Every believer knows the internal tug-of-war between the Spirit and the flesh. God speaks—sometimes gently and other times with urgency—prompting us to turn from sin and walk in righteousness. But often, instead of responding quickly, we push past His prompting and do what feels good in the moment.
Think about it.
– God says, “Forgive that person who hurt you.” But your flesh says, “After what they did? I can’t let that go. That was cruel—and they knew it.”
– The Holy Spirit urges, “Turn off that show—it’s not honoring to Me.” But your flesh insists, “I’ve had a long day. I just want to unwind. It’s not like I’m doing anything wrong. It's not like I'm having sex with others or using the profanity in the movie in my own life. I can handle it! "
– God nudges you, “That flirtation isn’t innocent. Back away now.” But your flesh whispers, “It’s just fun. Nothing’s actually happening.”
– You feel the prompting, “Come spend time with Me in prayer.” But your flesh groans, “I’m too tired. Maybe tomorrow.” Or you get distracted with every carnal thing or news report on social media. You never quite make it to your Bible and God.
Over and over again, we are faced with moments where two voices are speaking. One is God, calling us upward toward truth, holiness, and a deeper relationship with Him. The other is our flesh—often with the enemy’s whisper behind it—pulling us into compromise.
What struck me recently is this: we exert effort either way.
Carnal pleasures come as easy as a child sitting at the top of a slide ready to go down. Godly discipline is like the walk up the ladder to the top of the slide. It takes effort to walk up to the top of the slide. Then the blessing follows. But to cave and override the gentle voice of God is intentional. You feel those moments when you ignore that check in your spirit and move forward with what you know isn’t right.
So here’s the question:
What if we started ignoring the devil instead of ignoring God?
James 4:7 (NLT) gives us the simple but powerful formula: “So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
That’s not a passive stance—it’s an active choice. And the more we choose to resist the enemy and obey God, the more we grow in strength and maturity.
When we said “yes” to Jesus, the Holy Spirit came to live within us. He began opening our eyes to see the world differently—to see sin for the detriment it truly is, and righteousness for its beauty and purpose and for what it offers. The Holy Spirit brings life to the Word of God, which then directs our lives toward God. God's word reveals what pleases God and what poisons our souls.
Paul wrote in Romans 13:14 (NLT), “Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
Do you hear the directive, strength, and urgency in those words? "Don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” That’s where the battle is won or lost—right there in the thoughts we obey or ignore.
So much of our Christian walk hinges on what we choose to listen to and respond to. If we respond to the Holy Spirit quickly when He says, “Turn this off,” or “Say you’re sorry,” or “Step away,” or “Spend time with me," we build spiritual momentum. Obedience becomes a lifestyle instead of a struggle. And we become the kind of people who are truly led by God.
But if we keep tuning Him out… if we keep ignoring Him in favor of what our flesh craves… eventually, we stop noticing His voice altogether. And that’s a place we never want to come to.
So again, let me ask you: Who are you ignoring?
Are you pushing past God’s voice to satisfy the flesh? Or are you learning to shut down temptation and say “yes” to intimate time with Him?
Make no mistake—obedience is effort. But it’s effort that leads to peace, joy, and a life God can bless.
Let’s pray:
Lord, thank You for never giving up on me. I hear Your voice, even when I’ve been slow to respond. Today, I choose to ignore the enemy's lies and listen for Your leading. Strengthen me to run from sin and pursue Your righteousness with all my heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Galatians 5:16 (NLT): “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
