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Meeting Satan With Scripture Weapons, April 12
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11
.
It is the first and highest duty of every rational being to learn from the Scriptures
what is truth, and then to walk in the light and encourage others to follow his
example. We should day by day study the Bible diligently, weighing every thought
and comparing scripture with scripture. With divine help we are to form our
opinions for ourselves as we are to answer for ourselves before God....
An understanding of Bible truth depends not so much on the power of intellect
brought to the search as on the singleness of purpose, the earnest longing after
righteousness.
The Bible should never be studied without prayer. The Holy Spirit alone can
cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood, or prevent
us from wresting truths difficult of comprehension. It is the office of heavenly
angels to prepare the heart so to comprehend God’s Word that we shall be charmed
with its beauty, admonished by its warnings, or animated and strengthened by its
promises. We should make the psalmist’s petition our own. “Open thou mine eyes,
that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (
Psalm 119:18
).
Temptations often appear irresistible because, through neglect of prayer and
the study of the Bible, the tempted one cannot readily remember God’s promises
and meet Satan with the Scripture weapons. But angels are round about those who
are willing to be taught in divine things; and in the time of great necessity they
will bring to their remembrance the very truths which are needed. Thus “when
the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard
against him” (
Isaiah 59:19
).
Jesus promised His disciples: “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom
the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things
to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (
John 14:26
). But the
teachings of Christ must previously have been stored in the mind in order for the
Spirit of God to bring them to our remembrance in the time of peril....
We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. The destiny of
earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our own future well-being and
also the salvation of other souls depend upon the course which we now pursue.
We need to be guided by the Spirit of truth.... We should now seek a deep and
living experience in the things of God. We have not a moment to lose. Events of
vital importance are taking place around us. We are on Satan’s enchanted ground.
Sleep not.—
The Great Controversy, 598-601
.
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