Principles of the Christian Battle and Overcoming

The Inception of Spiritual Warfare

  • Becoming a Christian involves a fundamental shift in allegiance, often described as crossing a line to join a different team.
  • This transition introduces new adversaries that were not present before the conversion. These foes include:
    • The World
    • The Flesh
    • The Devil

External Opposition and Social Pressure

  • Individuals associated with a person's life prior to their conversion often respond negatively to the change.
  • This external group may refuse to accept the transition quietly, leading to harassment and social grief.
  • Common verbal challenges and mocking inquiries directed at new believers include:
    • "What's the matter with you?"
    • "You used to do this and you don't do it [anymore]."
    • "Are you a goody two-shoes?"
    • "What's happened to you? Oh, you got religion."

The Dual Nature and Internal Conflict

  • Every Christian engages in a daily internal battle between the old nature and the new nature.
  • This struggle is a universal experience among believers, with no exceptions.
  • The conflict between these two natures is explicitly documented in the New Testament, specifically within the books of Ephesians and Galatians.
  • A specific poem characterizes this internal struggle:
    • "Two natures beat within my breast."
    • "The one is foul, the one is blessed,"
    • "The one I love, the one I hate,"
    • "The one I feed will dominate."

The Path to Becoming an Overcomer

  • True salvation is evidenced by the presence of conflict; becoming a Christian does not remove struggle but initiates it.
  • Through divine assistance, a believer begins to win battles against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
  • The goal is to move from being a victim of these forces to becoming a victor.
  • Characteristics of spiritual progress include:
    • It is not an immediate or perfect victory; no one wins every battle.
    • Occasional losses are to be expected.
    • Longitudinal progress is marked by winning more battles than are lost, provided the individual remains in fellowship and maintains faith.

The Basis of Spiritual Victory

  • Victory is possible because the Spirit of God residing within the believer is fundamentally more powerful than the spirit that exists in the world.
  • This internal presence of the Holy Spirit allows the Christian to experience consistent victory in their daily life.