29 Bible Verses about struggle

You have not yet resisted to the point of [shedding] blood in your struggle against sin.

This is the reason that I work hard and struggle also, using God's mighty power which is at work in me.

and endurance [produces God's] approval; and [His] approval [produces] hope.

For our struggle is not [actually] against human beings, but against rulers and authorities and leaders of this world's darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. [Note: "Heavenly realms" here refers to the struggle against Satanic powers which permeates life around us].

For I do not [really] understand what I am doing; I practice what I do not want to and I hate what I do. [Note: This highly controversial section (verses 14b-25) is here viewed as the struggles of the apostle Paul after his conversion, and by extension, of all Christians. See Bruce, pages 150ff; Murray, pages 255ff; Lard, pages 236ff].

But remember the earlier days when, after you were enlightened [to the truth], you endured a difficult struggle by having to suffer [much].

You should withstand his efforts by maintaining a strong faith [in God], remembering that your [Christian] brothers in [the rest of] the world are experiencing [and enduring] suffering similar to yours.

"You should try hard to enter [God's kingdom] by means of the narrow door, for I tell you, many people will try to enter it but will not be able to.

[So], you are now experiencing the same struggle you [once] saw me going through, and now are hearing that I still am.

I want you to know how much I am struggling for you [Note: This probably refers to the great effort Paul was exerting in prayer, preaching, etc.], and for those at Laodicia [Note: This was a town ten miles west of Colosse], and for all those who have never met me in person.

but I see a different law [at work] in my body, waging [spiritual] warfare against the law in my mind. It brings me into captivity to the law of sin in my body.

Where do conflicts and fights among you come from? Do they not come from your [desire for] pleasures which produces inner conflict?

Now I urge you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ [See 12:1], and through the Holy Spirit's love [in us], that you people join me in fervently praying to God for me

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any [kind of] trouble, through the comfort we ourselves have received from Him.

For what your body wants is in conflict with what the Holy Spirit wants [for you], and what the Holy Spirit wants conflicts with what your body wants, for these [two desires] are contrary to one another, so that you do not [always] do what you [really] want to.

Because of this you can be very joyous, even though it is necessary for you to have suffered many trials for a little while.

For the person who has entered into a state of rest with God has rested from his own work also, just as God rested from His.

For I do not do the good [things] I want to, but I practice the evil [things] I do not want to.

Epaphras, who is one of you [See 1:7; 4:9], a slave of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always struggles in his prayers on your behalf so that you will remain mature and be fully convinced [that you are living] by all that God wants [for your life].

For I consider that our present sufferings do not deserve to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us [i.e., in the future life].

For that reason we work hard and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, [and] especially of those who believe [in Christ].

And not only this, but we also rejoice in our troubles, knowing that [experiencing] troubles produces endurance;

For they are spirits of demons, which perform [supernatural] signs. These spirits go out to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for battle on the great day of Almighty God.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to [spiritual] death?

Brothers, I consider that I, myself, have not yet taken hold [of Christ's ultimate purpose for me]. But there is one thing that I am doing; I am forgetting about my past [See verses 5-7], and reaching forward to what lies ahead.

I have fought the good battle; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith [i.e., I have been true to my commitment].