I have been praying most earnestly for wisdom to place in print the very things that, should I not live, will be a help and strength to those who will be pleased to use them. My heart is filled with thanksgiving and praise. Heaven is full of richest blessings to bestow upon all who need these precious blessings, if they ask the Lord with heart and soul and have a strong desire to receive to impart. The Lord Jesus has passed through every temptation that human beings have had. We read that He “knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations,” for He hath been “in all points tempted like as we are”—tempted in His human nature that He might know how to succor those who shall be tempted (2 Peter 2:9; Hebrews 4:15; 2:17, 18).
I am so thankful that this long siege of temptation, sadness, and grief is past. I can see my Redeemer, in whom I have fresh encouragement to trust as a never-failing Source of strength. I take up my service with renewed courage, yet not knowing which shall prosper, this or that. Every soul must walk by faith. Our service is a continual warfare against the satanic science coming in through deceptive guise to take us unawares. Therefore angels are on guard to protect all who are watching and believing and walking and working.
There are continuous battles to fight, and we are not safe a moment unless we place ourselves under the guardianship of One who gave His own precious life to make it possible for everyone who will believe in Him as the Son of God, while meeting the strain of Satan’s varied science, to escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust. He is fully able, in response to our faith, to unite our human with His divine nature. We are, while trusting in the partaking of the divine nature and strengthening our own efforts, proclaiming Christ’s mission on earth to be peace on earth and good will towards human beings. We are bound to speak of the dangers of the warfare with invisible foes and to keep the armor on, for we war not merely against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. This means that people of influence will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits. Therefore we need to keep under the constant guardianship of holy angels.—Manuscript 156, 1907.
Further Reflection: Am I dressed for today’s battles? Have I put on the whole armor of God that I might be able to stand? JNN 381
In this speck of a world the whole heavenly universe manifests the greatest interest, for Christ has paid an infinite price for the souls of its inhabitants. The world’s Redeemer has bound earth to heaven by ties of intelligence, for the redeemed of the Lord are here. Heavenly beings still visit the earth as in the days when they walked and talked with Abraham and with Moses. Amid the busy activity of our great cities, amid the multitudes that crowd the thoroughfares and fill the marts of trade where from morning till evening the people act as if business and sport and pleasure were all there is to life, where there are so few to contemplate unseen realities—even here heaven has still its watchers and its holy ones. There are invisible agencies observing every word and deed of human beings. In every assembly for business or pleasure, in every gathering for worship, there are more listeners than can be seen with the natural sight. Sometimes the heavenly intelligences draw aside the curtain which hides the unseen world that our thoughts may be withdrawn from the hurry and rush of life to consider that there are unseen witnesses to all we do or say. COL 176
The name of the LORD is a strong tower;The righteous run to it and are safe. —Proverbs 18:10. NKJV