Do not Linger but Act Swiftly!

1 Kings 18:21

 Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to [a]struggle with the two choices? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him so much as a word.

Here Elijah i asking the people to make what it seemingly an easy choice! They need to choose between God and Baal! But amazingly they did not answer him; not even a word!

Why is this?

The Apostle Paul gives us a glimpse of the inner struggle in Romans 7. It is a struggle between (sinful) flesh and the spirit of man!

Romans 7

The Conflict of Serving Two Masters

14 For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold into bondage to sin. 15 For I do not understand what I am doing; for I am not practicing what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 However, if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, that the Law is good. 17 But now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me. 18 For I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. 19 For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. 20 But if I do the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin that dwells in me.

21 I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully agree with the law of God in the inner person, 23 but I see a different law in the parts of my body waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin, the law which is in my body’s parts. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

So we see the struggle here between the flesh and the spirit. Between what is right and what is wrong, between what is Godly and what is not! It is wretched battle! So who will help us in the Battle? The answer is Jesus!

Jesus Christ is the real life Grace of God made available to us by faith!

We need to buffet the flesh and led the spirit lead

1 CORINTHIANS 9:27 (ASV)

but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.

1 CORINTHIANS 9:27 (LSB)

but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

We need the grace of God and Godly discipline in our lives not to let the flesh have its own way!