Fragment of a Letter to a Christian passing through Temptations

God gives us in Israel an outline of His ways with His people.

First:In Egypt Israel had to face the righteousness of a holy God who hates sin. They were sinners, and the blood of the Lamb is provided to be put between them and the holy judgment of God.

Second:Come out of Egypt, and in the wilderness, the flesh, their flesh-what is in them, is the great obstacle, which they learn to hate, to judge and turn away from.

Third:Having passed the wilderness and entering the promised land, the dwellers in Canaan have to be encountered. For us, Canaan is the heavenly inheritance, such as we take possession of now by faith. There it is we meet Satan. The truth puts us in the company of our Lord Jesus, and there also it is that Satan will oppose, and we have to resist him. In Ephesians the riches of our heavenly possessions-our inheritance in Christ, is mostly developed, and it is there we are warned against Satan's assaults and wiles, and God's armor with which to meet Satan is detailed. Satan's temptations of our Lord Jesus brought out His perfections in obedience and fidelity to God. In us they are to subdue our will and render us dependent, submissive and obedient to God-happy in His will. Highway robbers attack not a poor man who has not a penny. They lay wait for the wealthy. Thus Satan, the liar and murderer, the opposer of the truth, is not concerned about the worldling or the worldly Christian ; his efforts are against those who possess the truth, who actively pursue it and conform their life to it.

Our Lord has overcome Satan. Let us resist him by the word of God, and he will flee away. Our Lord said to Satan, " It is written." Let us do the same, using the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."