Besides springtime, fall is my other favorite season of the year. We are entering into a time of wonderfully warm colors of foliage, pumpkin spice scented candles, and homemade soups. In my part of the country, I often notice how summer and fall wrestle for dominance. But eventually around October, autumn wins the struggle and summer woefully wafts away with the promise of reappearing after next spring.
The Struggle is Real
It makes me think of the struggle we as born again believers endure between our flesh (sin nature) and our regenerated spirits born of God. Paul in Galatians 5:17 says: "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do do the things that you wish." And the enemy, trickster that he is knows the things that our flesh is bent toward -- holding grudges, having an out of control temper, gossip, and slander. Or our struggles may be bent toward insatiable urges of physical lust. Paul cries out in desperation in Romans 7:24, " O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" The struggle is real folks, (I'm a witness), but our Almighty God is real, alive, and ready to fight for us.
Victory is Yours
The good news is that Jesus, our Savior and Lord has overcome the world, enabling us through the power of His Holy Spirit to not just endure our internal and external struggles of life, but to make us more that conquerors, Romans 8:37. The more we open up and surrender our issues to God, the more of His Power we have available to become overcomers.
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1John 5:4 That means that not only are we able to conquer whatever circumstance may occur, but we are able to walk in a lifestyle of victory and triumph.
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, that he that is in the world. I John 4:4
