Where the Battle is
The
general who wins the battle makes many preparations before
the
battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few preparations
beforehand.
—Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Rarely
is the battle won on the battlefield; it is almost always won or lost in the
preparations beforehand. It is the same
for the Christian in one’s daily battle against sin. And “battle” is not too strong a word for our
struggle with temptation. Sin is our
enemy and just as John Owen has famously said, “Be killing sin or sin will be
killing you.” The apostle Paul often
describes our conflict with sin in terms of a violent struggle (Romans 7:23;
8:13; Galatians 5:17).
The question
that every Christian entering battle needs to answer is, how can I win this
conflict? What does it take, and what
must I do if I am to prevail and not be defeated? Let me give an example. Let’s say that I am talking with someone and
the temptation stirs to begin to gossip about someone else, or say that I am on
the internet or in the mall and the desire to look lustfully on a young woman strikes—now
as one who loves Jesus what do I do? How
do I fight? Here is what many will
do: They will say, “God does not want me
to gossip or lust. The law of God says
that they are sins, and I must not do them.”
One of two things will now happen.
What is most common is that we will give in to the sin. We know that it is wrong; we remember the law, and yet we seem almost
powerless before the temptation to stand our ground and sadly fall into it
again and again. Many of you know what I
am speaking of here. It leads to much
despair and wondering whether God is really there to help us.
The second thing that might happen is that we will resist. We do stand our ground. We recall the law of God, and we do not
gossip or look lustfully upon a young woman.
We just say, “No!” It seems that
the battle is won, but it may not be.
Some might argue, “But have I not used the Spirit of God to fight
sin?” Be careful. We do not use or control the Spirit of
God. The Holy Spirit controls us. When I resist temptation in this way who is
it that is seen as strong? I am. When I resist temptation in this way who is
really glorified? I am. Self-reliance and self-assertion are what
come to the fore. In other words, I may
win this skirmish against lust or gossip, but a sneak attack has occurred, and
I may have fallen victim to a more subtle sin, the sin of legalism. I have escaped the initial attack but fallen
into pride and self-righteousness.
Rarely is the battle against sin won at the time that temptation
strikes. More often than not the
struggle against sin is determined in the preparations beforehand. Where there is no preparation, there is no
real power. And when there is no power
we cannot prevail. I have found again
and again that the battle against sin and temptation is usually won or lost at
the very beginning of the day. Do I make
preparation for the battles to come by seeking and walking with Jesus as the
day begins (and continue throughout the day)?
What is true in earthly warfare is true in spiritual warfare: “The general who wins the battle makes many
preparations before the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few
preparations beforehand.”
This is not just my experience, it is the teaching of Scripture: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will
not gratify the desires of the flesh” (Galatians
5:16); “For those who live according to
the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live
according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans
8:5). In these two verses Paul tells us
that if we are to overcome sin then we must make preparation. We must “walk by the Spirit” and “set our
minds on the things of the Spirit.” Negatively,
what this means is that the battle against sin is not won by turning to
the law. The power of mortification
(putting sin to death) is not found in the law of God. If all we do is remind ourselves of the
commands of God when temptation approaches, we are in trouble. It is like taking up a water pistol against a
raging fire. One way or another (sin or
legalism) we will get burned. Part of
our preparation is to remind ourselves of what will not work.
Though we do not set our minds on or gaze upon the law, we are to turn to
the living Christ. Again Paul says to
“walk by the Spirit” or “set our minds on the things of the Spirit.” Whose Spirit?
Romans 8:9 tells us, “You, however, are not in the flesh but in the
Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have
the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”
The Spirit is the “Spirit of God” or the “Spirit of Christ.” The terms are interchangeable. What this means is that if we are to walk
according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, and if we are to
overcome the desires of the flesh, then we must fix our gaze and our faith upon
the risen and glorious Jesus. The power
to battle sin does not come from the law, but rather from the indwelling Spirit
of Christ. And the way we lay hold of
this power is by setting our hearts and minds upon the all-satisfying beauty
and glory of Jesus Christ.
This is why I said earlier that our battle against sin and temptation is
almost always won (or lost) at the beginning of the day. Will we seek to set our gaze upon Jesus, to
find our hearts satisfied in Him, to treasure the beauty of His holiness? The fact is that we cannot make our hearts
satisfied in Jesus at a moment’s notice.
God has given us hearts that must linger in His presence before they
will flourish in love and happiness. As George Muller has memorably said, “The
first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day is to
have my soul happy in the Lord.” The
power of sin is the promise of pleasure.
The strength to overcome temptation does not lie primarily is
self-control or even in the fear of God’s displeasure but in superior
satisfaction in the person and promises of Jesus Christ.
Have you made preparation this day for the battle against sin? Remember, rarely is the battle won on the
battlefield. The fight against sin will
be determined as you get out of bed and get on your knees and open your Bible
and seek sweet fellowship with Jesus.
Then you will be well-armed and prepared to fight with Christ-dependent
and God-glorifying strategies.
May God give us the grace to sever the power of sin, the grace of finding
joy in His presence this day and every day,
James
__________________________________
©
James Calderazzo
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