WHAT IS THE BELIEVER’S STRUGGLE AGAINST SELF?

Why We Cannot Win in This Life—And Why That Drives Us to Long for Christ’s Return

A pastoral exploration of the Christian’s daily battle with sin, the purpose of our struggle, and the blessed hope of complete deliverance

INTRODUCTION: THE IMPOSSIBLE BATTLE

Every genuine believer in Jesus Christ faces a daily, exhausting, seemingly impossible battle: the struggle against SELF.

No matter how long you’ve walked with Christ, no matter how much you’ve grown, no matter how fervently you pray—SELF keeps rising up. Pride. Selfishness. Anger. Lust. Greed. Impatience. Self-pity. Self-righteousness. Self-promotion.

You hate it. You confess it. You repent. You ask for strength. You try harder.

And SELF rises again.

This is not a sign that you’re not saved. This is the Christian life.

And incredibly, this struggle serves a divine purpose—it drives us to desperately long for the only One who can finally, completely, eternally destroy SELF: Jesus Christ at His return.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW—TO SHOW US WE CANNOT

The Law’s Perfect Standard

Romans 7:12:

“So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”

The Law of God is perfect. It reflects His perfect nature. It sets the standard: Be holy as God is holy (Leviticus 11:44).

The problem is not the Law. The problem is us.

The Law Reveals Our Inability

Romans 3:19-20:

“Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; because by the works of the Law none of mankind will be declared righteous in His sight; for through the Law comes knowledge of sin.”

The Law was NEVER given so we could keep it.

The Law was given to show us we CANNOT keep it.

“Through the Law comes knowledge of sin”—not victory over sin, but awareness of sin.

Galatians 3:24:

“Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.”

The Law is a tutor—a schoolmaster pointing us away from ourselves and toward Christ, our only hope.

Paul’s Testimony: Even Apostles Struggle

Romans 7:15, 18-19, 24:

“For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate… For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want… Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?”

This is the Apostle Paul—writer of most of the New Testament, church planter, miracle worker, man who saw the third heaven.

And he cries: “Wretched man that I am!”

He wants to do good. He wills to do good. But he keeps doing evil.

If Paul struggled, we will struggle.

This is normal Christian experience.

GRACE DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE STRUGGLE

We Are Under Grace, Not Law

Romans 6:14:

“For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.”

Christians are not under the Law’s condemnation. We are under grace. Our salvation is secure.

But grace does not mean the flesh is dead.

The Flesh vs. The Spirit

Galatians 5:17:

“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”

Even Spirit-filled believers have two natures warring within:

The flesh (SELF, the old nature)
The Spirit (Christ’s life in us)

They are “in opposition to one another” constantly.

The result: “You may not do the things that you please”

Translation: You will WANT to be selfless, but SELF will fight you every step.

Sanctification is a Process, Not Instant

Philippians 1:6:

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

“Until the day of Christ Jesus”—meaning NOT until His return will the work be complete.

Philippians 3:12-14:

“Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul admits: “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect”

He’s pressing on—still in the race, not yet at the finish line.

1 John 1:8, 10:

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us… If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

If you claim you have no sin, you’re deceived.

If you claim you don’t sin, you make God a liar.

The Christian life is not sinless perfection—it’s continual confession, repentance, and dependence on grace.

THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF OVERCOMING SELF IN THIS LIFE

The Flesh Cannot Be Reformed

Romans 8:7-8:

“because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

The flesh “is not even able” to submit to God.

You cannot train SELF to be godly. You cannot educate SELF into holiness. You cannot reform SELF through discipline.

SELF must die. And it refuses to die until Christ returns and destroys it.

Living in a Fallen World

Romans 8:22-23:

“For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

“The whole creation groans”—this world is corrupted by sin.

“Even we ourselves groan”—even believers with the Holy Spirit groan under the weight of living in these unredeemed bodies in this fallen world.

We are “waiting eagerly for… the redemption of our body”—the resurrection/rapture when SELF finally dies completely.

1 Corinthians 15:50:

“Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”

Our current flesh and blood bodies CANNOT enter the Kingdom.

These bodies are corrupted by SELF. They must be transformed, resurrected, glorified.

Until then, we groan.

Daily Dying That Never Feels Complete

1 Corinthians 15:31:

“I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

Paul dies daily—meaning SELF keeps rising, and he must keep crucifying it.

It’s not a one-time death. It’s daily combat.

