The Warfare of a Christian Life

It is blessed and glorious to be a Christian. No other life is so beautiful and pure; no other life is so tranquilly peaceful; no other life is so full of rest and satisfaction. The Christian, however, does not go to heaven on flowery beds of ease. There is now and then a thorn. There are some things to oppose a Christian on his pilgrimage to the heavens. These must be contended against. The contending against those things prepares him for his blissful home above.

”All things work together for good to them that love God…” -Romans 8:38

Heaven’s blessings and hell’s venom, angels’ smiles and Satan’s frowns, all work good to those who have union with God. It is the battle that disciplines and makes strong and brave the warrior and not the victory. We are exhorted to endure hardness as a good soldier. James says, ”Blessed is the man that endureth temptation.”Temptations are outward influences acting upon our natural emotions and passions to induce the will to act contrary to the law of grace and satisfy self. We need not expect to be free from temptations. Temptations will never cease to attack the soul as long as it inhabits this ”muddy vesture of decay”. Be brave, and fight the good fight of faith.

It is not sinful to be tempted. We never lose any spirituality by being tempted. It is the slight yieldings that cause a leaking, a loss of grace. Clear up the vision of your faith a little and take a look at your beautiful, glittering crown of life. It is not gold, neither crystal. Do not look at it as such. Yea, you will be crowned with eternal life if you will but endure temptations. Think of this in the hour of sore trial. Fight on, heaven awaits to reward you.

Believe not those who say
The upward path is smooth,
Lest thou shouldst stumble in the way
And faint before the truth.

It is the only road
Unto the realms of joy:
But he who seeks that blest abode
Must all his powers employ -Anne Brontë

 

The Wilderness Experience

”THEN was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” -Matt. 4: 1

There comes a time in the Christian’s life when he has to pass through the wilderness in his journey to his place of eternal rest. That wilderness is where he is proved whether he is worthy of that heavenly home or not, whether he is deeply rooted in Christ or just on the surface. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness in order to be tempted by the devil. The devil challenged Him, but He succeeded. When we are faced with persecutions, trials and tribulations, we should look to Jesus and be at peace because He has assured us that even though we shall face troubles, He has overcome the world. John 16: 33.

God allows us to be tempted in order to refine us and to conform us into the image of Christ. But the devil brings the temptations in such a way that we will give up and turn back. We must not relent, God has provided a means of escape for us. That is His Word. Satan tempted Jesus, quoting the Scriptures (Luke 4: 9-11). Satan can quote the Scriptures and can twist its teachings. If we would stand in time of temptations, we must understand what the Bible teaches. That is the essence of studying and meditating on God’s word. Someone has rightly said: ”He who builds up a Christian experience in obedience to the word of God will have something to serve Him in a time of need.

Our task is to glorify God no matter what the circumstances. If we do, our struggle can direct others to the Saviour as we make our way towards our ultimate goal of rest and reward in heaven.