The Dog Fight Within

  An old Indian Chief had two dogs. A large grey one, and a large white one. Every week, he'd hold a dog fight, and tell people which dog would win. People came from all around to watch and see if he was right, and every week, he was right. Whichever dog he predicted would win, it won.
    One day, after watching these fights for many months, an old preacher approached the chief and begged to be told how the chief did it. "Every week, you're right! Yet they are the same dogs. How do you know which one will win?"
    The chief responded. "It's easy. Whichever dog I feed that week, is the one that wins."
    The preacher was amazed at the simplicity of the chief's knowledge, but also with it's spiritual significance. "Do you know why you can't seem to win the battle of following Christ?" he asked.
   The chief shrugged. "I don't know why. I fight, but never seem to win."
   "It's because, my friend, you're feeding the wrong dog." The preacher pointed at the dogs. "You have two dogs inside of you. One is the old man full of anger, greed, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, and sin. The other, is the new man God wants you to be. With love, joy, peace, longsuffering,gentleness, goodness, faith and truth. If you feed the old man, the flesh will win, but if you feed yourself on the things of God, the spirit will win. Whichever dog you feed, will win."
 

   I'm not sure where the origin of this story is . . . I've heard it in multiple different ways as a sermon illustration, and at campfire services, but every time I hear it, it gets me thinking. So often, we get discouraged, and focused on the pain, despair, and heartache. And we feel like the pain will beat us. But don't let it. Don't feed the old man by allowing it to dwell on wrong things.
   Instead, feed the new man in Christ. Give thanks for everything. Rejoice. Cast your care on Him, Wait on Him, and look to Him. We can't expect to overcome the problems of our flesh, when we feed the desires of stewing, complaining, and hopelessness. It's only when we feed ourselves the truth of God, that the spirit can beat the flesh. The flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other! But TASTE and see that the Lord IS GOOD!!!!