TEMPTATIONS

There is not a single step we take in the divine life, but is disputed by the arch-fiend. Are we convinced of sin? He will tempt us to think, either our convictions have not been deep enough, or we are too bad to be saved. Are we blessed under the gospel ministry? He then tempts us to believe it was only fancy, or that the minister was deluded. Are we enabled to pour out our souls unto the Lord? He will tell us there was no prayer in it — that God will not answer it, and that we are nothing but hypocrites. . . .Are we in the dark? He will tell us we had better never to have been born — better never to have professed religion; God cannot be for us, or we should never be in this state. Are we walking in the comfortable and gladdening rays of the sun of righteousness? He will come and say, “Is it all reality? In short, I find every truth the Lord has taught me, Satan has tried to dispute out of me. Well might the Apostle say, we “are in heaviness through manifold temptations.” There is no circumstance or condition of life which precludes us therefrom. Job was attacked in the midst of his prosperity, and brought into a low place; Abraham, while God was promising him a son in his old age; Rahab, when she was hiding the spies; Samson, in the midst of his strength, and made him sell himself into the hands of the Philistines. “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell” of Gideon, Moses, Aaron, Peter, David, and others, who though possessors of that faith which moves mountains, were nevertheless subject to temptation.

The children of God cannot overcome temptations by natural power, and the reasons are obvious, namely, the devil is mighty, and there is a constant inclination in our fallen nature to listen to what he says — the Lord has left the subjection of our enemies, not to us, but to himself — “through God we shall do valiantly,” for the infinite wisdom and power of God are sufficient to baffle and overturn every enemy the true believer has, for the word of the Lord is gone forth, and shall not return. “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper”— “and the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation.”

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