The Struggle Is Real: Our Battle Against Sin
We’ve all heard it. Maybe you’ve even said it this week.
“The struggle is real.”
You were at Costco on a Saturday, circling the parking lot for 15 minutes trying to find a spot. Struggle.
Or maybe you’re in that phase of life where your three kids all have activities at the same time in three different places. Struggle.
Maybe you’re juggling doctor’s appointments or bills or just trying to avoid those Amazon boxes that keep showing up on your porch like clockwork. Struggle.
But beyond the everyday chaos, there’s a deeper, more personal struggle most of us rarely talk about — the internal one.The one in your heart. The one in your soul. The spiritual struggle.
And that’s where this new series, The Struggle Is Real, begins.
The Struggle Beneath the Surface
Let’s be honest: if you’re a follower of Jesus, you’ve probably asked yourself this more than once:
“Why do I still struggle with sin? Shouldn’t I be past this by now? Am I just a bad Christian?”
If you’ve ever thought that, you’re not alone. In fact, the Apostle Paul — arguably one of the most faithful and accomplished followers of Jesus in history — wrote something incredibly relatable in Romans 7:15:
“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”
Sound familiar?
It’s not just you. It’s not just your weakness. It’s not a sign that you’re a failure. It’s a sign that you’re alive.
1. The Struggle Is a Sign of Spiritual Life
Dead things don’t struggle.
Picture a dead fish floating downstream — no resistance, no direction, just drifting with the current.
Now picture a live fish swimming upstream — fighting the flow, jumping over rocks, pushing forward. Why? Because it’s alive.
If you’re feeling the pull between right and wrong, if sin bothers you, if temptation gnaws at you — that’s a sign that something in you is alive. That’s the Holy Spirit at work in your soul.
It means God is not done with you.
2. The Struggle Is Bigger Than You
Paul doesn’t just talk about personal struggle. He reveals a cosmic one — a spiritual tug-of-war going on in every believer.
Galatians 5:17 puts it plainly:
“The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants… These two forces are constantly fighting each other.”
These forces even have names:
Sarks – your sinful nature (think: the little devil on your shoulder).
Pneuma – the Holy Spirit (the one trying to lead you back to life).
They are constantly at war. And you are not crazy — you really are caught in the middle.
But there’s good news: you don’t have to fight this alone.
3. The Struggle Points You to Jesus
Paul doesn’t end his confession in despair. He ends with hope:
“Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 7:24-25)
That feeling of being worn down, exhausted, wretched — that’s not the end. It’s the beginning of dependence on Jesus.
The struggle reminds us we need help. Not more willpower. Not a better self-help book. Not guilt. Not shame. We need Jesus.
The Difference Between Condemnation and Conviction
Here’s something the Church hasn’t always been great at explaining — the difference between condemnation and conviction:
| From the Enemy (Sarks) | From the Spirit (Pneuma) |
|---|---|
| Condemnation – “You are bad” | Conviction – “What you did is bad” |
| Leads to shame and hiding | Leads to repentance and healing |
| Identity-based (“I’m worthless”) | Behavior-based (“That choice hurt you”) |
If you’re feeling shame — that voice that says “I am a terrible person, God will never love me” — that’s not from God. That’s from the enemy.
God brings conviction, not to punish, but to restore.
So… What Do We Do With the Struggle?
Let’s get practical.
1. Name It.
What is your struggle?
Is it pride? Greed? Anger? Lust? Control? Comparison? Addiction?
You don’t need to be ashamed of your struggle — because you didn’t choose it. But naming it weakens its power. As long as it stays in the dark, it grows. But when you bring it into the light, God can start healing it.
2. Ask for Help.
You were never meant to do this on your own. If you could have beaten it by now, you would have.
The answer is Jesus. The answer is surrender. The answer is inviting the Holy Spirit into your moment of weakness and saying:
“I can’t beat this alone. I need your help.”
What’s Next in This Series
Today, we focused on the struggle. And it’s important to note: temptation is not sin. Jesus was tempted — yet without sin.
But what happens when we give in?
Next week, we’ll talk about sin. What is it really? Who decides what’s right and wrong? What are the consequences — and is there really such a thing as “too far gone”?
Then we’ll talk about grace — not just as forgiveness, but as freedom. Grace doesn’t give us permission to do whatever we want. It gives us power to live differently.
And finally, we’ll talk about what it means to live free — not just forgiven, but transformed.
Final Thought
If you’re in the middle of a spiritual battle, you’re not broken — you’re alive. The struggle is not a sign that God has left you. It’s a sign that He’s working in you.