Neither give place to the devil means to leave Satan no opening to enter the heart and mind to control, stir up sin, and govern the life, but to shut the door firmly and keep it shut. It belongs to putting off the corrupt old man of deceitful lusts and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, with putting away lying, stealing, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and malice, and being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. Even anger over supposed provocation must not be kept and become sin, though anger at God's dishonor or oppression of the innocent is not sin. Even a small sin and the first departure from strict honesty and integrity gives him control, for he cannot force obedience without consent but gains power when the will yields and faith is let go. Strength to refuse him comes only by being strong in the Lord and putting on the whole armor of God, repenting, watching and praying, and clinging to Christ in dependence every moment.
Words and Immediate Context
To have learned Christ as the truth is in Jesus is to no longer walk as Gentiles walk in vanity of mind with darkened understanding and blindness of heart, but to put off the old man corrupt according to deceitful lusts, to be renewed in the spirit of the mind, and to put on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. This stands in contrast to those who claim to enjoy the privileges of the banquet of truth while working unrighteousness, who profess to believe and teach the Word without eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God and who lack the wedding garment. Giving no place to the devil belongs to that change, together with putting away lying and speaking truth with neighbors, being angry without sin and not letting wrath remain overnight, stealing no more but laboring with the hands at what is good so as to have to give to the needy, letting no corrupt speech proceed but only what is good for edifying to minister grace to the hearers, grieving not the Holy Spirit by whom believers are sealed unto redemption, putting away all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking with all malice, and being kind and tenderhearted and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgives.
Refusing the devil an opening to control the mind and stir up sin that offends God therefore includes rejecting lying for truth, holding anger past sunset, stealing instead of honest labor to help the needy, corrupt communication instead of edifying speech that ministers grace, grieving the Holy Spirit, and keeping bitterness, anger, clamor, evil speaking, malice, unkindness and unforgiveness, with disrespect of authority, eye service, men-pleasing, working from selfish motives or impulse, and threatening by masters. The positive side is following God as dear children, walking in love as Christ loved and gave Himself as a sacrifice, servants obeying earthly masters with fear and trembling in singleness of heart as unto Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will as to the Lord, and masters doing the same and forbearing threatening knowing their Master is in heaven with no respect of persons. These words of inspiration must be studied and obeyed and cannot be ignored or treated with indifference, and only doers of the Word receive the reward, with strength to obey coming by being strong in the Lord and putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the wiles of the devil, with loins girt with truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, so that words and deeds are fragrant with holiness.
The chapter gives God's plain and simple plan and appointed means for keeping unity in His church so its members reveal a healthy religious experience to the world and to unbelievers. That oneness belongs with obedience to the commandments of God, unity in the faith of the Scriptures, oneness in Christ Jesus with life hid with Christ in God, practicing the golden rule of doing to others as one would have them do, loving one another as brethren with the unity that exists between the Father and the Son, bearing a living testimony that the Father loves believers even as He loves His Son, and helping one another recover from the suffering of debt. Such believers appreciate the gift of Christ, use heaven's costly provision to draw souls to obedience to God's holy law, work together with God as channels and laborers together with Him, partake of the divine nature having escaped the corruption in the world through lust, live consistent Christian lives in courtesy, fidelity, justice and mercy, magnify God's law and make it honorable, and demonstrate that the law of the Lord is perfect for converting the soul.
The chapter is solemn instruction meaning much to believers, to be read most solemnly and impressed upon minds, calling for loyalty to God's law, obedience to which brings life and blessing, and for a great reformation in lives, words, works, and spiritual understanding. Its lesson is to be put into daily practice in humility and meekness, bearing with one another in love, preserving unity and peace, and following God's plain word rather than introducing personal ideas and opinions that mislead others. Hardness of spirit comes from being strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit, so believers need daily to catch the inspiration of heaven and of the angels in the heavenly courts and to breathe the atmosphere of heaven. Anger can give the devil that opportunity, so anger must not lead to sin and wrath must not be allowed to continue overnight. Anger at God's dishonor or the oppression of the innocent can be righteous and is not sin, but anger indulged over a supposed provocation, along with bitterness, resentment and animosity, must be put away and given no room.
Nature of Satan's Opening
To give place to the devil is to give him an opening to press into the heart and mind and to teach evil there, to influence and govern the person and to control the mind and stir up sin that offends God. That opening must be shut out every time, with no room left for even a moment, by thorough and direct dealing with every individual wrong so he has no place to mislead or gain influence. Safety lies in crowding him out and holding firmly to the place of duty until it is safe to leave, standing at one's post on guard against unseen powers through earnest prayer and diligent cooperation with God.
Even a seemingly small sin can give that opening, for sin against light and knowledge corrupts the soul and can make one who has received great light serve the enemy by making truth appear false and weakening its power to shape character. The first and slightest departure from strict honesty, truthfulness, and integrity opens the way for him to gain control of the soul, so temptations to compromise principle for success, money, or human approval, and all worldly policy in religion, must be firmly refused in reliance on God at every step through Christ's grace and strength. This refusal must begin with the first approach to presumption, without entering into controversy or parley over plausible deceptions, even Scripture misapplied to justify needless danger, since yielding gives greater power to deceive while God gives sufficient grace through Christ to resist successfully, though resistance later abandoned forfeits what was gained. An impure, hidden suggestion must likewise be given no entrance, for it stains the soul as impure water defiles its channel, and those who entice toward impurity must be turned away from.
He cannot force obedience or control the mind without consent, for his power depends on yielding the will and letting go of faith in Christ. Every cherished sinful desire gives him a foothold, and every failure to meet God's standard opens a door for him to tempt and destroy, with each failure also giving him occasion to reproach Christ. He cannot read human thoughts, but he keenly observes words and actions and skillfully adapts his temptations to those who put themselves in his power, so that when sinful thoughts and feelings are allowed expression in words or actions through lack of self-control, evil angels are encouraged and his devices succeed, while repressing them and giving them no expression defeats him because he cannot prepare fitting temptations.
When the opening is given he eagerly springs forward and claims it as his right, and only restraint stops him from bringing affliction, destroying God's servants, and wrecking missionary work. Opening the door even a little lets him force himself in to poison the mind and rob peace and happiness, with strength lost daily and unhappiness following unless the heart is repented and humbled before God, especially through a sensitive, impulsive temperament that is tempted in regard to brethren and everything, where the enemy presents matters in an exaggerated light and everything is perverted by the imagination. Dwelling on resentment and discouragement gives him that opening to magnify grievances and weaken faith, hope, courage, and health and draw into temptation, and the way to close it is to leave one's case with God and speak words of faith, hope, and courage.
Giving place means being found on the enemy's side, and no one found there is safe, for only being wholly on the Lord's side is safety. Those found on the enemy's side will perish with the wicked in the plagues the Lord will allow Satan to bring upon men and beasts in the earth. Taking a wrong course so that the light of God is withdrawn brings a person under his powerful temptations, where seeds of doubt and unbelief about Scripture sown by hints and talk may lie buried long until he nourishes them to spring up and bear fruit in infidelity and death, and those not standing in clear light become agents he uses to transmit his influence to minds not prepared to resist it. Neglecting personal responsibility gives him opportunity to fill the mind with his thoughts and turn the person toward his purposes, so that instead of gathering with Christ the person scatters, and the heart must therefore be closed against his influence so no one becomes his instrument against Christ.
