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The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 4
he is deceiving on that very point. The one who most needs the
warning will be urged into some business transaction which requires
his presence, or will by some other means be prevented from hearing
the words that might prove to him a savor of life unto life.
Again, Satan sees the Lord’s servants burdened because of the
spiritual darkness that enshrouds the people. He hears their earnest
prayers for divine grace and power to break the spell of indifference,
carelessness, and indolence. Then with renewed zeal he plies his
arts. He tempts men to the indulgence of appetite or to some other
form of self-gratification, and thus benumbs their sensibilities, so
that they fail to hear the very things which they most need to learn.
Satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer
and the searching of the Scriptures will be overcome by his attacks.
Therefore he invents every possible device to engross the mind.
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There has ever been a class professing godliness who, instead of
following on to know the truth, make it their religion to seek some
fault of character or error of faith in those with whom they do not
agree. Such are Satan’s right-hand helpers. Accusers of the brethren
are not few; and they are always active when God is at work, and his
servants are rendering him true homage. They will put a false color-
ing upon the words and acts of those who love and obey the truth.
They will represent the most earnest, zealous, self-denying servants
of Christ as deceived or deceivers. It is their work to misrepresent
the motives of every true and noble deed, to circulate insinuations,
and arouse suspicion in the minds of the inexperienced. In every
conceivable manner they will seek to cause that which is pure and
righteous to be regarded as foul and deceptive. And in this work the
agents of Satan have their master and his angels to help them.
But none need be deceived concerning them. It may be readily
seen whose children they are, whose example they follow, and whose
work they do. “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” [
Matthew 7:16
.]
They closely resemble Satan, the envenomed slanderer, the accuser
of the brethren.
It is Satan’s plan to bring into the church insincere, unregenerate
elements that will encourage doubt and unbelief, and hinder all
who desire to see the work of God advance, and to advance with it.
Many who have no real faith in God or in his word, assent to some