OVERCOMING by Joseph Clarke

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jan 15, 1880

OVERCOMING.

By Joseph Clarke

THERE is a principle in overcoming which is often overlooked; it is this; we must overcome as Jesus overcame. (See Rev. 3:21.)

It is supposed by many that we are to overcome our sins, before we can ask God for the influences of his Spirit; now the truth is, that the victory that God requires, cannot be attained in our own strength. A person might battle with his sins a thousand years in his own strength and they would still gain upon him; while he would resist one sin, another would come in, and another, and he would find in his motives and principles of action, self coming to the front at every turn; and his efforts would be vain and fruitless as sailing in a balloon against a tempest; thus it often happens that persons attempt confidently a Christian life and losing sight of the true principles of overcoming fail in the attempt.

Now how did Jesus overcome? Was it not by having much of the good Spirit of God? He had the Spirit of God without measure or limit; (see John 3:34)—he lived constantly in a higher and elevated position than the people of the world; he had such a degree of the Spirit of God, that never for a moment did he drop to a level with the wicked careless world around; continually he kept before his mind, his high and noble parentage, and the character he had maintained in Heaven, continually he realized his responsibility to his father to do his will and obey his commands, and continually he labored to elevate his fellow-men above the low, groveling carnal things which intoxicate and benumb the moral powers and render man almost a brute.

In living above the world, our Lord did not become proud and reserved and unsocial or misanthropic; but his elevation of mind was of that kind, which is possessed by the inhabitants of Heaven; it was accompanied by humility and holy love, so that he was agreeable to all from the peasant to the prince; and childhood and old age alike were charmed by his conversation, and his life: he lived so near to God, and had so much of his Spirit that it became his delight to practice the works of virtue and truth, and holy love; the presence of the Spirit of God in the heart produce the same fruits in the hearts of men that Jesus manifested in his life. Some of these fruits are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and gentleness, goodness, and faith. (Galatians 5:22.) Now the presence of the spirit of God produces these and all other Christian graces; and has the power to lift the soul up out of the old ruts of habit and fix the mind upon God, and cause the heart once opposed to God and hating his character and dreading his power to love him and to admire his works and to love his creatures; the Spirit of God moved upon the elements in the beginning, and brought order out of confusion. (See Gen. 1:2.) So the same Spirit which was active in the creation of all things, is now just as active in restoring order in the heart of man; therefore, says Paul, (Eph. 4:30) Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.

As well may corn and wheat grow without rain and sunshine, as for you or I to overcome a single sin without the aid of his Holy Spirit; therefore to show to man the importance of this principle the apostolic church was planted in the world by the all powerful agency of the Holy Spirit; and when corrupt principles and practices prevailed, the Spirit of God was grieved away from his people, and the man of sin was developed because of a settled habit of unbelief which followed a long course of wrong doing and the prevalence of error.

But how shall we overcome? we see from the arguments here adduced, which are certainly founded upon the word of God, that the agency of the Spirit of God is necessary in this work; but how shall we obtain this priceless gift? certainly it is by prayer and supplication; prayer elevates the petitioner in the very act of asking God for his Spirit; but when he feels the Spirit of God in his heart, whispering peace and pardon to his soul, he feels that sin is a vile and hateful thing, and this is a victory that he could not attain in a thousand years in his own strength, but by the power of the Spirit of God, it is gained by prayer and supplication.

Here is the very place where watchfulness is needed; for here many have failed to hold their ground; for Satan will come in and say to the soul rejoicing in God, that this is a sanctified state of mind, and he is now out of danger, and so self-complacency comes in, and the Spirit of God is gradually grieved away, and backsliding and apostacy often follow; no; there is no safe place here below, as Jesus was always on the watch against Satan's wiles, so must we be always on guard; the work in us must go on from step to step until our work is done, and all in the Spirit of God. JOSEPH CLARKE.