Church Unity and Final Crisis
Giving no place to the devil includes refusing to cherish disunion, discord, strife, controversy and prejudice that confuse judgment and draw away from Christ. Refusing it requires remaining one with Christ as He is one with the Father, and being united with one another in kind, courteous, self-denying love that leads others to Christ and shows the sanctifying power of truth. This means refusing to harbor evil thoughts and feelings against brethren and refusing to listen to fault-telling, vain talk, fault-finding and mischief-making as Satan's agencies. It calls for praying earnestly for the grace of Christ to preserve integrity and spiritual life, keeping close to Jesus, imitating His self-denial, love and mercy, and training all powers to war against the enemy as faithful soldiers, since Satan has come down with great power knowing his time is short to overthrow faith and will work with all power and signs and lying wonders.
Suspicion, envy, jealousy, separation and unresolved dissatisfaction among workers give Satan an opening to enter, deepen unbelief, bring spiritual darkness, dishonor God's name and hinder the work for others. Leaving past wrongs unconfessed and uncorrected and rejecting reproof leaves the way open for division to intensify. Even suspicion and jealousy toward fellow believers can damage the very work a person sincerely wants to build up.
Churches must be set in order and the door of unbelief closed, with every soul taking warning and guarding against Satan's increasing power to deceive. In the last days, while the banner of the third angel's message is borne aloft amid moral darkness, his seducing power will increase until, if possible, even the elect would be deceived. Believers must make straight paths for their feet so the weak will not be turned out of the way or led astray, and must heed caution and warning to rescue imperiled souls that do not see their spiritual danger.
God's people must give the enemy no place or ground even for a moment by yielding to deceptive theories, seducing spirits and doctrines of devils such as pantheism. They must stand firmly on the true foundation and raise the banner of truth higher and still higher, and this uncompromising stand is the only hope now. Allowing a condition in which the enemy can influence the mind leaves the door open, and old thoughts never put away can revive into erroneous ideas such as those set forth in Living Temple. Permitting that book to come into favor through men of experience leaves the door open, as seen in J. H. Kellogg's course of deceiving brethren by word of mouth with claims of thorough transformation like a blind man recovering sight, while needing a most thorough work hindered by brethren holding him up.
Resisting the Spirit's impressions by faultfinding, rejecting a message because it disagrees with one's thinking or ideas, and holding suspicion, prejudice and unbelief give the enemy room to exploit small matters, and that influence can spread and grow into coldness, unbelief and backsliding. Light is sent to reveal what spirit is guiding, so self-deception must be refused and guidance sought in God's word and prayer rather than in the complaining spirit of the priests and rulers who opposed Christ as troubling the people and wanted Him to leave them undisturbed. Ministers give place when they permit faultfinders, questioners, quibblers, critics, doubts, jealousies, suspicions, superstitious inventions, unscriptural doctrines, trifling inquiries and disputations to hinder them and call them off from saving perishing souls and giving the last message of warning to the world. Doing so wastes time and labor, takes courage and strength, surrounds their own souls with an atmosphere of doubt and unbelief, when they might have been bringing gold, silver and precious stones to lay upon the foundation.
Speech Temper and Conduct
Neither giving place to the devil is kept by the way the tongue is governed, for impatient, fault-finding, complaining and overbearing words give him ground in human relationships and must be repented of with determined effort to gain victory over a perverse will and defects of character. The citadel of the soul is garrisoned against his entrance and possession by obeying the Bible rule for speech, making the glory of God the aim of that God-given faculty and diligently educating the tongue not to utter strange and perverse things, which is the difficult exercise by which one becomes an overcomer in right speech. Passionate words give him advantage because they wound the speaker's own soul and can turn others away from the light, so guarding words prevents giving him that opportunity. Yielding to words that do not honor God when trouble or worry comes is also giving him place, and victory over it comes by faith in Christ and by joining with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, whose help and protection are pledged to those who keep their baptismal vows.
Speaking words that disparage or accuse others, finding fault, and magnifying their small mistakes gives him place because such speech breeds disaffection and dissension and pleases and helps him, whereas the opposite is avoiding evil thoughts and words, addressing a person's mistake directly and kindly, and speaking words of comfort and healing. Not finding fault with one another keeps him from being encouraged to enter, and it is kept by helping one another with tact and ingenuity and wisdom, by speaking kind, affectionate words, by never uttering a word of blame or censure, and by blending together in union, with those who live this way watered by God with the dew of heaven. Refusing to let the enemy gain ground through thinking or speaking evil against brethren also excludes lack of love, a strong desire to hinder and repress one doing a good work, accusing one another, wanting a worker in higher office removed, and devising plans to separate brethren, which are his devices. Such a bitter, grievous spirit of accusation in every place shows Christ is not dwelling in the heart and grieves the Spirit of the Lord, so obedience requires refusing evil thought and speech and meeting and condemning mischief-making with strong portions of the Word of God, for God does not desire any man to draw apart from his brethren.
Allowing any opening for evil through faultfinding, censuring, and impatience, especially sins of the tongue, is without excuse, and fervent prayer brings no return unless followed by close, constant, persevering watchfulness over self, because every human heart needs diligent guarding lest old habits of selfishness and sin regain victory even after being overcome a hundred times. In the home this means refusing to yield when tempted by speech, since even one word of discord, faultfinding, or murmuring can be taken advantage of by the enemy. Instead fathers, mothers, and children are to cease such words, speak pleasant words that bring sunshine and joy, be converted every day, cooperate with the heavenly angels who help those who practice practical godliness, and so train character for entrance into heaven.
Being exacting and lacking love and sympathy toward a sister also united in the faith gives room to the enemy, for when a positive, unyielding temperament controls feelings and actions, self has much to do with it, both sides err, and the resulting failure to be yielding blocks any beneficial influence. Insisting on taking the lead, becoming unreasonable when crossed in ideas, failing to cultivate patience, and indulging stubbornness and accusing and retaliation lets him gain room to separate the soul from God. Avoiding that requires becoming as a little child willing to be taught, learning the humble lesson of wearing the yoke of Christ and surrendering all to Him, since without that change a person makes crooked paths for his feet and becomes like a lost sheep ready to die who is precious in God's sight and must be hunted up, rescued, and helped by every practical means. Dwelling on resentment and discouragement likewise gives him an opening to magnify grievances, weaken faith, hope, courage, and health, and draw people into temptation, and the way to close that opening is to leave one's case with God and speak words of faith, hope, and courage.
Complaint, faultfinding, and hostile words or actions must not give him an opening, for when people give him that place they may treat others as enemies and make their lives unhappy, while conversion instead leads to Christlike love, prayer, comforting words, praise, and actions that lift others' burdens, and singing in response to temptation helps guard the soul against evil influences. Living the truth in character and consistently showing the right spirit gives him no place, since rash actions and words, especially those that undermine trust or stir up prejudice, can give him an opening and damage the work of God. Careless, harsh, disrespectful words and indiscreet actions can give him a foothold in the Lord's work, and self-control, sanctified dignity, and Christ's help keep him from gaining that opening.
