The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1903-06-13

Spirit which is able 10, cut the devil
asupder and make him fee2 Resist
ance which fails to provide this shield
and this sword Is sure TO prove unavail-
ing. This Is the resist ance which James
means when he declares: Resist the
devil and he will fee from you"
n ND when the soul has put the devil
n to fight, IL ought to keep him on
the run. Oh, IL the saints who are In
Christ Jesus, and who know that 1t is
true that the only way to win victory
over the devil is to use the shield of
faith and the Sword of the Spirit.
would only keep the shield before them
and the sword in hand they would soon
have him driven into corner, the
chains would be snapped upon him and
Christ surely would come to reign.
The trouble is that the devil has not
run very far before the soul lays aside
the shield and sheathes the sword, con-
fident that victory is final and COM
plete. But the discarded shield and
the encased sword act like tonic upon
the nerves of the devil. He is as sem
sitive to such movements on the part
of the saints as the needle i'm the COM
pass is conscious of the attraction Of
the pole. He checks his hasty fight.
he takes new breath and fresh courage
and returns to renew the attack from
another quarter. The shield of faith
laid aside soon gathers rust and mold,
and the sword put into its scabbard
is harmless weapon, and when the
attack comes the soul Is taken off its
guard, and in the confusion the shield
and sword are either forgotten alto
gether, or so much time has to be spent
in rubbing off the rust and unshea thing
the sword|tha the devil is given a
powerful advantage at the very start.
HAT would be thought of the
VI army which would fail to fortify
the camp and would carelessly stack
its guns, when it knew that the en-
envy was lurking about watching for
an opportunity to strike a blow? 1t
would be supreme folly. 1t would in
vite sure defeat, and just condemna-
ton upon the general who COM
manded the army. And is not the soul
that fails to prepare for the attack
of the devil. who is constantly going
about seeking whom he may devour.
as worthy of condemnation? No
wonder the devils victories are so
many! No wonder the Christian so
often is such miserable spectacle
before the world. No wonder he
brings reproach upon the name Of
Jesus Christ and His religion! No
wonder that the testimony of the
lips is not more powerful, when the
life behind the lips is made hideous
with the defeats which the devil has
inflicted! Paul declared that the
Gospel of Jesus Christ was the pow
err of God unto salvation" and il was
when Paul was bearing witness to
that Gospel by word and deed. But
every word which Paul spoke for his
Lord was backed up by that brave re-
sistance against the inward and outi
ward attacks of the devil which en-
abled him to live a victorious life.
But the Christian who is not resisting
the devil daily and hourly in inward
thought and outward act, and compel
ling him to flee from him. might bet
ter shut his mouth and hide his light
under a bushel, for his life of defeat
will put the stamp of the lie upon his
testimony, and the world viii refuse
to receive 1t. Resist the devil before
you begin to confess the Christ. It
is the resisting saint who shines the
brightest and the farthest. The road
of resistance is the highway which
leads to the crown of life and the
place on the throne with Christ. The
brightest promises are given to those
who overcome. for the resistance
which the saints offer the devil are
the blows which are forging the
chains which will help to bind him
some day.
NUR text is not only declaration OF
III fact, which has been reinforced by
Gods faithful children in all ages, but
its first clause is commands: "Resist
the DEVIL" 1t Is in the imperative
mood. There is no weakening 'if."
James might have said: 'If you resist
the devil, he will flee from you" But
he does not. He bluntly tells you and
me to "resist the devil" That short.
plain command of three words defines
the only attitude of the soul towards
| the devil. No compromise; no terms,
short of absolute and determined OPP
position. The people of the world and
good many Christians are in NOR
tai terror of giving offense to the devil.
They like to handle him with gloves
and are careful to rub the fur the
right way in order not to rouse the
monster to raging passion. But Gods
command is: "Resist the devil" and
when you do God will take care of the
consequences. and II will not be long
before the devil is fleeing in terror.
The passive attitude of Christians is
contrary to the will and purpose Of
God, and violates the spirit of His
Word. The words of Jesus: "Resist
not evil" might be quoted to disprove
this and to contradict the command
of our text. but II you will take the
pains to read all the section Of the
fifth chapter of Matthew, in which
these words occur, you will readily see
that they have their application in mat
fors ~ ravapna and ~ nereecuti0u