The Tug-of-War Within: When the Natural (Carnal) Man Fights the Spirit Man

There’s a war happening inside us—one we rarely talk about in church pews or casual conversations. It’s not between you and your neighbor. Not between you and your boss. It’s not even between you and the enemy out there.

It’s the battle between your flesh and your spirit—between who you’ve always been and who you’re being called to become.

If you’ve ever felt torn between doing what’s right and doing what’s easy...
If you’ve ever wrestled with a voice whispering “go higher” while another pulls you back into what’s familiar...
You’re not crazy.
You’re not weak.
You’re not alone.

You’re human—and you’re waking up to something deeper.

🧠 The Natural Man: Why He Can’t Understand the Things of God

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:14:

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him…”

That means there’s a part of us that just doesn’t get it.
It resists truth.
It clings to comfort.
It calls conviction “judgment,” and righteousness “too extreme.”

The natural man doesn’t want to change—he wants to be celebrated for staying the same.

But here’s the truth:
God didn’t call us to stay natural. He called us to become supernatural.

🛑 The Flesh Wants What It Wants

Let’s be real. The flesh is loud.
It craves attention, validation, lust, revenge, indulgence, and ease.

Romans 8 doesn’t sugarcoat it:

“To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

The flesh might get temporary satisfaction...
But the spirit brings lasting peace.

We weren’t meant to be slaves to impulse.
We were created to walk in harmony with the Spirit—to live out a higher law, one written not on stone but on the heart.

💥 The Spiritual Man: The One Rising in You

Every time you choose forgiveness over bitterness...
Every time you say no to old habits...
Every time you push back the plate, turn off the noise, or walk away from drama...
That’s the Spirit Man rising.

He’s/She's not weak.
He’s/She's not confused.
He’s/She's not a slave to the past.
He’s/She's not driven by impulse or ego.
He's/She's is anchored in truth, led by the Spirit, and aligned with the Most High.

📖 "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." — Galatians 5:16

When the Spirit Man leads, you don't just react—you respond with wisdom.
You don't just speak—you declare life.
You don't just survive—you thrive in divine purpose.

This inner transformation isn't about perfection; it's about progress. It's the daily decision to let the Spirit guide your thoughts, actions, and reactions.

As Pastor Darryl Baker notes:

"Just as it takes discipline to develop the body and the mind, there are also spiritual disciplines necessary to develop our spirit man."

Embrace the journey of nurturing your Spirit Man. Feed him with the Word, strengthen him through prayer, and let him lead you into the fullness of life that God intends.

🔄 When the Battle Becomes Personal

We talk a lot about the natural man versus the spirit man like it’s an internal war—and it is. But what happens when that war doesn’t stay within? What happens when the ripple of your awakening reaches your family... and they’re not ready to receive it?

This is where the real test begins—not in strangers, but in the faces you’ve prayed with... laughed with... raised up in truth.

You can fast, you can pray, you can walk upright—and still feel the sting of watching someone you love fall in love with the world.

That’s not just a test of faith. It’s a test of the heart.

And so we step into a deeper part of this journey—the place where light and love collide with grief and spiritual warfare. The place where we ask:

“How do you stand firm in the Spirit... when the people you’d die for are still living in the flesh?”

This is where The House of Light begins.

👑 The House of Light

A Tale of the Spirit Man, the Natural Man, and the Battle Within Our Families

🏰 Once Upon a Kingdom of Light

Once upon a time—though not so long ago, and not so far away—
there lived a King and a Queen, not of earthly kingdoms, but of the Kingdom of the Most High. 🌟

They were not perfect, but they were faithful. From a young age, they had turned their hearts toward the Ancient Path—walking in the ways of the Creator of Life, the One who wrote His laws not just in books, but on the soul.

👑 The King was wise, firm, and deeply rooted in divine order.
👑 The Queen was graceful and poetic in spirit—strong enough to fight darkness, yet soft enough to weep for others.

Together, they raised four children—each born with a spark from Heaven.
They taught them truth.
They walked in holiness.
They stood as light in a land of compromise.