Those who work with Christ give him no place by resisting his power rather than attacking fellow workers, and by repressing evil words and deeds instead of weakening the influence of people working for God.
Mind Heart and Relationships
Leaving any part of the self uncommitted to God opens a way for Satan to enter and tempt, for yielding begins when trust in God wavers and he can then obscure the eye of faith so that no barrier against sin remains. Safety lies in refusing to linger over the supposed advantages of yielding to his suggestions, since sin deceives and entices with flattering promises that bring dishonor and disaster. It requires refusing to enter Satan's ground and closing every avenue and every path through which temptation could reach the soul, because the foe is cunning and perceptive and the harm he can do makes watchfulness and preventive action necessary.
Entertaining miserable surmisings that brethren are slighting and neglecting brings spiritual dearth and pain that brethren are not guilty of causing. Those surmisings must be put away for one's own soul's sake, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of brethren who have trials enough without new ones being created. Treated as facts and acted upon, suspicions create the very divisions they imagine, separate believers from one another, damage influence and undermine work, for Satan can use misrepresentation of others' feelings to that end. They also plant faultfinding, criticism, envy and jealousy in other minds and drag sympathizers into the same condition, producing disaffection where there should be perfect unity.
Jealousy, envy and bitterness give Satan control and lead into a wide field of temptation. Keeping self constantly in view and guarding self jealously lest self not be exalted first keeps Jesus the precious Saviour from being beheld and gives place to the attributes of Satan. It is the very worst course, displeasing to the Lord, always leading to developments of character by which heavenly intelligences pronounce a person most unworthy, ready to treat best friends as enemies if they do not always give preference. The opposite is praying and receiving counsel from the Word, looking to and beholding Jesus and losing sight of self so that the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness reach the soul, letting the peace of God rule in the heart with thankfulness, letting praise and not faultfinding come from the lips, using speech not to advance self but to advance God's glory, always seeking to unify rather than cause dissension and strife, and sowing good seed in every heart that will bear fruit unto eternal life.
Disobedience and insistence on one's own will give the devil a place to take possession of and control the mind and judgment, while following God's words leaves him no place to rule. Indulging unbelief, expressing doubts and cherishing darkness gives him opportunity, for when sinful thoughts and feelings are allowed expression in words or actions through lack of self-control, the presence of evil angels is encouraged and the way is opened for his devices to succeed. He cannot read thoughts, but he keenly observes words and actions and skillfully adapts his temptations to those who put themselves in his power, so repressing sinful thoughts and feelings and giving them no expression defeats him because he cannot prepare fitting temptations. Leaving a door open to receive the tempter's suggestions multiplies difficulties and keeps hearts that will not come to the light open to unbelief, and spending time and strength trying to settle all misunderstandings cherished in hearts of unbelief serves his purposes; instead of settling difficulties the work is to bear testimony, to reprove and to present the righteousness of Christ. Hindrances to strength and success from within the church are far greater than those from the world, and those who profess to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are expected to promote the cause by consistent lives, godly example and active influence rather than become its greatest obstacle.
Yielding to taunts, threats or sneering remarks and acting against conscience opens a door for Satan to enter and control the mind. When delusions lead to disbelieving truth the door to him is opened to darkness, and the mind is kept from that darkness only by standing with Christ who is the Way. Selfish motives can creep into even good actions, so self-deception must be guarded against by thorough self-examination and by refusing to act from impulse while calling it religious zeal. Those preparing for baptism are to put away selfishness, unamiable temper, indolence and wrong habits and practices rather than leave room for temptation, for breaking with Satan requires giving his temptations no place.
Carelessness gives Satan an opening to enter and gradually turn the mind away from its work, and becoming unguarded lets him quietly divert the mind, so constant watchfulness and united effort are needed to prevent him from undermining God's work. Pride, self-sufficiency and trust in self open the way to his influence, while deep humility, simplicity and firm trust in God guard against it, for human strength without dependence on God is weakness and those who rely on themselves are weak and may suffer affliction. Those in responsible positions are especially in danger of pride and of losing the humility and simplicity that should characterize their work. Wrong influence and imprudent conduct must also be guarded against, since they can leave an opening for Satan to enter, work and cause disturbance.
Home School and Daily Work
Failing to firmly check children's displays of passion teaches evil and lets wrong habits take root, and that neglect opens the door and invites Satan to enter and gain control of them, for he is quick to take advantage of such failure. A wrong course or neglected duty likewise opens a door for Satan to lead children through temptation, and blind parental indulgence opens a door to the tempter that gives him opportunity to influence both the children and the home. Mothers give him that opening when they leave daughters idle, let them form their own associations, or allow them to go beyond parental watch and do as they please, and practices that seemed comparatively safe thirty years earlier do not prove safe now.
Teachers give place when they permit amusements contrary to God's will that lead students into a course contrary to Christ's path, and they should stand firm against such practices instead of failing their responsibility. Such permission lets the enemy gain a victory, dishonors God and grieves His Spirit, and may lead students into a course whose effects are difficult to undo. Those in responsible positions as managers and teachers in a school give place in the same way when they permit exhibitions such as those held on the school grounds on Wednesday afternoon, which is opening the door and inviting the enemy in.
A physician must not benefit himself unjustly at another's expense in professional work and must not betray truth, but must watch with greatest vigilance to preserve purity of religion when brought into contact and association with the world, renewing day by day the decision to be a Christian. That means refusing to act on the world's customs and maxims, refusing to do evil in anything or to smile at sharp contrivances to take advantage of a brother or of any soul for whom Christ died, and instead loving neighbor as self and doing to others as one wishes them to do. It means resisting temptation to unfaithfulness or injustice even in apparently small matters, acting with integrity and treating others as one wishes to be treated, because what seemed a small transgression by the first parents opened the floodgates of woe, sin does not lose its offensiveness by commonness, and transgression by those in responsible positions with light is a far greater sin. Managing money so as to incur debt puts a person in one of Satan's nets set for souls, and taking and using money from God's limited treasury before it is earned is a snare that limits resources so laborers cannot do missionary work and must suspend labor. One must not continue in unsuccessful business instead of settling debts, nor leave the work and field altogether, since that cripples God's work toward bankruptcy and leads others over the same ground. Prospering in business brought special danger to Brother Kellogg, requiring special care and vigilance, for allowing business with strong desire to make money and neglect of others to govern him gave place and harmed spiritual life.
