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Progressive Conquest of Evil, March 22
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried,
he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to
them that love him.
James 1:12
.
It is not the order and will of God to shield His people from temp-
tation.... When truth takes possession of the heart, the Christian will be
brought into conflict.... There are opposing elements in his own house-
hold, even in his own heart, and nothing but the free Spirit of God can
ensure for him the victory.
The beginning of yielding to temptation is in the sin of permitting the
mind to waver, to be inconsistent in your trust in God. The wicked one is
ever watching for a chance to misrepresent God, and to attract the mind
to that which is forbidden. If he can, he will fasten the mind upon the
things of the world. He will endeavor to excite the emotions, to arouse
the passions, to fasten the affections on that which is not for your good;
but it is for you to hold every emotion and passion under control, in calm
subjection to reason and conscience. Then Satan loses his power to control
the mind. The work to which Christ calls us is to the work of progressive
conquest over spiritual evil in our characters. Natural tendencies are to be
overcome.... Appetite and passion must be conquered, and the will must
be placed wholly on the side of Christ.
We pray to our heavenly Father, “Lead us not into temptation,” and
then, too often, we fail to guard our feet against leading us into tempta-
tion. We are to keep away from the temptations by which we are easily
overcome. Our success is wrought out by ourselves through the grace
of Christ. We are to roll out of the way the stone of stumbling that has
caused us and others so much sadness.
Temptation and trial will come to us all, but we need never be worsted
by the enemy. Our Saviour has conquered in our behalf. Satan is not
invincible.... Christ was tempted that He might know how to help every
soul that should afterward be tempted. Temptation is not sin; the sin lies
in yielding. To the soul who trusts in Jesus, temptation means victory and
greater strength.
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