Why was the apostle Paul's life a constant battle against opposing forces?
Paul’s ministry was marked by constant conflict because he suffered relentless attacks from Satan, along with privations, sickness, and threats on his life. He also endured stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watchings, and fastings. Galatian churches faced legalism, while the Corinthian church faced paganism and immorality, opposing the gospel he preached.
Les teaches that the apostle was suffering constantly from all the attacks of Satan, privations, sickness, and threats on his life; it was just a constant battle against the forces opposing him. Les lists further hardships: stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watchings, and fastings, all connected with much patience, afflictions, necessities, and distresses. He also notes that the Galatian churches were bombarded with legalism, just as the Corinthian church was bombarded with paganism and immorality. Paul testified that the gospel he preached was not after man.
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,