What is the constant warfare every believer experiences?
Every believer experiences a constant warfare between the two natures: the new nature, which is Holy Spirit driven, and the old nature, which still has its roots in the Satanic powers of the curse. It also includes the believer community in general being opposed to the world in general, two total opposites.
Les teaches that for every believer there is a constant warfare between the two natures—the new nature, which is Holy Spirit driven, and the old nature, which still has its roots in the Satanic powers of the curse. These two natures are in constant warfare. He also describes a broader conflict between the believer community in general and the world in general, calling them two total opposites, so believers are up against two forces constantly. Even among believers, Paul says the spirit taking them back into a false gospel is not the same spirit that brought them out; the persuasion to return to legalism did not come from the Holy Spirit who brought them out of paganism, but from the same evil spirit that held them in paganism until the Gospel freed them. Satan never gives up, and he will use good things while it can still be the evil spirit rather than the Holy Spirit speaking. Verse 8 declares, “this persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you,” and verse 9 brings a warning.