v 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.
Goliath was a very visible enemy; David would have seen him coming and had time to prepare himself for the fight. Not all enemies are so obvious – they are the inner enemies battling inside us, questioning our feelings, thoughts, beliefs and desires. You ARE the battleground, and the intention of our enemy, Satan, is to draw us away from following Jesus and lead us into a life of selfishness where personal pleasure becomes the driving motive. It is a battle that never goes away, and there are times when we might be caught off-guard by such temptation.
If that is your experience, I want to tell you that you are not alone! This inner battle is common to us all just as long as we are alive. If you think that getting older will make it easier, no, it doesn’t. The battle arena may change from physical to emotional, or from intellectual to practical time management, but the basic struggle remains: will you stay faithful and obedient to God or will you set yourself up on the throne of life? In fact, be encouraged if you are aware of this inner struggle, it means that the Holy Spirit is at work in you to shape you into a more Christ-like person.