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The Desire of Ages
When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes pos-
session of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never
accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a super-
natural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ
becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and
He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul
thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the
assaults of Satan. But unless we do yield ourselves to the control of
Christ, we shall be dominated by the wicked one. We must inevitably
be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers
that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary
for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness
in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally
ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with
the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and
will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the
indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness.
Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist
the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation
to sin. We may leave off many bad habits, for the time we may part
company with Satan; but without a vital connection with God, through
the surrender of ourselves to Him moment by moment, we shall be
overcome. Without a personal acquaintance with Christ, and a con-
tinual communion, we are at the mercy of the enemy, and shall do his
bidding in the end.
“The last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so,” said
Jesus, “shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” There are none
so hardened as those who have slighted the invitation of mercy, and
done despite to the Spirit of grace. The most common manifestation
of the sin against the Holy Spirit is in persistently slighting Heaven’s
invitation to repent. Every step in the rejection of Christ is a step
toward the rejection of salvation, and toward the sin against the Holy
Spirit.
In rejecting Christ the Jewish people committed the unpardonable
sin; and by refusing the invitation of mercy, we may commit the same
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error. We offer insult to the Prince of life, and put Him to shame before
the synagogue of Satan and before the heavenly universe when we
refuse to listen to His delegated messengers, and instead listen to the