We must realise that the biggest fight of faith is with the naturel, fallen man, called the flesh! The flesh is that part of us that is rooted in sin and spiritual death. It is constantly in disagreement with the new created man in his action or thought. I will not go into details but the apostle Paul makes a strong case about this in the epistle to the Romans chapter seven. The real fight of faith begins when man becomes a Christian. Not that he did not sin before, but since the new spirit is alive in him, he becomes more conscious of it, I mentioned it afore! The apostle Paul knew this contest and writes: ‘So I find this law at work. When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law, but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What wretched man I am! Who will recue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – Through Jesus Christ our Lord’! What I cannot rid myself of, thenew spirit react favourably to the work of the Holy Spirit, who having begun the good work in every new believer, will continue until he reaches perfection. (Romans 7: 21-24) 

Read the whole chapter and meditate on it, for since the conversion the believer began a new life, and by faith in Christ his sins have all been forgiven. ‘So, the Scriptures state, I myself in my mind am a slave to the law of God, but in my sinful nature am a slave to the law of sin.’ Nevertheless, being in Christ, who is also called the last Adam, makes the whole difference, because this new man in me is now united, one with Jesus, and it is not touched and cannot be tarnished by the sins of the body … So, ‘There is therefore now not condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.’ (Romans 8: 1-2) Freedom is a terrific word, it means what it says, being freed from slavery to the devil means that he has nothing that he can throw at a Christian. Obviously, he will try, if he does to you, believe what God says, read again and again the verses quoted above, rejoice, and sing unto the Lord! Who has set you free! Forever! The word of God always says the truth, the devil is a liar and the father of it, says Jesus.

So, we must not be surprised when the devil chooses our low times, either by illness or some trials, to try and condemn us through our conscience and say: You are not really any better, you still do this as before, and throws all sorts of accusations at us, that is what he does, so do not be surprised. But we must listen to what the Holy Spirit says, it is not easy at first, but the Holy Spirit is always true however we may feel; for that reason, we must attend church where the real Word is preached, and where the Holy Spirit moves in a different way upon all the saints gathered together, and go through what the heard when back at home. Learn verses by heart, the devil is liar, and by knowing verses by heart you can reply to him with the truth! The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and the truth sets us free! Nevertheless, we must accept, that in time we will become stronger in the faith and know better all that Jesus means to us all, by being at the right hand of God standing infor us! This fight of faith will still go on as long as we are in this mortal body. Nevertheless, we know that when Jesus comes for us all these trials will cease, and we shall be like Jesus!

So, when a Christian goes to sleep in Jesus, all that stops. But more so, the promise is that on that a day, a big change will happen, for it is written: ‘Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.’ (Philippians 3: 20-21) That is when all will change in a twinkling of an eye, forever; all the limits and tests that we feel whilst in the body. will cease, when Jesus comes to take His people home! There is so much more to say about these glorious truths. Much more is written in the Bible about the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, until then we have to fight the fight of faith, and live assured that nothing can, nor will separate us from the love of God manifested in His son Jesus Christ!