Tug-of-War

Are you caught in the middle of a TUG-OF-WAR that is ripping you apart?

Does it seem like you are caught in the middle of a conflict…

• Between what is right and wrong, 
• Between what is good and bad, 
• Between doing what is honorable or evil in God’s eyes.

At times, it can feel like we are caught in the middle of a TUG-OF-WAR battle. 

For a moment, allow me to paint a picture of how many are bound up and living in a deep spiritual conflict between GOOD and EVIL and between what is RIGHT and WRONG. 

Picture a TUG-OF-WAR context.

You are caught in the middle, bound up with a rope on your left hand, pulling you in one direction, and a rope bound to your right hand, pulling you in the opposite direction.  

On one hand, you know what God wants you to do. Deep inside, you are fully aware of the right thing to do, and you know the right decision that will lead to a fruitful and blessed outcome. 

On the other hand, you are being lured away from God, enticed to follow your darker desires, down an uncertain corridor filled with the false promise of fun, lustful pleasure, and delight, which deep down you know will lead you to a life of hurt, pain, deception. 

If you keep living in the middle between these two opposing forces, you will be left stressed out, depressed, and anxious, and you will eventually be torn apart. 

Unless you cut the rope and break free, you will be pulled apart and left with a broken spirit and a troubled mind. 

God’s word describes a TUG-OF-WAR BATTLE as a battle between either being led by…

The Holy Spirit VS Your Sinful Nature (Your Flesh)

Galatians 5:16-17…

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”

“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”

Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you, or are you being led by the cravings of your sinful nature?

On the one side, your sinful nature is pulling you and tempting you to do evil. On the other side, the Holy Spirit is gently nudging you. The sinful nature is in direct opposition to God and is constantly fighting, causing tension and stress and will leave you broken. 

So, what are the results of allowing your sinful nature to dominate? 

I’m glad you asked… 

Galatians 5:19-21… 

“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

The results of following your flesh or sinful nature are clear. It leads to sin…

Sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. 

And the worst part of it is that if we live like this, it results in judgment, spiritual death, and spending eternity in hell, where we will forever be separated from God for all eternity. 

On the other hand, if we surrender to God and live to please him, the results will be…

Galatians 5:22-23…

“But the Holy Spirit produces good fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”

The results of being led by the Holy Spirit lead to a fruitful outcome…

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

I know we live in a complicated world. Before our eyes, we are seeing what Isaiah forewarned us about 2700 years ago when he prophesied, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20)

On your one shoulder, we hear the promptings of the Holy Spirit, whispering, gently guiding us, and convicting us to stay away from evil, to live a holy life, to be careful, and to consider doing the right thing. 

On the other shoulder, you hear the aggressive voice of deception, temptation, and compromise that tries to drown out the voice of God and lead you astray. 

Many years ago, I read a quote from Billy Sunday. He asked, “What dog are you feeding?”

He said that every one of us has two dogs.  He concluded, “The one you feed will get stronger, and the one you starve will weaken. So, which dog are you feeding?”

Sometimes, we try to feed both dogs. We follow God but live in the world. You may want to do the right thing, but you are compromised. You either need to let go of God and his ways, or you need to reject God and be led astray by the lure of the crowd. 

The Choice

You need to choose between GOOD or BAD, between RIGHT and WRONG, between being led by our SINFUL NATURE or by THE SPIRIT OF GOD. 

Deuteronomy 30:19…

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” 

Choose Life

Like Joshua, I implore you not to fret about your sinful nature but to be single-minded in your walk with God: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Remember Jesus’ words. He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)

If you are caught up in the TUG-OF-WAR BATTLE, please consider your options. Be aware of the pros and cons, as well as the advantages and the pitfalls. Weigh up the consequences. 

Watch out for the enemy who will use every counterfeit trick to blindside you and lead you on a road to destruction. Also, know that Jesus wants to lead you on the best pathway to life.

It may be a tougher road—the road less traveled—but it will keep you from sabotaging your life and causing destruction in your eternity. Choose Jesus. Follow him. His way leads to peace, joy, and eternal security. 

Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)

Don’t compromise. Don’t follow the wrong g crowd. Be one of the few. Take the narrow path. 

Are you in a conflicting situation?

Have you compromised?

Are you allowing your sinful nature to dominate your life? 

If so, I must tell you it is not over until God says it’s over.

There is a way out. 

If you are bound up in a TUG-OF-WAR BATTLE for your soul, it will cause conflict. It is stressful. It will literally pull you apart. You cannot go on this way anymore. You are called to make a choice. You must choose to cut the rope, or you will be ripped apart. 

