OVERCOMING | AdventAI

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 14, 1869

OVERCOMING.

The life of the Christian is a perpetual warfare. It is also a constant succession of victories, if it be such a life as it should be. Three formidable foes withstand the man of God. These are the world, the flesh, and the devil. The powerful influence of evil men, the strong desires of fallen nature, and the deceitful work of the prince of evil angels, all unite to overpower the man of God. They do not quit the field when defeated once, or twice, or thrice, no, nor even when defeated the hundredth time. If they fail in one trial, they attempt to learn something by their defeat, and to make their second onset with greater wisdom than their first. If the allurements of temptation in one form are not powerful to ruin us, they are presented in a different light, and made to make the most powerful impression possible. And even by the power of constant repetition, sometimes the overthrow of the unwary Christian is accomplished. But our foes are never weary, and never do they lack skill for the warfare. Were not God on the side of his people, they would stand no chance at all. With him on their side, they ought always to triumph in Christ. They may protect themselves with an armor that even the darts of the prince of darkness cannot penetrate. They may defend themselves with a sword that is capable of cutting through the armor of Satan. Those who can preserve a due proportion of wholesome fear and active hope, will be able to war the good warfare with success. The grand victory is made up of an innumerable number of smaller victories. Do you anxiously inquire, Shall I be a final overcomer? Answer me this question: Are you daily overcoming, or are you

daily being overcome? If you are the constant victor, then there is ground for hope that you will be the victor in the end. If you are daily being overcome, there is no reason to believe that the final victory will be yours. Do you ask how this warfare is to be maintained?

1. Die to self. It will cost you a thousand deaths, but all of them together will not be equal to the second death. “He that will kill,” says Bunyan, “must first be overcome.” You must die daily.

2. The world has only three things to give, and each of these is a sham and a deceit. These are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Which of these will you accept in exchange for eternal life? When the world offers you its good in the place of Christ, decline its proffered pleasures, till it has one to offer that will not end like a hornet with a sting. If you do this, you will not be deceived with its blandishments; for you will find not one worthy of your acceptance.

3. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. But he will first know that you are in earnest. He will discover whether you are girded with that armor that can protect you from his blow; and whether indeed you wield that sword of the Spirit which can deal such piercing blows upon himself. He is a mighty foe. Only God can make you victor over him. And when he has the world, and your own self to help him, how terrible are his assaults. How vigilant should we be in such a warfare! If victors at last, it will be because of constant and untiring pains. How is it with us? Are we overcoming, or being overcome?