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Victory in the Mighty Name of Jesus, September 6
The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into
it, and is safe.
Proverbs 18:10
.
It was in the time of greatest weakness that Christ was assailed by the
fiercest temptations. Thus Satan thought to prevail. By this policy he had
gained the victory over man. When strength failed, and the will power
weakened, and faith ceased to repose in God, then those who had stood
long and valiantly for the right were overcome. Moses was wearied with
the forty years’ wandering of Israel, when for the moment his faith let
go its hold upon infinite power. He failed just upon the borders of the
Promised Land. So with Elijah, who had stood undaunted before King
Ahab, who had faced the whole nation of Israel with the four hundred and
fifty prophets of Baal at their head. After that terrible day upon Carmel,
when the false prophets had been slain and the people had declared their
allegiance to God, Elijah fled for his life before the threats of idolatrous
Jezebel. Thus Satan had taken advantage of the weakness of humanity....
Whenever one is encompassed with clouds, perplexed by circum-
stances, or afflicted by poverty or distress, Satan is at hand to tempt and
annoy. He attacks our weak points of character. He seeks to shake our
confidence in God, who suffers such a condition of things to exist. We are
tempted to distrust God, to question His love. Often the tempter comes to
us as he came to Christ, arraying before us our weakness and infirmities.
He hopes to discourage the soul and to break our hold upon God. Then he
is sure of his prey. If we would meet him as Jesus did, we should escape
many a defeat. By parleying with the enemy we give him an advantage....
Jesus gained the victory through submission and faith in God, and by
the apostle He says to us, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the
devil, and he will flee from you” (
James 4:7
). We cannot save ourselves
from the tempter’s power; he has conquered humanity, and when we try
to stand in our own strength, we shall become a prey to his devices; but
“the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and
is safe.” Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who finds refuge
in that mighty name.
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