Luke 9:23:

“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.’”

“Daily”—not once. Not occasionally. Every single day.

Take up your cross (instrument of death). Kill SELF. Again. And again. And again.

This is exhausting. This is designed to make us desperate for final deliverance.

WHY THE STRUGGLE EXISTS—GOD’S PURPOSES IN OUR FAILING

To Keep Us Humble

2 Corinthians 12:7-9:

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’”

Paul had a “thorn in the flesh”—to keep him from exalting himself (pride, SELF).

God said: No. My grace is sufficient. My power works best in your weakness.

Our constant struggle with SELF keeps us from pride.

Every time we fall, we’re reminded: I am nothing without Him.

To Drive Us to Dependence

John 15:5:

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

“Apart from Me you can do NOTHING.”

Our daily failures prove this over and over.

Tried to be patient today? Failed.
Tried to love sacrificially? Failed.
Tried to resist temptation? Failed.

The message: I cannot do this on my own. I need Him every moment.

This is healthy spiritual desperation.

To Make Us Long for Heaven

Romans 8:18:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Our struggle with SELF is part of “the sufferings of this present time.”

But these sufferings serve a purpose: They make us long for the glory to be revealed.

Philippians 1:23:

“But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better”

Paul wanted to depart—to leave this body, this struggle, this battle with SELF.

“To be with Christ”—that is very much better than this exhausting war.

Revelation 21:4:

“and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

No more tears. No more death. No more pain. No more SELF.

Our current struggle makes us desperate for that day.

This is good and right.

THE AWAKENED WISDOM—I CANNOT, HE MUST

Recognizing Total Inability

Jeremiah 13:23:

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.”

As impossible as changing your skin color, so impossible is defeating SELF in your own strength.

This is awakened wisdom:

I cannot make myself holy
I cannot kill my own SELF
I cannot win this battle alone
I am utterly, completely, desperately dependent on Christ

Psalm 130:1-3:

“Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive To the voice of my supplications. If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?”

“Out of the depths”—from the pit of our failure and inability.

“If You should mark iniquities… who could stand?”—NOBODY. We all fail constantly.

Crying Out for Deliverance

Romans 7:24-25:

“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Paul’s response to his struggle:

Acknowledge wretchedness (“Wretched man that I am!”)
Cry out for deliverance (“Who will set me free?”)
Point to Christ alone (“Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ!”)

This is the posture of the struggling saint:

Not “I’ll try harder.”
Not “I need better strategies.”
Not “I just need more willpower.”

But: “Jesus, HELP! I cannot do this. You must do it IN me. Come quickly and complete the work!”

Confessing Our Need Daily

Matthew 6:11:

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

Daily bread—not a week’s supply. Not a month’s. Daily.

We need fresh grace every single day for the battle against SELF.

Lamentations 3:22-23:

“The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”

“New every morning”—because we need them every morning.

Yesterday’s grace won’t be enough for today’s battle with SELF.

This daily dependence is God’s design.

COMFORT IN THE STRUGGLE—THE HOLY SPIRIT AS COMFORTER

The Promise of the Comforter

John 14:16-17:

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

“Another Helper” (Greek: Parakletos = one called alongside to help, comforter, advocate)

The Holy Spirit is with us in the struggle.

He doesn’t condemn us for failing. He helps us, comforts us, strengthens us to keep fighting.

John 16:7-8:

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment”

The Holy Spirit:

Convicts (shows us our sin—awakens us to SELF)
Comforts (assures us we’re forgiven)
Empowers (gives strength to keep fighting)

Comfort in Our Failures

1 John 2:1:

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”

“So that you may not sin”—the goal is not to sin.

“And IF anyone sins”—acknowledging we WILL sin.

When we fail: We have an Advocate—Jesus stands before the Father on our behalf.

Romans 8:1:

“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

No condemnation.

Yes, we’re in a battle. Yes, we keep failing. Yes, SELF keeps rising.

But there is NO CONDEMNATION for those in Christ.

The enemy whispers: “You’re failing too much. You’re not really saved. God is disappointed.”

The Spirit testifies: “You are His child. You are loved. The battle is hard, but the victory is already won in Christ. Keep fighting. He’s with you.”

Each Failure Drives Us Deeper Into His Grace

2 Corinthians 12:9:

“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

“Power is perfected in weakness”

Our struggles don’t disqualify us. They qualify us to experience His power.

