“So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.” Romans 7:21
March 18, 2024
Upon pulling into the driveway of a family member, a strange event takes place. This has happened a number of times. Within a matter of minutes a cardinal (the bird) flies up to the passenger side mirror. It engages in a battle with another cardinal. Only it is the reflection of him in the mirror. It’s a sight to behold. It is real to the bird but futile. Why? Like the Christian battling with sin (but not futile), in the words of Pogo, the cartoon character, “we have seen the enemy and he is us.” This is the apostle Paul’s confession, and that of any Christian. Even though born again, our old sin nature works in, through and out of the tunnel system of our hearts. Evil is always close at hand even though we have been set free from its ruling power. It is a sinful disposition, an unwelcome guest, a law of sin. Like gravity it seeks to pull us into a sinful orbit. It will show up when we are doing good, like praying, studying our Bibles, doing a kind deed. But don’t be discouraged. We have the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8). The normal Christian life is a victorious conflict with the world, the flesh (the enemy within), and the devil. Victory is possible! Are you a combatant or a noncombatant? Combatants are desperate to know God and win the battles against sin. We are not birds.
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We have our God-given weapons. More time is necessary to know how to follow Christ and be an overcomer. More to come.