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Chapter 3—The Will the Key to Success
A Hand-to-Hand Battle
—When men are content to live merely
for this world, the inclination of the heart unites with the suggestions
of the enemy, and his bidding is done. But when they seek to leave
the black banner of the power of darkness, and range themselves
under the bloodstained banner of Prince Emmanuel, the struggle
begins, and the warfare is carried on in the sight of the universe of
heaven.
Every one who fights on the side of right, must fight hand to
hand with the enemy. He must put on the whole armor of God, that
he may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.—
Manuscript
47, 1896
.
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Man Must Do His Part
—God cannot save man, against his
will, from the power of Satan’s artifices. Man must work with his
human power, aided by the divine power of Christ, to resist and
to conquer at any cost to himself. In short, man must overcome
as Christ overcame. And then, through the victory which it is his
privilege to gain by the all-powerful name of Jesus, he may become
an heir of God and joint heir with Christ.
This could not be the case if Christ alone did all the overcoming.
Man must do
his
part. Man must be victor on his own account,
through the strength and grace that Jesus gives him. Man must be
a co-worker with Christ in the labor of overcoming, and then he
will be partaker with Christ of His glory.—
The Review and Herald,
November 21, 1882
.
“Show Thyself a Man.”
—The victims of evil habit must be
aroused to the necessity of making an effort for themselves. Others
may put forth the most earnest endeavor to uplift them, the grace
of God may be freely offered, Christ may entreat, His angels may
minister; but all will be in vain unless they themselves are roused to
fight the battle in their own behalf.
The last words of David to Solomon, then a young man, and
soon to receive the crown of Israel, were, “Be thou strong, ... and
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