Why Do I Still Struggle After Being Born Again?
1) Direct Answer
You still struggle because the new life is in you, but your body and human spirit have not been redeemed yet. The Holy Spirit in your inner man wars against the flesh. That conflict is a sign of life, not a sign that you were not born again. God allows the fight to train you, prove you, and make you an overcomer.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Bible says, “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17). That’s the battle you feel.
- Paul said he delighted in God’s law “after the inward man,” yet felt another law in his members (Romans 7:22-25). Then he declares, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1-2).
- We “groan within ourselves, waiting for…the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23). The soul is reborn now; the body’s redemption is future.
- Those sealed “with that Holy Spirit of promise” are “sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 1:13; 4:30). God keeps what He births.
- “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him” (1 John 3:9). The Seed in the soul cannot deny the Word. When a believer stumbles, he is grieved and confesses (1 John 1:9), and has “an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
- God chastens sons (Hebrews 12:6-8). Correction is proof of sonship, not rejection.
- “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). “God…will…make a way to escape” for every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13).
- Put on the whole armor of God and use the Sword of the Spirit, the Word (Ephesians 6:10-18).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- New birth changes your nature. You love the Word and hate sin. The struggle remains because you’re still in the same body with old habits pressing from the outside. The Seed inside cannot disbelieve the Word, but the flesh must be crucified daily. Feed the inner man with the Word and prayer, and starve the flesh by refusing its avenues (eyes, ears, thoughts, companions, places).
- Condemnation is the enemy’s voice; conviction is the Spirit drawing you to confess and walk on. If you can sin without grief, that’s danger; but if it pains you and drives you to Christ, that’s life.
4) Short Reinforcing Counsel
- Stay in the Word daily; speak it back to temptation.
- Pray and watch; avoid the doorways of the old life.
- Confess quickly; don’t hide. The Blood answers the accuser.
- Fellowship with the faithful; put on the armor.
- Remember: the battle means you’re alive. God started the work, and He will finish it.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
You must be born again
61-1231M §114
...in and just makes it so beautiful, "Oh, they spoke in tongues. They're the best people you ever seen." Don't you believe that. Be leery. (I hope the Word's not boring you.) Born Christians grow into the stature of Christ as they live. They're born again, their lives begin to shape, like a baby. It takes form and begins to grow. First thing you know, here they are in the full stature. Amen. There you are. Day after day, year after year, they stay the same. Now come back to the Word, "If ye abide in me..."
Ye must be born again
58-0619B §12
...now so we won't have no trouble at the river, because you can't backtrack then, see. Let's be more sure right now." And so when Jesus said to this great ruler, "Ye must be born again." Then, "Why must I be born again?" That's what I want to know. If I am a minister of the Gospel, if I'm a good person, I pay my debts, and I'm just, and honest, and walk upright before men, what more could God require of me? Why must I have some kind of an experience, as people tell me, that I must be born again? Why did Jesus say to...
You must be born again
61-1231M §60
...o matter how much the Word comes to you to do right and things, you won't recognize it. You'll never let your hair grow, women, under that. You'll never dress right. You'll still be just exactly like the world, because you're not dead to the world yet. You're alive with it. Some of you men will never quit drinking, smoking. You'll never quit lusting after foul women, immorally dressed, when you see them on the street. Instead of turning your back, walking away, you'll still lust right on just the same. Because why?...
Have not I sent thee?
62-0124 §25
We have needs, Lord, as we go through the world. This body is still physical, still borned of sin. Someday it'll be borned of God; but today it's borned of sin. And we are struggling as we walk through this dark, dismal world, looking above where only light can come from. And I pray, heavenly Father, that You'll remember each one of those people that raised their hands. From the least to the greatest, from the youngest to the oldest, answer, Father. I pray that You'll grant them their requests. And now as we turn t...
You must be born again
61-1231M §62
...moke goes up, you rise with your sacrifice into the heavenlies, and are sealed away from the things of the world then. Our soul is on His altar. What are you ... done then? After you have died, then what are you to do? Then you are conceived anew. You are conceived anew. You was first conceived in iniquity. Now you're conceived in something new. What is it? The living Word. Oh, that changes it now, doesn't it? Now, we're through the struggle, after you see what you got to do. Now what happens? You're conceived anew...