The Only Dangerous Enemy.
By J. S. Washburn
HAVE you never thought, when it has seemed as tho you were wronged by others, when spoken of unkindly, perhaps falsely, when accused maliciously of evil of which you were not guilty—that nothing that any other being, human or Satanic, can do or say can really hurt you? If you give way to impatience, if you speak unadvisedly, angrily, if you do evil yourself, if you even cherish revengeful thoughts—then it works a deep, a terrible injury to you spiritually, and we may truly say also physically; and, if persisted in, eternally. But all the evil spirits of the lower regions may rise up in a confederacy to destroy you; they may find human agents who, filled with the spirit of hate, may seek to blacken your reputation; but none of these things can by any means harm you: even tho you should die, yet it is well with you. Listen to these words, which will be a great blessing to us in the conflict before us: “And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for My name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls.” Slandered, vilified, abused, spit upon, mobbed, crucified, slain, dead and buried, the Son of God rose triumphant, victorious, a Conqueror, ascending from the lowest deeps to that place which is above every name that is named, in heaven or in earth, upon the white throne of victory and glory and eternal kingship. This was the experience of the Son of God. However low we may be brought, however much may be done against us, this can not harm us. We can afford to be patient. We can afford to endure. We can afford to love and pity those who despitefully use us. No man, not even Satan and all his hellish army, can do you a grain of harm, can destroy a hair of your head. You only are the enemy that can do yourself lasting harm. Jesus has said: “They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all [yea, all powers, human or infernal]; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand.” Only believe, only be true, only be patient, only obey and you shall triumph, exult in victory, now and eternally, over the cruel power of the enemy. Fear not. Be of good cheer. He has overcome. We also, with Him, are unconquerable.