Galatians 5:16-17 NLT 16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 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.
Tug of war was a game I enjoyed playing when I was younger. There were two teams that pulled a rope opposite on each side of the rope. This was a game of strength to determine which side was stronger. It was my intentions to be on the team that was stronger, yet sometimes that did not always happen. The members of my team would pull the rope with enough force that the other team would fall down, or at least stumble.
As born again believers in Christ, we have this tug of war (conflict) between living our lives guided by the Holy Spirit or the works of the flesh. We have a choice of what side we want to be on. As long as we stay on the side of the Holy Spirit we will not be defeated. It is only when we decide to be on the side of the flesh that we stumble or fall.
Which side are you on?