Chapter 58—Satan’s Deceptive Work
I saw evil angels contending for souls, and angels of God resisting
them. The conflict was severe. Evil angels were corrupting the atmo-
sphere with their poisonous influence, and crowding about these souls
to stupefy their sensibilities. Holy angels were anxiously watching
and waiting to drive back Satan’s host. But it is not the work of good
angels to control the minds of men against their will. If they yield to
the enemy, and make no effort to resist him, then the angels of God
can do but little more than hold in check the host of Satan, that they
shall not destroy, until further light be given to those in peril, to move
them to arouse and look to heaven for help. Jesus will not commission
holy angels to extricate those who make no effort to help themselves.
If Satan sees that he is in danger of losing one soul, he will exert
himself to the utmost to keep that one. And when the individual is
aroused to his danger, and, with distress and fervor, looks to Jesus
for strength, Satan fears that he will lose a captive, and he calls a
reinforcement of his angels to hedge in the poor soul, and form a wall
of darkness around him, that heaven’s light may not reach him. But
if the one in danger perseveres, and in his helplessness casts himself
upon the merits of the blood of Christ, our Saviour listens to the earnest
prayer of faith, and sends a reinforcement of those angels that excel in
strength to deliver him.
Satan cannot endure to have his powerful rival appealed to, for
he fears and trembles before His strength and majesty. At the sound
of fervent prayer, Satan’s whole host trembles. He continues to call
legions of evil angels to accomplish his object. And when angels, all-
powerful, clothed with the armory of heaven, come to the help of the
fainting, pursued soul, Satan and his host fall back, well knowing that
their battle is lost. The willing subjects of Satan are faithful, active,
and united in one object. And although they hate and war with one
another, yet they improve every opportunity to advance their common
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