Satan is a busy agent in matters of delicacy and modesty between men and women, creating great scandal and loss of reputation for the innocent through circulating falsehoods that have a seeming foundation. Christian physicians must therefore be wide awake and guarded in every action affecting their own standing and that of the institution, preserving the highest refinement, delicacy and modesty, maintaining barriers of reserve between men and women, never being alone with a patient of the opposite sex for examination or treatment, and ordering the work so that those who would invent evil reports are given no opportunity and no taint of suspicion or undeserved reproach can fall. Idleness gives place by opening a door for Satan to obtain access to the mind, as when work is laid off to spend holidays in idleness, leading to free spending of earnings with spendthrift habits and customs detrimental to the usefulness of youth coming in as a natural consequence. That place is also given by squandering time and strength in foolish chit-chat, levity and nonsense, cultivating improper acquaintance, talking and fretting and complaining, instead of spending them in prayer, close searching of the Scriptures with earnest prayer, laboring with the hands, and becoming master of doctrinal as well as practical subjects for doing good, and opening the door wide and inviting him in binds with fetters of darkness. Filling the mind with fiction and unprofitable reading places one on his ground and in the way of temptation, inviting his assaults that snare the soul, adulterate faith, destroy appetite for solid truth that improves the mind, leave the mind unclear on eternal interests, and leave one unready and unfitted for what is coming upon the earth.
Even an impure, covert, hidden suggestion must be given no foothold but rejected at once, for it stains the soul as impure water defiles its channel, and those who entice toward impurity must be turned away from. Even listening stains the soul, so such suggestions must be rebuked and separated from rather than indulged or sympathized with, and influence of those who promote impurity must be avoided even when they profess to follow Christ. The warning applies even when the tempter is a minister appearing holy, since such deception can be used to corrupt others. Guarding thoughts, words, conduct, familiarity and associations by pure principles established through converting power leaves the wicked one nothing to assail, while yielding to passion and corrupting others places one on Satan's side. Connecting with an unbeliever in engagement gives him such an advantage, placing one on his ground and exposing the soul to snares and temptation, while also grieving the Spirit of God and forfeiting His protection. Edson was yielding to temptation by excusing wrongs, misjudging others and fostering an irritable spirit, and he must examine himself, humble himself before God, and control his spirit in God's strength so as not to give place.
Victory Through Christ Alone
Victory comes by being strong in the Lord and putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the devil's wiles, with loins girt with truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, so as to withstand in the evil day with words and deeds fragrant with holiness. Giving no opening means putting away lying for truth, anger and wrath held past sunset, stealing for honest labor that helps the needy, corrupt communication for edifying speech that ministers grace, and bitterness, clamor, evil speaking, malice, unkindness and unforgiveness for kindness, tenderheartedness and forgiveness as God for Christ's sake forgives, with servants obeying earthly masters in singleness of heart as unto Christ and masters forbearing threatening. Every outpost must be guarded because the conflict is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness, and where saints assemble to present truth as it is in Jesus Satan and apostate angels and fallen men are also present to enter every crevice with doubt, questioning and confusion through unconsecrated atmospheres that dull sanctified hearing, understanding and speech.
Suggestions must be rejected firmly beginning with the first approach to presumption, without entering into controversy or parley over plausible deceptions including Scripture misapplied to justify needless danger, for yielding gives greater power to deceive. Sufficient grace is given through Christ to resist successfully, yet resistance later abandoned forfeits what was gained. Giving no opening requires breaking deception by refusing to link with the enemy and binding the soul with God, repenting and being converted, accepting the Holy Spirit, putting transgression away from heart and mind and laying sin upon the Sin-bearer. God pardons every transgression, takes away natural and hereditary tendencies, gives power to overcome, grants the overcomer's reward, and makes the obedient light-bearers, through diligent repulsing, watching, praying, dying to self, learning obedience, and refusing accusation, evil-speaking, resentment of correction, and a home influence that becomes the enemy's channel.
Lack of watchfulness and prayer lets Satan govern words and control the tongue until perverseness and stubborn self-will possess the whole person and gain place in mind and character. Clearing the heart of that rubbish and inviting Jesus to abide leaves him no place. Even when nearly shipwrecked no victory or room is to be yielded, with no discouragement or fainting by the way, but letting Jesus take the helm to right the life, clinging with both hands, talking and living faith, holding fast to Jesus, and keeping strong in spirit to triumph with the truth that will finally triumph. Dwelling on God's goodness, mercy and love leaves no place to enter and keeps depression from taking hold. The tempted are not alone, for Jesus loves and gave Himself for them, so fleeing to Him as stronghold, trusting God simply and fully, leaving self and past, present and future in God's hands, doing duty in the fear of God, looking up cheerfully, and acting wisely with meekness in good and useful actions shuts the enemy out where he seeks a hold.
No ground is to be yielded but Satan's snares broken by resisting him and turning from wickedness, since sin is not excused and judgment is according to light and knowledge received. The door is to be closed at the first appearance of evil with a high and elevated standard, especially regarding improper familiarity between men and women, for continuance lets it grow too big and strong to handle and end in disaster and crime while the open door permits full preparation for mischief blind to those far from God. The highest standard of duty is to be kept always before the mind in the fear and love of God in consecration to Christ who redeemed by His own life, refusing to grieve the Holy Spirit with imperfections of character or to offend God with the lips.
Standing at one's post on guard over self is necessary because evil agencies and unseen powers constantly war to lead to saying and doing what pleases the enemy. Knowing God's will does not remove the need to pray earnestly for help and cooperate diligently with Him, to make straight paths so the weak are not turned aside, and to do thorough, direct work that leaves no individual wrong unaddressed lest an opening to mislead and gain influence remain even for a moment. Believers must wake from spiritual sleep and waste no moment on evil, for the present is test and trial of faith in preparation for eternal life and Christ's coming. Every moment is to be used to form character fit for eternal life by overcoming evil tempers, selfishness, evil surmising and covetousness in Jesus' strength and cutting away cherished vices as an eye or limb would be cut off, lest unwise words and actions reproach sacred truth and failure be found when weighed in the balance in the day of God.
Human strength alone is weakness, so refusing opportunity requires dependence on Christ, through whom grace and the Spirit enable resistance and the setting of things in order. Hardness of spirit comes from being strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit, calling for great reformation in life, words, works and spiritual understanding, with daily catching of heaven's inspiration and breathing heaven's atmosphere. Keeping Christ present as safety through every storm requires watching and praying lest temptation be entered, exercising genuine faith that produces obedience, and trusting that God commands nothing impossible but gives strength to every believing soul.
Managers must be firm and crowd the devil out so he has no room to work, holding the place of duty until safe to leave. Coldness and indifference that weaken love must be rejected at once by drawing near to God and preserving integrity, for time is short. Opportunities for distrust, fault-finding and complaints spread by those through whom Satan works must be shut off without harshness, since sympathy that encourages harmful conduct gives place. Keeping him out means refusing to let him stand between the soul and Christ or separate through temper, savoring the things of God rather than men, for he is a vigilant, untiring foe who never sleeps, knows his time is short, and works to the end with all power, signs, lying wonders and every deception to overthrow faith and ruin souls. Believers must therefore live as faithful soldiers training all powers to war against the enemy, building firm character, keeping close to Jesus, praying earnestly for grace to preserve integrity, imitating Christ's self-denial, love and mercy, and refusing any opening through fault-finding, vain talk and mischief-making.
