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The Desire of Ages
worth. Through sensual indulgence, Satan seeks to blot from the soul
every trace of likeness to God.
The uncontrolled indulgence and consequent disease and degrada-
tion that existed at Christ’s first advent will again exist, with intensity
of evil, before His second coming. Christ declares that the condition
of the world will be as in the days before the Flood, and as in Sodom
and Gomorrah. Every imagination of the thoughts of the heart will
be evil continually. Upon the very verge of that fearful time we are
now living, and to us should come home the lesson of the Saviour’s
fast. Only by the inexpressible anguish which Christ endured can we
estimate the evil of unrestrained indulgence. His example declares
that our only hope of eternal life is through bringing the appetites and
passions into subjection to the will of God.
In our own strength it is impossible for us to deny the clamors of
our fallen nature. Through this channel Satan will bring temptation
upon us. Christ knew that the enemy would come to every human
being, to take advantage of hereditary weakness, and by his false
insinuations to ensnare all whose trust is not in God. And by passing
over the ground which man must travel, our Lord has prepared the
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way for us to overcome. It is not His will that we should be placed
at a disadvantage in the conflict with Satan. He would not have us
intimidated and discouraged by the assaults of the serpent. “Be of
good cheer,” He says; “I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
.
Let him who is struggling against the power of appetite look to
the Saviour in the wilderness of temptation. See Him in His agony
upon the cross, as He exclaimed, “I thirst.” He has endured all that it
is possible for us to bear. His victory is ours.
Jesus rested upon the wisdom and strength of His heavenly Father.
He declares, “The Lord God will help Me; therefore shall I not be
confounded: ... and I know that I shall not be ashamed.... Behold, the
Lord God will help Me.” Pointing to His own example, He says to us,
“Who is among you that feareth the Lord, ... that walketh in darkness,
and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon
his God.”
Isaiah 50:7-10
.
“The prince of this world cometh,” said Jesus, “and hath nothing in
Me.”
John 14:30
. There was in Him nothing that responded to Satan’s
sophistry. He did not consent to sin. Not even by a thought did He
yield to temptation. So it may be with us. Christ’s humanity was