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Tears and Conflict, November 17
Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears,
and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews.
Acts 20:19
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From the days of Adam to our own time, our great enemy has been
exercising his power to oppress and destroy. He is now preparing for
his last campaign against the church.
The better to disguise his real character and purposes, he has caused
himself to be so represented as to excite no stronger emotion than
ridicule or contempt. He is well pleased to be painted as a ludicrous or
loathsome object, misshapen, half animal and half human.
If Satan was so cunning at first, what must he be now, after gaining
an experience of many thousands of years? Yet God and holy angels,
and all those who abide in obedience to all the Lord’s will, are wiser
than he.
All who are actively engaged in the cause of God, seeking to unveil
the deceptions of the evil one and to present Christ before the people,
will be able to join in the testimony of Paul, in which he speaks of serving
the Lord with all humility of mind, with many tears and temptations....
The tempter has no power to control the will or to force the soul to
sin. He may distress, but he cannot contaminate. He can cause agony,
but not defilement.
Satan cannot read our thoughts, but he can see our actions, hear our
words; and from his long knowledge of the human family, he can shape
his temptations to take advantage of our weak points of character. And
how often do we let him into the secret of how he may obtain the victory
over us. Oh, that we might control our words and actions!
Satan assailed Christ with his fiercest and most subtle temptations;
but he was repulsed in every conflict. Those battles were fought in our
behalf; those victories make it possible for us to conquer. Christ will
give strength to all who seek it.
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