Every time SELF rises and we fall, we have a choice:

Despair and give up

Or run deeper into His grace, crying “I need You more!”

The second response is what God desires.

Each disappointment, each failure is meant to propel us to long MORE for Him, MORE for His return, MORE for final deliverance.

LONGING FOR THE RAPTURE—OUR BLESSED HOPE

The Rapture: Final Deliverance from SELF

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

This is it. This is the moment SELF finally, completely, eternally DIES.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”—INSTANTLY.

No more process. No more “daily dying.” No more struggle.

INSTANTANEOUS TRANSFORMATION

Perishable → Imperishable
Mortal → Immortal
Corrupted by SELF → Glorified like Christ
Body of death → Resurrection body

1 John 3:2:

“Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.”

“We will be LIKE HIM”—completely conformed to Christ’s image.

No more SELF. Only Christ living through us perfectly, eternally.

THIS is what we’re longing for.

Our Groaning is Good

Romans 8:23-25:

“And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

“We ourselves groan”—under the weight of SELF, sin, this fallen world.

“Waiting eagerly”—not passively, but with intense longing.

“With perseverance we wait eagerly”—we don’t give up, we keep fighting, but we long for the day it’s over.

This groaning is GOOD. It’s evidence we’re His.

The world doesn’t groan for Christ’s return. They love SELF. They’re comfortable here.

But those who hate SELF? We groan. We long. We cry “Come, Lord Jesus!”

Titus 2—The Blessed Hope

Titus 2:11-14:

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”

“Instructing us to deny… worldly desires”—the daily battle against SELF.

“Looking for the blessed hope”—while we fight, we LOOK FORWARD to His appearing.

“To purify for Himself a people”—He’s not done purifying us yet. Complete purification happens at the rapture.

The blessed hope = Christ’s return to complete the work

THE END OF DAYS INTENSIFIES THE STRUGGLE AND THE LONGING

Prophetic Events Coming Alive

As you watch:

Israel surrounded by enemies
Technology enabling the Mark of the Beast
Mystery Babylon rising
Convergence of power structures
Apostasy in the church
Deception spreading

The reality hits: THIS IS IT. THE END IS NEAR.

Matthew 24:32-33:

“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.”

“He is near, right at the door”

Not decades away. Not centuries. RIGHT AT THE DOOR.

The Struggle Intensifies as the End Approaches

2 Timothy 3:1, 13:

“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come… But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

“Difficult times”—the spiritual battle intensifies.

“Proceed from bad to worse”—things get harder, not easier.

Living in the last days means:

Greater temptations
More deception
Increased spiritual warfare
Harder to stand against SELF while the culture celebrates SELF

The battle gets MORE exhausting, not less.

This intensifies our longing: “Lord, how much longer? I can’t take this world anymore. Please come!”

Seeing Prophecy Fulfilled Makes Us Cry Out

Luke 21:28:

“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

“When these things begin to take place”—as prophecy unfolds before our eyes.

“Your redemption is drawing near”—deliverance is CLOSE.

Watching prophecy come alive does two things:

Confirms Scripture is true (if this is happening, the rapture is next!)

Makes us desperate for His return (I see where this is headed—COME QUICKLY!)

Revelation 22:17, 20:

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’… He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come’”—this is the cry of the Church.

“Yes, I am coming quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

This is our prayer. This is our desperate longing.

OUR TEMPORARY TRIBULATION vs. ETERNAL GLORY

The Comparison

Romans 8:18:

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Our struggle against SELF = “sufferings of this present time”

Final deliverance and glorification = “glory to be revealed”

They’re not even comparable.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18:

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

“Momentary, light affliction”—yes, it feels heavy. But compared to eternity, it’s momentary.

“Eternal weight of glory FAR BEYOND ALL COMPARISON”—what’s coming makes everything here seem like nothing.

“While we look… at the things which are not seen”—we endure by keeping our eyes on what’s coming.

The Transformation Awaiting Us

Philippians 3:20-21:

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.”

“Transform the body of our humble state”—this body dominated by SELF.

“Into conformity with the body of His glory”—a body like His resurrection body.

Perfect. Sinless. Selfless. Glorified.

Colossians 3:4:

“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

“Revealed with Him in glory”—we will be like Him, displaying His glory perfectly.

No more SELF to get in the way.

EACH FAILURE REMINDS US TO LONG FOR HIM

The Disappointment That Drives Us Home

When you lose your temper: “I hate this SELF. Come, Lord Jesus.”