Neither give place to the devil means to leave Satan no opening to enter the heart and mind to control, stir up sin, and govern the life, but to shut the door firmly and keep it shut. It belongs to putting off the corrupt old man of deceitful lusts and putting on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness, with putting away lying, stealing, corrupt speech, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and malice, and being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. Even anger over supposed provocation must not be kept and become sin, though anger at God's dishonor or oppression of the innocent is not sin. Even a small sin and the first departure from strict honesty and integrity gives him control, for he cannot force obedience without consent but gains power when the will yields and faith is let go. Strength to refuse him comes only by being strong in the Lord and putting on the whole armor of God, repenting, watching and praying, and clinging to Christ in dependence every moment.
Words and Immediate Context
To have learned Christ as the truth is in Jesus is to no longer walk as Gentiles walk in vanity of mind with darkened understanding and blindness of heart, but to put off the old man corrupt according to deceitful lusts, to be renewed in the spirit of the mind, and to put on the new man created in righteousness and true holiness. This stands in contrast to those who claim to enjoy the privileges of the banquet of truth while working unrighteousness, who profess to believe and teach the Word without eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God and who lack the wedding garment. Giving no place to the devil belongs to that change, together with putting away lying and speaking truth with neighbors, being angry without sin and not letting wrath remain overnight, stealing no more but laboring with the hands at what is good so as to have to give to the needy, letting no corrupt speech proceed but only what is good for edifying to minister grace to the hearers, grieving not the Holy Spirit by whom believers are sealed unto redemption, putting away all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking with all malice, and being kind and tenderhearted and forgiving as God for Christ's sake forgives.
Refusing the devil an opening to control the mind and stir up sin that offends God therefore includes rejecting lying for truth, holding anger past sunset, stealing instead of honest labor to help the needy, corrupt communication instead of edifying speech that ministers grace, grieving the Holy Spirit, and keeping bitterness, anger, clamor, evil speaking, malice, unkindness and unforgiveness, with disrespect of authority, eye service, men-pleasing, working from selfish motives or impulse, and threatening by masters. The positive side is following God as dear children, walking in love as Christ loved and gave Himself as a sacrifice, servants obeying earthly masters with fear and trembling in singleness of heart as unto Christ doing the will of God from the heart with good will as to the Lord, and masters doing the same and forbearing threatening knowing their Master is in heaven with no respect of persons. These words of inspiration must be studied and obeyed and cannot be ignored or treated with indifference, and only doers of the Word receive the reward, with strength to obey coming by being strong in the Lord and putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the wiles of the devil, with loins girt with truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, so that words and deeds are fragrant with holiness.
The chapter gives God's plain and simple plan and appointed means for keeping unity in His church so its members reveal a healthy religious experience to the world and to unbelievers. That oneness belongs with obedience to the commandments of God, unity in the faith of the Scriptures, oneness in Christ Jesus with life hid with Christ in God, practicing the golden rule of doing to others as one would have them do, loving one another as brethren with the unity that exists between the Father and the Son, bearing a living testimony that the Father loves believers even as He loves His Son, and helping one another recover from the suffering of debt. Such believers appreciate the gift of Christ, use heaven's costly provision to draw souls to obedience to God's holy law, work together with God as channels and laborers together with Him, partake of the divine nature having escaped the corruption in the world through lust, live consistent Christian lives in courtesy, fidelity, justice and mercy, magnify God's law and make it honorable, and demonstrate that the law of the Lord is perfect for converting the soul.
The chapter is solemn instruction meaning much to believers, to be read most solemnly and impressed upon minds, calling for loyalty to God's law, obedience to which brings life and blessing, and for a great reformation in lives, words, works, and spiritual understanding. Its lesson is to be put into daily practice in humility and meekness, bearing with one another in love, preserving unity and peace, and following God's plain word rather than introducing personal ideas and opinions that mislead others. Hardness of spirit comes from being strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit, so believers need daily to catch the inspiration of heaven and of the angels in the heavenly courts and to breathe the atmosphere of heaven. Anger can give the devil that opportunity, so anger must not lead to sin and wrath must not be allowed to continue overnight. Anger at God's dishonor or the oppression of the innocent can be righteous and is not sin, but anger indulged over a supposed provocation, along with bitterness, resentment and animosity, must be put away and given no room.
Nature of Satan's Opening
To give place to the devil is to give him an opening to press into the heart and mind and to teach evil there, to influence and govern the person and to control the mind and stir up sin that offends God. That opening must be shut out every time, with no room left for even a moment, by thorough and direct dealing with every individual wrong so he has no place to mislead or gain influence. Safety lies in crowding him out and holding firmly to the place of duty until it is safe to leave, standing at one's post on guard against unseen powers through earnest prayer and diligent cooperation with God.
Even a seemingly small sin can give that opening, for sin against light and knowledge corrupts the soul and can make one who has received great light serve the enemy by making truth appear false and weakening its power to shape character. The first and slightest departure from strict honesty, truthfulness, and integrity opens the way for him to gain control of the soul, so temptations to compromise principle for success, money, or human approval, and all worldly policy in religion, must be firmly refused in reliance on God at every step through Christ's grace and strength. This refusal must begin with the first approach to presumption, without entering into controversy or parley over plausible deceptions, even Scripture misapplied to justify needless danger, since yielding gives greater power to deceive while God gives sufficient grace through Christ to resist successfully, though resistance later abandoned forfeits what was gained. An impure, hidden suggestion must likewise be given no entrance, for it stains the soul as impure water defiles its channel, and those who entice toward impurity must be turned away from.
He cannot force obedience or control the mind without consent, for his power depends on yielding the will and letting go of faith in Christ. Every cherished sinful desire gives him a foothold, and every failure to meet God's standard opens a door for him to tempt and destroy, with each failure also giving him occasion to reproach Christ. He cannot read human thoughts, but he keenly observes words and actions and skillfully adapts his temptations to those who put themselves in his power, so that when sinful thoughts and feelings are allowed expression in words or actions through lack of self-control, evil angels are encouraged and his devices succeed, while repressing them and giving them no expression defeats him because he cannot prepare fitting temptations.
When the opening is given he eagerly springs forward and claims it as his right, and only restraint stops him from bringing affliction, destroying God's servants, and wrecking missionary work. Opening the door even a little lets him force himself in to poison the mind and rob peace and happiness, with strength lost daily and unhappiness following unless the heart is repented and humbled before God, especially through a sensitive, impulsive temperament that is tempted in regard to brethren and everything, where the enemy presents matters in an exaggerated light and everything is perverted by the imagination. Dwelling on resentment and discouragement gives him that opening to magnify grievances and weaken faith, hope, courage, and health and draw into temptation, and the way to close it is to leave one's case with God and speak words of faith, hope, and courage.
Giving place means being found on the enemy's side, and no one found there is safe, for only being wholly on the Lord's side is safety. Those found on the enemy's side will perish with the wicked in the plagues the Lord will allow Satan to bring upon men and beasts in the earth. Taking a wrong course so that the light of God is withdrawn brings a person under his powerful temptations, where seeds of doubt and unbelief about Scripture sown by hints and talk may lie buried long until he nourishes them to spring up and bear fruit in infidelity and death, and those not standing in clear light become agents he uses to transmit his influence to minds not prepared to resist it. Neglecting personal responsibility gives him opportunity to fill the mind with his thoughts and turn the person toward his purposes, so that instead of gathering with Christ the person scatters, and the heart must therefore be closed against his influence so no one becomes his instrument against Christ.
