Progressive Conquest of Evil

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12 It is not the order and will of God to shield His people from temptation... When truth takes possession of the heart, the Christian will be brought into conflict... There are opposing elements in his own household, even in his own heart, and nothing but the free Spirit of God can ensure of him the victory. The beginning of yielding to temptation is in the sin of permitting the mind to waver, to be inconsistent in your trust in God. The wicked one is every watching for a chance to misrepresent God, and to attract the mind to that which is forbidden. If he can, he will fasten the mind upon the things of the world. He will endeavor to excite the emotions, to arouse the passions, to fasten the affections on that which is not for your good; but it is for you to hold every emotion and passion under control, in calm, subjection to reason and conscience. Than Satan loses his power to control the mind. The work in which Christ calls us is to the work of progressive conquest over spiritual evil in our characters. Natural tendencies are to be overcome... Appetite and passion must be conquered, and the will must be placed wholly on the side of Christ. We pray to our heavenly Father, "Lead us not into temptation," and then, too often, we fail to guard our feet against leading us into temptation. We are to keep away from the temptations by which we are easily overcome. Our success is wrought out by ourselves through the grace of Christ. We are to roll out of the way the stone of stumbling that has caused us and others so much sadness. OHC