When you’re consumed by worry: “I hate this SELF. Come, Lord Jesus.”

When you’re selfish with your time: “I hate this SELF. Come, Lord Jesus.”

When you’re proud and defensive: “I hate this SELF. Come, Lord Jesus.”

When you lust, envy, gossip, complain: “I hate this SELF. Come, Lord Jesus.”

Every failure is meant to:

Drive you to confession and grace
Remind you of your desperate need for Him
Make you LONG for the day SELF is finally dead

This is healthy spiritual longing.

Psalm 42:1-2:

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?”

“When shall I come and appear before God?”—the cry of the longing heart.

Psalm 84:2:

“My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.”

“Longed and even yearned”—intense desire.

This is what the battle with SELF produces—yearning for His presence where SELF is finally gone.

The Groaning That Pleases God

Your struggle is not a sign of failure—it’s evidence you’re alive in Christ.

Dead people don’t struggle with sin. They’re comfortable in it.

Living believers HATE SELF and long to be free.

Your groaning doesn’t displease God. It’s the cry He ordained:

Romans 8:26-27:

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

Even the Holy Spirit groans within us.

Our desperate cries—“I can’t do this! Help! Come quickly!”—are the Spirit’s own prayers through us.

God hears. God knows. God is pleased with this longing.

BACK TO THE GARDEN—NO MORE SELF

Eden Restored

Revelation 22:1-3:

“Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse”

“There will no longer be any curse”—the curse of Genesis 3 (SELF) is removed.

Revelation 21:4:

“and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

No more:

Death (SELF’s wage)
Mourning (SELF’s sorrow)
Crying (SELF’s pain)
The first things (this whole SELF-dominated system)

Revelation 21:27:

“and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

“Nothing unclean”—NO SELF enters the Kingdom.

Only those in whom SELF has been destroyed and Christ reigns.

Living in His Heart, IN CHRIST

2 Corinthians 5:17:

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

In Christ = our position now

New creature fully realized = at the rapture

Ephesians 2:6:

“and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”

Already seated with Him—positionally.

Will be seated with Him—experientially at His return.

The Garden of God = His Heart = IN CHRIST

We’re returning to perfect fellowship, perfect peace, perfect selflessness.

Adam walked with God in the cool of the day (Genesis 3:8) before SELF entered.

We will walk with God eternally, face to face, with SELF forever destroyed.

COME, LORD JESUS—COME!

The Cry of the Struggling Saint

I hate SELF.

I hate how it rises every day.
I hate how it corrupts my thoughts.
I hate how it ruins my relationships.
I hate how it fights Your Spirit in me.
I hate how it makes me miserable.
I hate how it dishonors You.

I cannot overcome it in this life.

I’ve tried. I keep trying. But it won’t die completely.

The Law showed me I’m a sinner.
Grace saved me, but didn’t remove the battle.
Daily I fight, daily I fall, daily I run back to Your grace.

Each failure drives me to long for You more.

Every disappointment with SELF makes me desperate for Your return.
Every defeat reminds me this world is not my home.
Every struggle makes me cry: “How long, O Lord?”

I see the signs. Prophecy is coming alive.

Israel. Technology. Babylon. Convergence. Deception.

You’re at the door.

And I can’t wait.

This temporary tribulation—this exhausting battle with SELF—is nothing compared to the glory You’re about to reveal.

When You appear, I will be like You.
SELF will be gone forever.
I’ll be back in the Garden, in Your heart, IN CHRIST.

NO MORE SELF.

So I cry with the Spirit and the Bride:

COME, LORD JESUS—COME!

Maranatha!

A FINAL WORD TO THE STRUGGLING BELIEVER

If you’re exhausted from the battle with SELF—good.

If you hate your sin more every day—good.

If you’re disappointed with yourself constantly—good.

If you long for Christ’s return desperately—good.

All of this is evidence you’re alive in Christ.

The struggle is not a sign you’re failing. It’s a sign you’re fighting.

The groaning is not weakness. It’s spiritual health.

The longing is not impatience. It’s righteous desire.

Keep fighting.
Keep confessing.
Keep running to grace.
Keep looking up.

He’s coming soon.

THE Grace Awakening

THE Grace Awakening Study Guide

Who is Craig Rogers and KINGDOM Empowered?

Come Meet King Jesus

THE GRACE AWAKENING for Those Left Behind

The American Remnant - Left Behind Plan