Understanding THE CONFLICT

Do you ever beat yourself up? I am not talking physically but mentally, spiritually and emotionally…for not BEING who you hoped you would be as a Christian woman.

With sincere hearts and bruised egos some of us survey our actions and the fruit of our lives and one word comes to mind…UGLY!

It is true, that though we are IN CHRIST, we can still manage to Live in Our Flesh Patterns and Habits more times than not. Why Oh Why is it so hard? Why can’t we just get ourselves together and do the sweet spirit thing?

Sometimes it feels like a battle within, doesn’t it? There is a reason for the battling and conflicting desires. There is a conflict going on inside of us. Take a look at what Scripture says is going on:

Today’s Truth: Galatians 5:16-18

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. ”

The Conflict: Our sinful nature, our human self is in conflict with the Spirit of God within us. We can say ” Oh, I am only human!” And it’s true that we are human but that is not the only part of us. As a Christian there is also a spiritual part of us and it is the Holy Spirit within us, given as a seal of our redemption, given as a provision for living our lives out in Christ’s power, for His glory.

Flesh and Spirit…They are opposites, contrary, different.

Human nature is strong, sometimes inviting, often comfortable, rarely alarming to us. But the human nature is different than the Spirit’s life within us. Infact, the human part of us is in conflict with the Spirit’s Life in us. Often times, we feed the flesh or human nature and it wins out over the Spirit.

Whatever nature is fed, will be the nature that produces fruit…the nature that wins out over the circumstance.

Think about it.

Max Lucado says,

You are who God says you are.

• Spiritually alive.
• Heavenly Positioned.
• Connected to the Father
• A billboard of mercy.
• An honored child.

Today’s Prayer

Father, today I desire to walk and live in who I am in You. I want to feed the Spirit of God within me, and starve the flesh that seeks to have it’s own way and do it’s own thing. I am aware of the conflict of interests and I want YOU to win this battle within me. One day at a time. Thank You that you call me child, you call me loved, you call me provided for, you call me spiritually alive.