446
      
      
         Counsels for the Church
      
      
        ableness of unrighteousness,” Satan is to work to misrepresent the
      
      
        character of God, that he may “seduce, if it were possible, even the
      
      
        elect.” If there was ever a people in need of constantly increasing light
      
      
        from heaven, it is the people that, in this time of peril, God has called
      
      
        to be the depositaries of His holy law and to vindicate His character
      
      
        before the world. Those to whom has been committed a trust so sacred
      
      
        must be spiritualized, elevated, vitalized, by the truths they profess to
      
      
        believe
      
      
      
      
         [346]
      
      
        God’s People Press Forward Regardless of Doubt and Fear
      
      
        The Lord is now dealing with His people who believe present
      
      
        truth. He designs to bring about momentous results, and while in His
      
      
        providence He is working toward this end, He says to His people: “Go
      
      
        forward.” True, the path is not yet opened; but when they move on in
      
      
        the strength of faith and courage, God will make the way plain before
      
      
        their eyes. There are ever those who will complain, as did ancient
      
      
        Israel, and charge the difficulties of their position upon those whom
      
      
        God has raised up for the special purpose of advancing His cause.
      
      
        They fail to see that God is testing them by bringing them into strait
      
      
        places, from which there is no deliverance except by His hand.
      
      
        There are times when the Christian life seems beset by dangers,
      
      
        and duty seems hard to perform. The imagination pictures impending
      
      
        ruin before, and bondage or death behind. Yet the voice of God speaks
      
      
        clearly above all discouragements: “Go forward.” We should obey this
      
      
        command, let the result be what it may, even though our eyes cannot
      
      
        penetrate the darkness and though we feel the cold waves about our
      
      
        feet
      
      
      
      
        In a divided, halfhearted life, you will find doubt and darkness.
      
      
        You cannot enjoy the consolations of religion, neither the peace which
      
      
        the world gives. Do not sit down in Satan’s easy chair of do-little, but
      
      
        arise, and aim at the elevated standard which it is your privilege to
      
      
        attain. It is a blessed privilege to give up all for Christ. Look not at the
      
      
        lives of others and imitate them and rise no higher. You have only one
      
      
        true, unerring Pattern. It is safe to follow Jesus only. Determine that
      
      
        if others act on the principle of the spiritual sluggard you will leave
      
      
        616
      
      
         Testimonies for the Church 5:745, 746
      
      
        617
      
      
         Testimonies for the Church 4:26