A child of God has two marks about them. He is known for his inward warfare and inward peace -Warfare and peace. They are children in God’s home and a soldier in their Savior’s war.
When I was saved by God, I had no idea I was walking into war. At first, I felt like I was on top of the world. Finally, my battle was over, I was awakened to Jesus, safe from sin, and headed to heaven. But soon I was in a fight I wasn’t ready for.
With a conflict within me, I never felt such inner division. My soul was at peace yet because of my flesh my body became a field of war. The battle lines were drawn. And the more I tried to kill sin, the more I seemed to discover hidden pockets of sin, sin that was subtle and camouflaged crawling to the surface. It felt like my peace was under siege.
The same gospel that brings peace with God brings war with sin.
Something must be wrong, I thought. Surely a Christian wouldn’t face darkness this black, or division this deep. I struggled for a long time with my dark thoughts and sin. Trying to get rid of the ones I had embraced for years was no easy task. Every day was an up hill battle. I felt as if satan had taken over my body. I cried and felt hopeless a lot. I also repented a lot. Every sin, every temptation that came to the surface I asked for God to forgive me.
One day I told satan he was not going to win the fight. What was going on inside of me proved with arresting intensity was what true Christianity is. I realized that there is no holiness without warfare. Saved souls will always be found to have fought a fight.
- “Fight the good fight of faith” -1 Timothy 6:12
- “Put to death the deeds of the body” -Romans 8:13; Colossians 3:5
- “Put on the whole armor of God” -Ephesians 6:11
- Abstain from the passions of your flesh, which wage war against your soul” 1 Peter 2:11
- “Watch and pray” -Matthew 26:41
- “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus” -2 Timothy 2:3
- “Wage the good warfare” 1:18
The same gospel that brings peace with God brings war with sin. As to say, Jesus is Lord and sin is not. To follow Jesus is to walk in high-handed rebellion against satan. The same Spirit who wraps us with heavenly comfort also clads us with the armor of God.
For four years I felt like a civilian who had somehow walked into a battle, then I felt like a soldier deployed. My war was a normal war and a good one at that.
“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, that you may not do the things that you desire.“ – Galatians 5:17
What could be more normal than for Christians to feel divided, split, and torn in our inner being? It’s a feeling of having two principles within us, contending for mastery. As long as we carry both Spirit and flesh, war will be normal.
I believe this is why we find in us such a strong pull not to pray when we know we need to pray. Or an aching longing to satisfy some craving, for food, drink, sex and entertainment that we know that we know we should refuse. There’s always a driving compulsion to lean on our own understanding rather than the Word of God.
“The presence of inner division and opposition does not mean we’ve lost, it means the war has begun” -J.C. Ryle
We should not be surprised in these moments, any more than an army should be surprised by an enemy attack. Instead, we should take courage, that we are not friends of satan.
The Christian fight is not just any ear, but the best war the world has ever known. We must settle in our minds that this is a good fight. While the battles sometimes beat us and we can feel tempted to despair. It is still a good fight that we will win in the end, because with God there is always victory.
In Micah 7:1 God assures us that He will tread down our foes. He has promised to strengthen us in the thickest parts of the battle.
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismissed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness“ – Isaiah 41:10
This battle we are in restores rather than ruins our humanity and,
“Puts to death therefore which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience“ – Colossians 3:5-6
Its a good fight because we fight under, with and for Jesus. He is our great Captain and fellow Soldier who won us for Himself by dying for us, and who vows to never leave our side.
“…Behold I am with you always, even to the end of the age, Amen” – Matthew 28:20
Anyone who lives the life of a Christian soldier, Let him abide in Christ, get closer to Christ, and tighten their hold on Christ every day they live.
We must match forth under the banner “Christ is better,” unsurprised and undaunted by battle, swords drawn, against everything within us. And look to the day when the two great marks of the Christian become one, and the war gives way to Jesus’s endless peace.
From Pity to Praise 