From the moment the serpent spoke to Eve from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, there has been a struggle between good and evil.  The fall of man locked us into this conflict until we either pass from this life, or the Lord comes again.  As man, we are born with evil in us.  You don't have to teach a child to lie.  Babies who cannot speak "lie."  A baby learns quickly that when they cry because they are hungry, hurt or need a diaper change, someone comes and picks them up.  It isn't long before they are crying simply to get attention, not because they have a need.  That "little white lie" continues to progress throughout our lives.  It's okay not to divulge the entire truth in order to spare someone's feelings....  It's okay to tell something that is the literal truth but doesn't reveal the entire truth....

-- All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”  Romans 3:12

-- And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone."  Mark 10:18

God is the only one who is good.  In order to become good we must be born of God.  This can only happen through Jesus Christ.

-- But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.  John 1:12-13

-- This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:11-12

-- Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6

Good and evil is also compared to light and darkness.  Good is light.  Evil is darkness.

-- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:1-5

-- Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  John 8:12

If you have accepted Christ as your savior, then you are part of his light on this earth.

-- “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  Matthew 5:14-16

Darkness cannot defeat light, it cannot swallow it up.  I was in a cavern once, and we went deep inside it.  At one point the guide turned off the light and let us experience "total darkness."  There is no hint of light anywhere.  You cannot see your hand in front of your face.  It is a darkness you can feel.  This is what evil is like.  Allowed to go unchecked, it is just like yeast, or leaven.  It will spread and completely engulf.  But it only takes a tiny spark to combat that darkness.  In total darkness, the light from a tiny match is enough to illuminate and entire chamber.

-- He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.  It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”  Matthew 13:31-32

But, a fire can go out.  It must be fed.  It must have fuel and oxygen.  I like to compare the Spirit to air.  I like to compare prayer to air.  Praying should be as natural and as frequent as breathing to the Christian. 

-- Pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. 5:17. 

It is the Spirit who helps us pray.

-- Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  Romans 8:26-27

The Christian's food is the Word of God.

-- But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  Matthew 4:4

-- Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.  1 Peter 2:2-3

-- For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.  Hebrews 5:12-14

If you are not daily in God's word, your light will grow dimmer and dimmer.  If you are not in God's Word you will stifle the Spirit within you, for He is also a fire.

-- for our God is a consuming fire.  Hebrews 12:29

-- Quench not the Spirit.  1 Thessalonians 5:19  (quench in the Greek means "to extinguish, snuff out." both terms referring to fire)

When you have coals, it seems as if the fire is out, and it does not put out much light.  But if you put some kindling on it, and blow gently into it, a fire bursts forth.  To turn that into a roaring fire, you have to add sticks, then logs.

What is the status of your fire?