The War Against Our Spirit and Our Flesh

Have you ever noticed there are times when you want to voice your concerns, yet no matter what words you use, it just sounds like you are whining. As I write this I am struggling to give good realistic insight, without sounding bitter and needy, or emotionally damaged. So I wish you good luck as you read this, I hope you can hear what I actually mean, instead of what I sound like.

1 Peter 2:11-12
Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12  Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.

One of the principles I see communicated in this passage from 1 Peter is that the fleshly lusts wage war against the soul. Because our soul can decide to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit or the prompting of the flesh.

Leviticus 23:27 “On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD.

It is not easy to humble our soul. Our flesh looks at the evidence. What we can see, hear, touch, feel, experience, and understand.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

The flesh asks who will be there to help me lord? God say's "trust me," and our soul starts to cry out for a person to walk along side us. Then we get that answer that nobody wants to hear when they are struggling with being lonely and afraid. That answer that is perfectly in line with scripture, but does not feel like it meets us at our moment of need. Usually some optimistic believer who is not lonely and afraid at this very minute will come along and offer a christianese answer like Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

The flesh asks, what will it take to get through this? God replies "trust me," and our soul begs for answers we can grasp, not just another commonly quoted line like Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.


The flesh asks when will it happen. God say's "trust me," and our soul searches frantically for a resolution that does not sound superficial and false like the christianese answers provided by well intended fellow believers who are not going through the turmoil we are facing. Even though they offer wonderful scriptures like Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

The flesh asks where am I going Lord? God say's "trust me," and our soul searches for a path that makes sense to us, and the way we see the world. Then some well meaning brother or sister in Christ will offer Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

The flesh asks how will it ever happen, God say's "trust me," and our soul can only cry out for step by step process, something we can measure. Then some super believer who is not in the middle of the battle says something like Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

The flesh asks why, God say's "trust me," and our soul begs for the meaning to be revealed, not just another answer one of our christian friends found on greeting card and thought it would help. Some common phrase like Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

These are all good responses to our struggles, the challenge is having the right perspective during our struggles, and learning to let God's word be enough even when it really does not feel like it is enough. Not many people yell at God because of the number of miles He placed the Sun and Moon from Earth. Yet they affect us every day of our life. Sure we complain about the weather, but not the fact that God chose to place the Sun and Moon in outer space. Now if they started crashing to earth, that would be a struggle for most of us. I am quite sure God would hear about it from most people, and no amount of scripture quoting would make anyone feel better about the situation. Unless they knew because of their relationship with God, that His word is a good enough answer.