Chapter 247—Makes Us Overcomers
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world.
John 16:33
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Christ did not fail, neither was He discouraged, and His followers are to
manifest a faith of the same enduring nature. They are to live as He lived,
and work as He worked, because they depend on Him as the great Master
Worker.
Courage, energy, and perseverance they must possess. Though apparent
impossibilities obstruct their way, by His grace they are to go forward.
Instead of deploring difficulties, they are called upon to surmount them.
They are to despair of nothing, and to hope for everything. With the golden
chain of His matchless love, Christ has bound them to the throne of God.
It is His purpose that the highest influence in the universe, emanating from
the Source of all power, shall be theirs. They are to have power to resist
evil, power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master, power that will
enable them to overcome as Christ overcame.
Inspiration faithfully records the faults of good men, those who were
distinguished by the favor of God; indeed, their faults are more fully
presented than their virtues....
Men whom God favored, and to whom He entrusted great responsibilities,
were sometimes overcome by temptation and committed sin, even as we at
the present day strive, waver, and frequently fall into error. Their lives, with
all their faults and follies, are open before us, both for our encouragement and
warning. If they had been represented as without fault, we, with our sinful
nature, might despair at our own mistakes and failures. But seeing where
others struggled through discouragements like our own, where they fell under
temptation as we have done, and yet took heart again and conquered through
the grace of God, we are encouraged in our striving after righteousness.
As they, though sometimes beaten back, recovered their ground, and were
blessed of God, so we too may be overcomers in the strength of Jesus.
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