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| The life-work given to us is that of preparation for the life eternal, and if we accomplish this work as God has designed that we should, every temptation may work for our advance; for as we resist its allurement, we make progress in the divine life. In the heat of the conflict, while engaged in earnest spiritual warfare, unseen agencies are by our side, commissioned of heaven to aid us in our wrestlings, and in the crisis, strength and firmness and energy are imparted to us, and we have more than mortal power. But unless the human agent shall bring his will into harmony with the will of God, unless he shall forsake every idol, and overcome every wrong practice, he will never succeed in the warfare; but will be finally overcome. Those who would be conquerors must engage in conflict with unseen agencies; inward corruption must be overcome, and every thought must be brought into harmony with, and subjection to, Christ. The Holy Spirit is ever at work seeking to purify, refine, and discipline the souls of men in order that they may become fitted for the society of saints and angels, and as overcomers be able to sing the song of redemption, ascribing glory and honor to God and to the Lamb in the courts above. { CE 122.2 } |
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| Here the good results of self-control and temperate habits are set forth. The various games instituted among the ancient Greeks in honor of their gods, are presented before us by the apostle Paul to illustrate the spiritual warfare and its reward. Those who were to participate in these games were trained by the most severe discipline. Every indulgence that would tend to weaken the physical powers was forbidden. Luxurious food and wine were prohibited, in order to promote physical vigor, fortitude, and firmness. {CTBH 25.2} {CD 27.3} |
| Here the good results of self-control and temperate habits are set forth. The various games instituted among the ancient Greeks in honor of their gods, are presented before us by the apostle Paul to illustrate the spiritual warfare and its reward. Those who were to participate in these games were trained by the most severe discipline. Every indulgence that would tend to weaken the physical powers was forbidden. Luxurious food and wine were prohibited, in order to promote physical vigor, fortitude, and firmness. {TSDF 181.9} |
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| God has claims upon all three of you which you cannot lightly throw aside. Jesus has bought you with the price of His own blood. "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." Have you no sacrifice to make for God? Great responsibilities stand before you each in everyday life. Your record is daily passing up to God. Great dangers lie hidden in your pathway. If I could, I would take you in my arms and bear you safely over them; but this I am not permitted to do. You are in the most critical period of your life history. If you arouse the energies of the soul and direct them to securing things of eternal interest, and if you make everything subordinate to this, you will make a success of perfecting Christian character. You may all engage in the spiritual warfare against besetting sins, and you may, through Christ, come off victors. But it will be no child's play. It will be a stern warfare, involving self-denial and cross bearing. The danger is that you will not fully realize your backslidings and your perilous condition. Unless you view life as it is, cast aside the brilliant fancies of imagination, and come down to the sober lessons of experience, you will awake when it is too late. You will then realize the terrible mistake you have made. {3T 43.1} |
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| My brethren who occupy responsible positions, your place in the work calls upon you to be representative men. You need the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I beseech of you, do not look upon yourselves as safe unless you are in the channel of light. There is a great work to be done in your behalf. You must form new habits, and your natural customs and habits must be subdued by the Spirit of God. Inclination must be denied. Old enemies that war against the Spirit, that you looked upon as dead, under favorable circumstances revive again, and they must be met and vanquished. Self must die. We are to engage earnestly in a spiritual warfare which we do not consider as we should, and we fail to appreciate what it means. The confederacy of evil is arrayed against those who would fight the battles of the Lord. {RH, March 14, 1893 par. 17} |
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| It is not safe for God's people to adopt the maxims and customs of the ungodly. The divine principles and modes of working are widely different from those of the world. The history of nations presents no such victories as the conquest of Jericho or the overthrow of the Midianites. No general of heathen armies had ever conducted warfare as Joshua and Gideon had done. These victories teach the great lesson that the only sure ground of success is the help of God, working with human effort. Those who trust to their own wisdom and their own skill will surely be disappointed. The only safe course in all the plans and purposes of life is to preserve the simplicity of faith. Humble trust in God and faithful obedience to his will are as essential to the Christian in waging spiritual warfare as they were to Gideon and his brave associates in fighting the battles of the Lord. {ST, July 21, 1881 par. 3} |
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| You may stand forth as conqueror over yourself, conqueror over your inclinations, conqueror over principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world and spiritual wickedness in high places. For this spiritual warfare human power is as nothing. The self-conqueror triumphs through no aptitude, no smartness or genius of his own will, but he conquers through God. {20MR 54.5} |
| I am instructed to lift before our people the high standard to which we must attain. Many choose to follow their own unsanctified ideas, and have lost sight of this standard. They walk and talk in a way that is detrimental to healthful piety. Spiritual life is maintained only by a daily life of obedience to all the commandments of God. The law of heaven, by which the whole universe is governed, must be brought into our everyday experiences in this world. Thus the believer evidences that he is receiving Christ, and that he is a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. So long as we are in this world of sin, we must engage in a constant spiritual warfare. {20MR 170.1} |
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| Evil thoughts destroy the soul.The converting power of God changes the heart, refining and purifying the thoughts. Unless a determined effort is made to keep the thoughts centered on Christ, grace cannot reveal itself in the life. The mind must engage in the spiritual warfare. Every thought must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. All the habits must be brought under God's control. -- Lt 123 1904. {1MCP 69.2} {1MCP 235.3} {RC 308.4} |
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