Church Unity and Final Crisis
Giving no place to the devil includes refusing to cherish disunion, discord, strife, controversy and prejudice that confuse judgment and draw away from Christ. Refusing it requires remaining one with Christ as He is one with the Father, and being united with one another in kind, courteous, self-denying love that leads others to Christ and shows the sanctifying power of truth. This means refusing to harbor evil thoughts and feelings against brethren and refusing to listen to fault-telling, vain talk, fault-finding and mischief-making as Satan's agencies. It calls for praying earnestly for the grace of Christ to preserve integrity and spiritual life, keeping close to Jesus, imitating His self-denial, love and mercy, and training all powers to war against the enemy as faithful soldiers, since Satan has come down with great power knowing his time is short to overthrow faith and will work with all power and signs and lying wonders.
Suspicion, envy, jealousy, separation and unresolved dissatisfaction among workers give Satan an opening to enter, deepen unbelief, bring spiritual darkness, dishonor God's name and hinder the work for others. Leaving past wrongs unconfessed and uncorrected and rejecting reproof leaves the way open for division to intensify. Even suspicion and jealousy toward fellow believers can damage the very work a person sincerely wants to build up.
Churches must be set in order and the door of unbelief closed, with every soul taking warning and guarding against Satan's increasing power to deceive. In the last days, while the banner of the third angel's message is borne aloft amid moral darkness, his seducing power will increase until, if possible, even the elect would be deceived. Believers must make straight paths for their feet so the weak will not be turned out of the way or led astray, and must heed caution and warning to rescue imperiled souls that do not see their spiritual danger.
God's people must give the enemy no place or ground even for a moment by yielding to deceptive theories, seducing spirits and doctrines of devils such as pantheism. They must stand firmly on the true foundation and raise the banner of truth higher and still higher, and this uncompromising stand is the only hope now. Allowing a condition in which the enemy can influence the mind leaves the door open, and old thoughts never put away can revive into erroneous ideas such as those set forth in Living Temple. Permitting that book to come into favor through men of experience leaves the door open, as seen in J. H. Kellogg's course of deceiving brethren by word of mouth with claims of thorough transformation like a blind man recovering sight, while needing a most thorough work hindered by brethren holding him up.
Resisting the Spirit's impressions by faultfinding, rejecting a message because it disagrees with one's thinking or ideas, and holding suspicion, prejudice and unbelief give the enemy room to exploit small matters, and that influence can spread and grow into coldness, unbelief and backsliding. Light is sent to reveal what spirit is guiding, so self-deception must be refused and guidance sought in God's word and prayer rather than in the complaining spirit of the priests and rulers who opposed Christ as troubling the people and wanted Him to leave them undisturbed. Ministers give place when they permit faultfinders, questioners, quibblers, critics, doubts, jealousies, suspicions, superstitious inventions, unscriptural doctrines, trifling inquiries and disputations to hinder them and call them off from saving perishing souls and giving the last message of warning to the world. Doing so wastes time and labor, takes courage and strength, surrounds their own souls with an atmosphere of doubt and unbelief, when they might have been bringing gold, silver and precious stones to lay upon the foundation.
Speech Temper and Conduct
Neither giving place to the devil is kept by the way the tongue is governed, for impatient, fault-finding, complaining and overbearing words give him ground in human relationships and must be repented of with determined effort to gain victory over a perverse will and defects of character. The citadel of the soul is garrisoned against his entrance and possession by obeying the Bible rule for speech, making the glory of God the aim of that God-given faculty and diligently educating the tongue not to utter strange and perverse things, which is the difficult exercise by which one becomes an overcomer in right speech. Passionate words give him advantage because they wound the speaker's own soul and can turn others away from the light, so guarding words prevents giving him that opportunity. Yielding to words that do not honor God when trouble or worry comes is also giving him place, and victory over it comes by faith in Christ and by joining with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, whose help and protection are pledged to those who keep their baptismal vows.
Speaking words that disparage or accuse others, finding fault, and magnifying their small mistakes gives him place because such speech breeds disaffection and dissension and pleases and helps him, whereas the opposite is avoiding evil thoughts and words, addressing a person's mistake directly and kindly, and speaking words of comfort and healing. Not finding fault with one another keeps him from being encouraged to enter, and it is kept by helping one another with tact and ingenuity and wisdom, by speaking kind, affectionate words, by never uttering a word of blame or censure, and by blending together in union, with those who live this way watered by God with the dew of heaven. Refusing to let the enemy gain ground through thinking or speaking evil against brethren also excludes lack of love, a strong desire to hinder and repress one doing a good work, accusing one another, wanting a worker in higher office removed, and devising plans to separate brethren, which are his devices. Such a bitter, grievous spirit of accusation in every place shows Christ is not dwelling in the heart and grieves the Spirit of the Lord, so obedience requires refusing evil thought and speech and meeting and condemning mischief-making with strong portions of the Word of God, for God does not desire any man to draw apart from his brethren.
Allowing any opening for evil through faultfinding, censuring, and impatience, especially sins of the tongue, is without excuse, and fervent prayer brings no return unless followed by close, constant, persevering watchfulness over self, because every human heart needs diligent guarding lest old habits of selfishness and sin regain victory even after being overcome a hundred times. In the home this means refusing to yield when tempted by speech, since even one word of discord, faultfinding, or murmuring can be taken advantage of by the enemy. Instead fathers, mothers, and children are to cease such words, speak pleasant words that bring sunshine and joy, be converted every day, cooperate with the heavenly angels who help those who practice practical godliness, and so train character for entrance into heaven.
Being exacting and lacking love and sympathy toward a sister also united in the faith gives room to the enemy, for when a positive, unyielding temperament controls feelings and actions, self has much to do with it, both sides err, and the resulting failure to be yielding blocks any beneficial influence. Insisting on taking the lead, becoming unreasonable when crossed in ideas, failing to cultivate patience, and indulging stubbornness and accusing and retaliation lets him gain room to separate the soul from God. Avoiding that requires becoming as a little child willing to be taught, learning the humble lesson of wearing the yoke of Christ and surrendering all to Him, since without that change a person makes crooked paths for his feet and becomes like a lost sheep ready to die who is precious in God's sight and must be hunted up, rescued, and helped by every practical means. Dwelling on resentment and discouragement likewise gives him an opening to magnify grievances, weaken faith, hope, courage, and health, and draw people into temptation, and the way to close that opening is to leave one's case with God and speak words of faith, hope, and courage.
Complaint, faultfinding, and hostile words or actions must not give him an opening, for when people give him that place they may treat others as enemies and make their lives unhappy, while conversion instead leads to Christlike love, prayer, comforting words, praise, and actions that lift others' burdens, and singing in response to temptation helps guard the soul against evil influences. Living the truth in character and consistently showing the right spirit gives him no place, since rash actions and words, especially those that undermine trust or stir up prejudice, can give him an opening and damage the work of God. Careless, harsh, disrespectful words and indiscreet actions can give him a foothold in the Lord's work, and self-control, sanctified dignity, and Christ's help keep him from gaining that opening.
