Spiritual warfare? ............. Parables 773

January 2004

There stands Billy in front of the candy counter. The store owner’s back is turned. Billy looks at the candy. On one shoulder sits an angel telling him to keep his hands in his pocket. On the other shoulder sits a bright red figure with a pitched fork and a contrary argument. If Billy does not touch the candy, who is the real winner in this battle?

Like 99% of the population, I decided last week to get rid of a few pounds. While I can still button up my clothes, they are tighter than they were a month ago. Too much turkey stuffing. Too many chocolates. Even with those safely out of sight, a second helping of anything was still a big temptation. However, I decided that if I say no to the extras, my tongue may lose a “taste sensation” but my body will come out a winner.

Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian, graphically described similar struggles with other kinds of temptation besides gluttony. He said, “Being a Christian is like having two dogs fighting inside me.”

The battle between what is the good and what is forbidden rages continually. Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings uses an epic fantasy to depict it. Even in fiction, this Christian author refuses to minimize the power of darkness to lure persons into wicked thinking and behavior. He also brings out the struggle inside the hearts of his characters.

Yet not all of them struggle. The good guys battle evil, but those who are evil only fight good because it threatens their freedom to choose otherwise. As I read Tolkein’s stories and see the movies, I marvel how he depicts the inner battle of the two dogs. I also marvel that this battle would not be so evident to me had I read the books before I became a Christian.

Becoming a Christian changed the way I think about good and evil. Even though I was not heavy into evil, I was surprised when these changes came. Before, I used “doing good” to serve my own purposes. Before, I rejected temptation only if I could see negative consequences. After giving my life to Christ, suddenly I wanted to do good — without having any reason, yet was (and still am) amazed at how fiercely temptation opposes me.

The Bible makes it clear that when the Holy Spirit lives in a person, that person changes. We become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). It also describes a new conflict. “The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other so that you do not do what you want.”

Every Christian experiences this battle. The Apostle Paul put it this way, “What I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” He goes on to say that his sinful nature is up to no good, but his inner being, where the Holy Spirit dwells, wages war against that nature. He thanks God that Jesus Christ enables him to win this war!

Watchman Nee would agree. Someone heard him describe his battle with sin and asked, “Which dog wins?” He responded, “The dog I feed the most.”

My experience this past week is almost a pun on Nee’s reply, As I turn away from fancy desserts, rich sauces, and other temptations, my desire for them becomes less intense. Not only is my body beginning to lose weight, but my appetite for overeating has diminished.

For those who fight a battle with temptation, be thankful; it’s one test that gives evidence that you are a Christian. To win the battle, ask the Lord to help you feed the good dog (in my case, it likes lots of veggies!) and starving the forbidden dog. You will see it will shrivel up — and leave you alone.