The War Against Sin

Genesis 4:7 (NIV) -

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.

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I found myself in a rather interesting and challenging situation yesterday. On the surface, there wasn't much to it, but for some reason it triggered my pride to start arcing up and trying to take control within the situation. And so began a significant internal battle between the Spirit and the flesh, like Paul talks about in Galatians 5:17 - "For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want."

For about 2 hours, I was locked in a wrestling match with my pride. Over and over again I had to submit it to God in prayer so that it wouldn't get the best of me and cause me to do something I'd later regret. Frustratingly, it felt like no matter how much I prayed, the pride just wasn't going away (or at least, if it was, it was coming back just as quickly as it had left). Finally, I was able to get away from the situation for a moment and, before stepping back into the room, I prayed, "Father, when I go back in there, I pray you'll fill me with a new sense of peace and joy."

I walked back into the situation, but this time I could tell that the stalemate had broken - the tide of the battle had turned in favour of the Spirit. It was still a process of submission for perhaps another hour after that, but with each passing minute I felt my pride slowly retreating under the power of God's grace.

Because we are the children of Adam, we are in a constant battle against sin. Just like Cain was warned in the verse at the top, sin is waiting for us, just looking for one weak moment to strike. The only way that we can rule over it is to, as children of God, ask for Him to help us by His Spirit, then be willing to humble ourselves enough to submit to Him over and over until He delivers us, making His promised victory a reality in our lives.