The King would often say:

“Children, the world is a battlefield. Not of swords—but of spirits. Stay rooted. Stay true.” ⚔️

And the Queen would whisper in their ears at night:

“You were born to be light-bearers. Do not forget who you are.” 🌙

🌿 But the Root Determines the Fruit

The children grew...

And slowly, softly, the world began to call them.

Not with thunder. But with seduction.
Not with violence. But with vanity.
And one by one… the fruit began to show signs of a weak root system.

😔 Mikael – The Shadow Walker

The eldest, once a prayer warrior, began to hide his faith.
He kept the commandments at home… but cast them off in public.
His tongue was clean in the house of light… but compromised in the crowd.

📖 “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God…” – 1 Corinthians 2:14

💄 Zahra – The Performer

The second, gifted with a voice that once stirred the heavens, began chasing stages instead of sanctuaries.
She replaced modesty with marketability.
She said, “God knows my heart,” while her heart was far from Him.

🤯 Eliyah – The Doubter

The third, the thinker, questioned everything—
Not for wisdom, but from rebellion.
He called the Word “outdated,” and spiritual discipline “oppressive.”

🧠 “To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6

🌸 Selah – The Rooted One

Only the youngest remained…
Not because she was the strongest, but because her roots ran the deepest.
She didn’t just know the truth—she loved it.
She didn’t just recite the Word—she breathed it.

💔 When the Light in Your Children Begins to Dim

The King and Queen watched… not with anger, but with aching hearts.
They had planted. They had watered.
But the choice to grow had always belonged to the children.

They didn’t yell. They didn’t shame.
But oh… how they wept. 😢

“The hardest part of being a parent of the truth... is watching your child flirt with the lie.” 🕊️

Still, they remembered the parable of the seeds—
Some fall by the wayside... some among thorns…
But some… fall on good soil.

And they prayed the same holy rain that once watered their own souls…
Would find its way to the roots of their wandering children.

🌧️ A Dream, a Garden, and a Glimmer of Hope

One night, the Queen had a dream.
She stood in a garden, and before her were four trees.
Three were dry, cracked, and bare…
But beneath the surface, roots still pulsed with life.

Then came a strange, heavenly rain—not of this world.
As it soaked the ground, the roots began to tremble…
The trees weren’t dead—they were dormant.

She awoke with tears streaming, turned to the King, and said:

“The seed was real. It just didn’t go deep enough.
But the rain is coming.” 🌦️

🤲 For the Kings and Queens Reading This...

Maybe you’re a parent, mentor, or spiritual leader watching those you love get pulled away by the world.

Maybe you’ve done everything “right.”
You’ve prayed.
You’ve lived the truth.
You’ve set the example.

But they still walked away. 💔

Please hear this: You did not fail.
You planted the seed. 🌱
You nurtured the root.
But each soul must choose its own soil.

📖 “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6

🔥 Don’t Water Yourself Down—Water the Roots

Here’s your call:
Don’t dim your light to keep others comfortable.
Don’t dilute your truth just to avoid offense.
Be gentle, yes. But be firm in the Spirit. 💪🏾

Continue walking in truth.
Continue loving them fiercely.
But love them with boundaries.

Your consistency will be the living proof they remember when the world eventually fails them.

⚖️ “The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: these are contrary…” – Galatians 5:17

🌈 One Day… the Rain Will Come

And when it does, your sons and daughters will remember…
The songs you sang.
The prayers you whispered.
The fire you never let go out. 🔥

Because the truth is:
A tree planted in love… doesn’t die easily.
It waits for rain. And when it comes—it grows back stronger than ever.

So hold the line.
Keep the faith.
And never stop being the King or Queen of Light you were called to be.

✍️ Want a downloadable version of this story + a prayer for wayward children? Let us know in the comments or sign up on the website to receive it free.

Much love and light to every parent, guardian, and leader who’s standing in the gap. You’re not alone. And your labor in the Spirit is not in vain. 💛

🙏🏾 Thanks for reading.
🌱 Abundance & Gratitude,
Your Guide and Fellow Traveler,
Terrance Lewis

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