Those who work with Christ give him no place by resisting his power rather than attacking fellow workers, and by repressing evil words and deeds instead of weakening the influence of people working for God.
Mind Heart and Relationships
Leaving any part of the self uncommitted to God opens a way for Satan to enter and tempt, for yielding begins when trust in God wavers and he can then obscure the eye of faith so that no barrier against sin remains. Safety lies in refusing to linger over the supposed advantages of yielding to his suggestions, since sin deceives and entices with flattering promises that bring dishonor and disaster. It requires refusing to enter Satan's ground and closing every avenue and every path through which temptation could reach the soul, because the foe is cunning and perceptive and the harm he can do makes watchfulness and preventive action necessary.
Entertaining miserable surmisings that brethren are slighting and neglecting brings spiritual dearth and pain that brethren are not guilty of causing. Those surmisings must be put away for one's own soul's sake, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of brethren who have trials enough without new ones being created. Treated as facts and acted upon, suspicions create the very divisions they imagine, separate believers from one another, damage influence and undermine work, for Satan can use misrepresentation of others' feelings to that end. They also plant faultfinding, criticism, envy and jealousy in other minds and drag sympathizers into the same condition, producing disaffection where there should be perfect unity.
Jealousy, envy and bitterness give Satan control and lead into a wide field of temptation. Keeping self constantly in view and guarding self jealously lest self not be exalted first keeps Jesus the precious Saviour from being beheld and gives place to the attributes of Satan. It is the very worst course, displeasing to the Lord, always leading to developments of character by which heavenly intelligences pronounce a person most unworthy, ready to treat best friends as enemies if they do not always give preference. The opposite is praying and receiving counsel from the Word, looking to and beholding Jesus and losing sight of self so that the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness reach the soul, letting the peace of God rule in the heart with thankfulness, letting praise and not faultfinding come from the lips, using speech not to advance self but to advance God's glory, always seeking to unify rather than cause dissension and strife, and sowing good seed in every heart that will bear fruit unto eternal life.
Disobedience and insistence on one's own will give the devil a place to take possession of and control the mind and judgment, while following God's words leaves him no place to rule. Indulging unbelief, expressing doubts and cherishing darkness gives him opportunity, for when sinful thoughts and feelings are allowed expression in words or actions through lack of self-control, the presence of evil angels is encouraged and the way is opened for his devices to succeed. He cannot read thoughts, but he keenly observes words and actions and skillfully adapts his temptations to those who put themselves in his power, so repressing sinful thoughts and feelings and giving them no expression defeats him because he cannot prepare fitting temptations. Leaving a door open to receive the tempter's suggestions multiplies difficulties and keeps hearts that will not come to the light open to unbelief, and spending time and strength trying to settle all misunderstandings cherished in hearts of unbelief serves his purposes; instead of settling difficulties the work is to bear testimony, to reprove and to present the righteousness of Christ. Hindrances to strength and success from within the church are far greater than those from the world, and those who profess to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus are expected to promote the cause by consistent lives, godly example and active influence rather than become its greatest obstacle.
Yielding to taunts, threats or sneering remarks and acting against conscience opens a door for Satan to enter and control the mind. When delusions lead to disbelieving truth the door to him is opened to darkness, and the mind is kept from that darkness only by standing with Christ who is the Way. Selfish motives can creep into even good actions, so self-deception must be guarded against by thorough self-examination and by refusing to act from impulse while calling it religious zeal. Those preparing for baptism are to put away selfishness, unamiable temper, indolence and wrong habits and practices rather than leave room for temptation, for breaking with Satan requires giving his temptations no place.
Carelessness gives Satan an opening to enter and gradually turn the mind away from its work, and becoming unguarded lets him quietly divert the mind, so constant watchfulness and united effort are needed to prevent him from undermining God's work. Pride, self-sufficiency and trust in self open the way to his influence, while deep humility, simplicity and firm trust in God guard against it, for human strength without dependence on God is weakness and those who rely on themselves are weak and may suffer affliction. Those in responsible positions are especially in danger of pride and of losing the humility and simplicity that should characterize their work. Wrong influence and imprudent conduct must also be guarded against, since they can leave an opening for Satan to enter, work and cause disturbance.
Home School and Daily Work
Failing to firmly check children's displays of passion teaches evil and lets wrong habits take root, and that neglect opens the door and invites Satan to enter and gain control of them, for he is quick to take advantage of such failure. A wrong course or neglected duty likewise opens a door for Satan to lead children through temptation, and blind parental indulgence opens a door to the tempter that gives him opportunity to influence both the children and the home. Mothers give him that opening when they leave daughters idle, let them form their own associations, or allow them to go beyond parental watch and do as they please, and practices that seemed comparatively safe thirty years earlier do not prove safe now.
Teachers give place when they permit amusements contrary to God's will that lead students into a course contrary to Christ's path, and they should stand firm against such practices instead of failing their responsibility. Such permission lets the enemy gain a victory, dishonors God and grieves His Spirit, and may lead students into a course whose effects are difficult to undo. Those in responsible positions as managers and teachers in a school give place in the same way when they permit exhibitions such as those held on the school grounds on Wednesday afternoon, which is opening the door and inviting the enemy in.
A physician must not benefit himself unjustly at another's expense in professional work and must not betray truth, but must watch with greatest vigilance to preserve purity of religion when brought into contact and association with the world, renewing day by day the decision to be a Christian. That means refusing to act on the world's customs and maxims, refusing to do evil in anything or to smile at sharp contrivances to take advantage of a brother or of any soul for whom Christ died, and instead loving neighbor as self and doing to others as one wishes them to do. It means resisting temptation to unfaithfulness or injustice even in apparently small matters, acting with integrity and treating others as one wishes to be treated, because what seemed a small transgression by the first parents opened the floodgates of woe, sin does not lose its offensiveness by commonness, and transgression by those in responsible positions with light is a far greater sin. Managing money so as to incur debt puts a person in one of Satan's nets set for souls, and taking and using money from God's limited treasury before it is earned is a snare that limits resources so laborers cannot do missionary work and must suspend labor. One must not continue in unsuccessful business instead of settling debts, nor leave the work and field altogether, since that cripples God's work toward bankruptcy and leads others over the same ground. Prospering in business brought special danger to Brother Kellogg, requiring special care and vigilance, for allowing business with strong desire to make money and neglect of others to govern him gave place and harmed spiritual life.
