Daily Devotion
With Pastor Ancel Presnell
“THE WAR WITHIN”
There is great war within the heart of every Christian. This war is between two laws within us. These two laws are The Law of Sin, and The Law of the New Man.” Paul has a new desire within him to do what is right, but every time that he attempts to exercise what is right, he is met with the law of sin. Doesn’t this sound familiar? It should because we all deal with this war within.
I have often heard folk say this and I, myself have said the same thing countless times: “I do not understand why every time I try to live closer to the Lord and do what is right, I struggle to do so!” The reason we struggle to do so is the war within us between the law of the new man in Christ verses the law of sin that we all inherited from Adam.
Let me illustrate this. We know that it is both command and beneficial to read and study God’s word, so why do we not do it? We give in to the Law of sin/flesh. We know that coming to gather with fellow believers in God’s house is a command and beneficial to us, and yet we often fail to do so as often as we should. Why is that? The Law of the new man and the law of sin meet head on in war! We know to refrain from watching, listening, or taking part in things that are harmful to us spiritually, and yet we continue to take part. Why? There is a war within, and the war is between the two laws. When we know to do good, and fail to, it is sin. James 4:17—”17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
The Law of the new man is declared by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:17—”17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” The Holy Spirit lives within us once He saves us. This reality is evidenced by the war that is within between doing what is right and holy verses doing what is wrong and unholy. We know what to do and what not to do. When we choose what is right, we are being controlled by the Spirit of God through submission to Him. When we fail to do what is right and instead, do what is wrong, we are submitting to the flesh.
