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Combativeness Reproved
151
A spirit of self-confidence is in keeping with your experience.
Had you a more thorough experience in the things of God you would
realize that the fruits you bear are bad. They contain no nourishment,
but fill all who partake of them with bitterness. You must overcome
your overbearing, dictatorial spirit. I have strong hope, my dear
brother, that you, who have shown that you have moral courage to
face an enemy in yourself, and fortitude to battle with the foe of
appetite and strong evil habits which girded you about as with iron
bands, will go to work right here and gain the victory. You have
possessed a reckless spirit, have felt that no one cared specially for
you, that almost everybody was your enemy, and that it was of no
consequence what became of you.
The truth found you miserable. You saw in it a power that would
exalt you and impart to you the force and strength that you had
not. You grasped the rays of light that shone upon you; and if
you will now yield yourself fully to the influence of the truth, it
will thoroughly convert and sanctify you, and prepare you for the
finishing touch of immortality. You possess many good traits of
character; you have a liberal heart. God wants you to be right, just
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right. You are unwilling to be dictated to or directed. You want to do
all the dictating yourself. But you must possess a humble, teachable
spirit, and be affable, patient, long-suffering, full of gentleness and
mercy.
We have an interest for you, and want to help you. I pray you
to receive these lines with a right spirit, and let them suitably affect
your heart and life.
Response
Sister white: The testimony I received yesterday I look upon as a
well-merited rebuke for which I feel truly thankful to you. I earnestly
hope to be an overcomer. I am fully sensible of the magnitude of the
work I have to do, yet I trust that by God’s assisting grace I shall be
able to conquer.
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