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Messages to Young People
in your prayers. Beg of God to work in you a thorough reformation,
that the fruits of His Spirit may dwell in you, and you shine as lights
in the world. Be not a hindrance or curse to the cause of God; you
can be a help, a blessing. Does Satan tell you that you cannot enjoy
salvation, full and free? Believe him not.
The First Steps
It is the privilege of every Christian to enjoy the deep movings of
the Spirit of God. A sweet, heavenly peace will pervade the mind, and
you will love to meditate upon God and heaven. You will feast upon
the glorious promises of His word. But know first that you have begun
the Christian course. Know that the first steps are taken in the road
to everlasting life. Be not deceived. I fear, yea, I know that many of
you know not what religion is. You have felt some excitement, some
emotion, but have never seen sin in its enormity. You have never felt
your undone condition, and turned from your evil ways with bitter
sorrow. You have never died to the world. You still love its pleasures;
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you love to engage in conversation on worldly matters. But when the
truth of God is introduced, you have nothing to say. Why so silent!
Why so talkative upon worldly things, and so silent upon the subject
that should most concern you,—a subject that should engage your
whole soul? The truth of God does not dwell in you.—
Testimonies for
the Church 1:158, 159
.
Opening the Way for God’s Blessing
There is nothing that Satan fears so much as that the people of
God shall clear the way by removing every hindrance, so that the Lord
can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent
congregation. If Satan had his way, there would never be another
awakening, great or small, to the end of time. But we are not ignorant
of his devices. It is possible to resist his power. When the way is
prepared for the Spirit of God, the blessing will come. Satan can no
more hinder a shower of blessing from descending upon God’s people
than he can close the windows of heaven that rain cannot come upon
the earth. Wicked men and devils cannot hinder the work of God, or
shut out His presence from the assemblies of His people, if they will,