiritual man. The natural man is spiritually blind, dead, and without eternal life because they lack the Spirit of God. In contrast, the spiritual man, as described in 1 Corinthians 2:13-16, is filled with the Holy Spirit, understands spiritual truths, and is empowered by God’s Spirit. However, many Christians today are not fully filled with the Spirit. It is not enough to simply be endowed with the Holy Spirit; we must be continually filled and controlled by Him. This is the hallmark of a true Christian life—a life marked by holiness, spiritual understanding, and divine empowerment.
The Carnal Christian
In 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul addresses the carnal Christian—one who has accepted Christ but remains controlled by fleshly desires. Such a believer is immature, unable to digest the deeper truths of God’s Word. To live a victorious Christian life, we must immerse ourselves in Scripture, allowing it to transform our minds and hearts. As Ephesians 5:18 reminds us, we are to be filled with the Spirit, not intoxicated by worldly desires. Letting God control our lives is the key to overcoming the flesh and walking in the Spirit.
The Tug-of-War: Good vs. Evil
The Christian life is a constant battle between good and evil. Romans 7:24 echoes this struggle: "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?" The answer lies in Christ, who has already set us free. Galatians 5:1 declares, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." This freedom is threefold:
Freedom from the Penalty of Sin: Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, believers are justified—saved from the penalty of sin. Colossians 1:14, 1 John 2:2, and 1 Peter 2:24 affirm that Christ paid the price for our sins, offering us redemption and forgiveness.
Freedom from the Power of Sin: In the present, believers are being sanctified—saved from the power of sin through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit empowers us to resist temptation and live a transformed life, as outlined in Romans 8:13 and Galatians 5:16-18.
Freedom from the Presence of Sin: In the future, believers will be glorified—completely freed from the presence of sin when we are united with Christ in eternity. This is the ultimate hope of every Christian.
Living a Transformed Life
To live a holy and transformed life, we must immerse ourselves in God’s Word and allow Christ to take control. The Holy Spirit enables us to bear fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These characteristics are evidence of a Spirit-filled life.
The Christian life is not without its struggles, but we are not alone in the battle. Christ has already won the victory, and through the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the flesh and live in freedom. Let us feed the white dog—the Spirit within us—and resist the temptations of the flesh. As we do so, we will experience the fullness of life that God intends for us, walking in holiness and bearing witness to His transformative power. Remember, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1). Let us stand firm in that freedom and live as victorious, Spirit-filled believers.
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