Satan is a busy agent in matters of delicacy and modesty between men and women, creating great scandal and loss of reputation for the innocent through circulating falsehoods that have a seeming foundation. Christian physicians must therefore be wide awake and guarded in every action affecting their own standing and that of the institution, preserving the highest refinement, delicacy and modesty, maintaining barriers of reserve between men and women, never being alone with a patient of the opposite sex for examination or treatment, and ordering the work so that those who would invent evil reports are given no opportunity and no taint of suspicion or undeserved reproach can fall. Idleness gives place by opening a door for Satan to obtain access to the mind, as when work is laid off to spend holidays in idleness, leading to free spending of earnings with spendthrift habits and customs detrimental to the usefulness of youth coming in as a natural consequence. That place is also given by squandering time and strength in foolish chit-chat, levity and nonsense, cultivating improper acquaintance, talking and fretting and complaining, instead of spending them in prayer, close searching of the Scriptures with earnest prayer, laboring with the hands, and becoming master of doctrinal as well as practical subjects for doing good, and opening the door wide and inviting him in binds with fetters of darkness. Filling the mind with fiction and unprofitable reading places one on his ground and in the way of temptation, inviting his assaults that snare the soul, adulterate faith, destroy appetite for solid truth that improves the mind, leave the mind unclear on eternal interests, and leave one unready and unfitted for what is coming upon the earth.
Even an impure, covert, hidden suggestion must be given no foothold but rejected at once, for it stains the soul as impure water defiles its channel, and those who entice toward impurity must be turned away from. Even listening stains the soul, so such suggestions must be rebuked and separated from rather than indulged or sympathized with, and influence of those who promote impurity must be avoided even when they profess to follow Christ. The warning applies even when the tempter is a minister appearing holy, since such deception can be used to corrupt others. Guarding thoughts, words, conduct, familiarity and associations by pure principles established through converting power leaves the wicked one nothing to assail, while yielding to passion and corrupting others places one on Satan's side. Connecting with an unbeliever in engagement gives him such an advantage, placing one on his ground and exposing the soul to snares and temptation, while also grieving the Spirit of God and forfeiting His protection. Edson was yielding to temptation by excusing wrongs, misjudging others and fostering an irritable spirit, and he must examine himself, humble himself before God, and control his spirit in God's strength so as not to give place.
Victory Through Christ Alone
Victory comes by being strong in the Lord and putting on the whole armor of God to stand against the devil's wiles, with loins girt with truth, breastplate of righteousness, feet shod with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit, so as to withstand in the evil day with words and deeds fragrant with holiness. Giving no opening means putting away lying for truth, anger and wrath held past sunset, stealing for honest labor that helps the needy, corrupt communication for edifying speech that ministers grace, and bitterness, clamor, evil speaking, malice, unkindness and unforgiveness for kindness, tenderheartedness and forgiveness as God for Christ's sake forgives, with servants obeying earthly masters in singleness of heart as unto Christ and masters forbearing threatening. Every outpost must be guarded because the conflict is not against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers, rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness, and where saints assemble to present truth as it is in Jesus Satan and apostate angels and fallen men are also present to enter every crevice with doubt, questioning and confusion through unconsecrated atmospheres that dull sanctified hearing, understanding and speech.
Suggestions must be rejected firmly beginning with the first approach to presumption, without entering into controversy or parley over plausible deceptions including Scripture misapplied to justify needless danger, for yielding gives greater power to deceive. Sufficient grace is given through Christ to resist successfully, yet resistance later abandoned forfeits what was gained. Giving no opening requires breaking deception by refusing to link with the enemy and binding the soul with God, repenting and being converted, accepting the Holy Spirit, putting transgression away from heart and mind and laying sin upon the Sin-bearer. God pardons every transgression, takes away natural and hereditary tendencies, gives power to overcome, grants the overcomer's reward, and makes the obedient light-bearers, through diligent repulsing, watching, praying, dying to self, learning obedience, and refusing accusation, evil-speaking, resentment of correction, and a home influence that becomes the enemy's channel.
Lack of watchfulness and prayer lets Satan govern words and control the tongue until perverseness and stubborn self-will possess the whole person and gain place in mind and character. Clearing the heart of that rubbish and inviting Jesus to abide leaves him no place. Even when nearly shipwrecked no victory or room is to be yielded, with no discouragement or fainting by the way, but letting Jesus take the helm to right the life, clinging with both hands, talking and living faith, holding fast to Jesus, and keeping strong in spirit to triumph with the truth that will finally triumph. Dwelling on God's goodness, mercy and love leaves no place to enter and keeps depression from taking hold. The tempted are not alone, for Jesus loves and gave Himself for them, so fleeing to Him as stronghold, trusting God simply and fully, leaving self and past, present and future in God's hands, doing duty in the fear of God, looking up cheerfully, and acting wisely with meekness in good and useful actions shuts the enemy out where he seeks a hold.
No ground is to be yielded but Satan's snares broken by resisting him and turning from wickedness, since sin is not excused and judgment is according to light and knowledge received. The door is to be closed at the first appearance of evil with a high and elevated standard, especially regarding improper familiarity between men and women, for continuance lets it grow too big and strong to handle and end in disaster and crime while the open door permits full preparation for mischief blind to those far from God. The highest standard of duty is to be kept always before the mind in the fear and love of God in consecration to Christ who redeemed by His own life, refusing to grieve the Holy Spirit with imperfections of character or to offend God with the lips.
Standing at one's post on guard over self is necessary because evil agencies and unseen powers constantly war to lead to saying and doing what pleases the enemy. Knowing God's will does not remove the need to pray earnestly for help and cooperate diligently with Him, to make straight paths so the weak are not turned aside, and to do thorough, direct work that leaves no individual wrong unaddressed lest an opening to mislead and gain influence remain even for a moment. Believers must wake from spiritual sleep and waste no moment on evil, for the present is test and trial of faith in preparation for eternal life and Christ's coming. Every moment is to be used to form character fit for eternal life by overcoming evil tempers, selfishness, evil surmising and covetousness in Jesus' strength and cutting away cherished vices as an eye or limb would be cut off, lest unwise words and actions reproach sacred truth and failure be found when weighed in the balance in the day of God.
Human strength alone is weakness, so refusing opportunity requires dependence on Christ, through whom grace and the Spirit enable resistance and the setting of things in order. Hardness of spirit comes from being strangers to the working of the Holy Spirit, calling for great reformation in life, words, works and spiritual understanding, with daily catching of heaven's inspiration and breathing heaven's atmosphere. Keeping Christ present as safety through every storm requires watching and praying lest temptation be entered, exercising genuine faith that produces obedience, and trusting that God commands nothing impossible but gives strength to every believing soul.
Managers must be firm and crowd the devil out so he has no room to work, holding the place of duty until safe to leave. Coldness and indifference that weaken love must be rejected at once by drawing near to God and preserving integrity, for time is short. Opportunities for distrust, fault-finding and complaints spread by those through whom Satan works must be shut off without harshness, since sympathy that encourages harmful conduct gives place. Keeping him out means refusing to let him stand between the soul and Christ or separate through temper, savoring the things of God rather than men, for he is a vigilant, untiring foe who never sleeps, knows his time is short, and works to the end with all power, signs, lying wonders and every deception to overthrow faith and ruin souls. Believers must therefore live as faithful soldiers training all powers to war against the enemy, building firm character, keeping close to Jesus, praying earnestly for grace to preserve integrity, imitating Christ's self-denial, love and mercy, and refusing any opening through fault-finding, vain talk and mischief-making.