Either you need to cut the rope on what you know is the good and right side or on the bad and evil side. But what is more certain is that you cannot just stay bound in the middle. 

Either you need to cut the rope on the BAD side, which is pulling you away from God into darkness and evil, or you need to cut the rope on the GOOD side, which is pulling you into a closer walk with God, filled with holiness, light, and pure love. 

If you cut the rope on the GOOD side, you will be flung fully into the darkness. If you cut the rope on the BAD side, you will be flung into the arms of God. 

Where Are You Today?

I know so many people living in this state of continual conflict between what is right and wrong, good and evil, God-honoring, and God-despising. 

Today, you can be free. Cut the rope on your sinful nature and allow God to catapult you into his Kingdom, where you can be fruitful. 

It is only possible because of Jesus’s finished work. He paid the full price for your sin and every curse of hell when he died in our place on the cross. All you need to do is call on him to save you, to be your Lord and Savior. 

Today, cut the rope. You can start afresh. 

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have set up for you.

Today, you can go free. Surrender to Jesus, repent, and give him your life. Today is the day of new beginnings. 

Galatians 5:24-25… 

“Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.”

“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

Are You Caught in the Middle? 

What is your struggle?

Is it sex immorality? Remember that God created sex for a husband and wife to enjoy in marriage. 

Is it porn? Watch out. 

Do you have an anger problem? 

Do you sometimes go off in a fit of rage? 

Are you living a selfish life?

Are you sowing division and discord amongst people?

Are you overly aggressive? 

Are you living a wild and raucous life?

Do you have idols in your life? Things that are more important to you than God?

Are you dabbling with demons, getting involved with witchcraft, or sorcery? Be careful. This will wreck your life. 

Is envy or jealousy an issue?

Is your alcohol consumption getting out of control? 

Are you getting drunk often?

Are you addicted to something that is ruining your life?

Are you allowing bitterness and offense to ruin your life? 

Are you filled with hatred?

Are you argumentative? 

Do you intentionally go out to cause trouble or harm to others? 

Are you trying to cause harm to others? 

Are you indulging in lustful pleasures? 

Are you allowing immoral and impure thoughts to dominate your mind? 

Let me remind you that Galatians 5:19-21 clearly shows us that when “we follow the desires” of our fleshy “sinful nature, the results are obvious.” Not only does this cause hurt to others, but it will leave you troubled and broken and bound. What’s worse is that these sinful and immoral thoughts and actions will cut you off from God’s blessing, it will bring judgment, and prevent you from sharing eternal life with God. We are told that “anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

The good news is that you can cut the rope and break free from your sinful nature. You do not have to do it alone. Surrender your life afresh to God. Repent of your sins. Give him your burdens, problems, hurts, temptations, and bondages. 

If you are battling in any of these areas, I believe God wants you to pray and ask Him to forgive you, cleanse you, break the chains of oppression off your life, and set you free. Today, he wants to help you cut the rope and fill you with the fruit of the Spirit.

If this is you, you can call on God today. God can set you free, create a new pure heart in you, and renew the right spirit in you.

Let’s Pray…

Dear Lord Jesus,

I am so sorry for allowing my sinful nature to dominate my life. Lord, you know me through and through. I know I have done evil in your sight. I ask you to forgive me. Please wash me and cleanse me. Today, I choose to break free from my bondages and sinful past. Lord, I ask you to be my Lord and Savior. Today, I choose to surrender the evil passions and desires of my sinful nature to you. Thank you for paying the total price for my transgressions on the cross.

But Lord, I cannot do this by myself. I need your help, assistance, and support. Today, I give you my burdens and bondages. Please touch me and change me. Today, I choose to cut ties with my sinful nature. Please break the strongholds off my life and catapult me into your loving arms. I am a new creation. My old life is past. Thank you for a new start and for setting me free. Please fill me with your Holy Spirit. Please help me to live a life set apart for you. Help me to please you. May the fruit of your Spirit grow in my life. May this fruit be evident for all to see. Lord, may my heart and life be filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Please empower me and help me follow your lead. 

In Jesus’ name. Amen

If you have prayed this prayer, please let us know. We would love to pray for you and send you an incredible eBook to help you on your journey with God.

Lastly, I urge you to live free. 

Galatians 5:1…

“So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.”

Today is a day of new beginnings. 

You are a new creation. 

Stay close to Jesus. 

Keep Jesus at the center of your life. If you do, your life will never be the same again. 

May you know God’s supernatural favor in every area of your life as you live for Him. 

God bless you.