St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-10-29

Adu " III Ids ever llr6u. Inc D0L-
ties rage within the human heart an,
defeat is constantly written upon it
,, banners. Struggle ever so brayely, vii
ever so many partial victories, ant
5 still defeat is known, and sin and it
) consequences are present But it neet
not be SO if the soul relies upon tn,
Almighty Conqueror, Christ Jesus. Oul
| text suggests the certain pathway t.
sure victory Through our Lord Je
sus Christ" Thanks be unto God.
Paul exclaims, "who giveth us the vic.
tory through our Lord Jesus Christ
Victory through Christ Man through
out the centuries since his first defeat
has been seeking the secret of victory;
and he has found that the only victory
which he himself can win is transitory
and incomplete. But victory may be
won through Christ. Victory through
our own efforts, no. But victory
through Christ always. What a
glad message to the human heart is
this Who is there who has struggled
worlds allurements, and suffered re-
peated and frequent defeat, who is not
glad to hear that there is way of VIC
tory? Who is there who has not felt at
times as though it was hopeless and
useless struggle? Who has not felt
like making unconditional surrender
to all the selfish and evil desires in his
nature? Who has not felt like crying
out with Paul: ooh, wretched man
that l am, who shall deliver me from
the body of this death?" In the hour
OF defeat how apt we are to throw up
our hands and feel that all is lost And
it is to such to whom Jesus longs to
come and turn defeat into victory, dis
couragement into hopefulness, the cry
of despair into the glad song OF thanks
giving.
. UT how are we to realize this con-
u dition of victory? 1t is one thing
to believe that Jesus is able to over
come all the enemies of the soul, and
it is quite another thing to so expert
ence the presence and power Of Jesus
in the life as to know that victory
which is obtained through Him.
At least, this is my own personal ex-
perience. l know that in Christ Jesus |
may have glorious victory, and yet all
most while l am talking about Jesus |
power, l am falling into the shadows /
and darkness of defeat. Why is it?I
How may l know as fully in practical
experience as l know in theoretical
faith? This is what the struggling soul
wants to know. Israel knew God was
able to give them victory over the city
OF Al. They went up in confidence and
faith. They felt assured that victory
was theirs, but just at the crucial point
they failed and were driven back in
miserable defeat. Why was it? Was
Gods arm shortened? Had Gods power
failed?
\WE PRAY to God for victory
w through His Son Christ Jesus
even while we are clinging to that
which can only bring defeat. We eager
y go forward to the conflict confident
If victory, while there lies hidden
within the deepest recesses of our heart
he wicked evidence of sin which will
;ause us to flee before the enemy. We
plead ignorance of the presence
# such unholy thing in the heart and
ife. Yes, we have covered it up as We
rave gone into the presence Of the LORD
n for the time being we have quite
orgotten that it is there Like the
'uried bone of the dog, it remains out
Il sight and is forgotten until some
lay the dog chances to pass that way
gain and the scent of the bone reaches {
he dogs nOstrils, and up it comes to {
e fed upon again and then buried for
future day. All, how much the soul
kinks it is hiding from it's Lord. II s
eceives itself, and it thinks it Is with 9
quail skill deceiving the Searcher OF
he hidden purposes and intents of the I
cart. This, then, is one of the rea- U
ons why the soul meets defeat. It is
OF free from the unholy thing. 1t has
OF submitted to the searchlight of =
DDS presence, and cast out the thing
Which is Gispleasing to Him. And for
ais reason there is present in the life
he fatal weakness which at the critical
loment manifests itself and brings de-
at But thanks be to Cod" for there !
victory through Christ Jesus just at
lis point. He not only will give us
he victory in the final struggle, but
e will prepare us for the conflict
HHE general needs trained soldiers
with which to win his victories.
o experienced general would rush onl
} the battlefield with raw recruits. Hel
ould carefully and patiently drill and
ain them, he would harden their mus
es and steel their nerves against the
ar of the cannon and the roll of mus
try. He would train them in marks
anship, and in every way prepare
EN- for the struggle. This is pre-
sely what Jesus. the great and vic
rious General, would do with you and
e. He knows we must fight. He 1.
xiOus to lead us, but He wants tt
ain us for the conflict. Self must BIZ
minated. The general who can brins
$ army to act as unit and with pre.
'ion execute his well-matured plano
assured Of success. His personally
d leadership must predominant. Ev.
y soldier must be small bit Of
mself. And so it is in regard to the
ations OF the soul to its General.
rist Jesus. Self must be eliminated
d Christ control in every particular.
e must be unit with our Leader.
= y u. II