Continued from Wicket Gate edition 162 (July/August 2023)
The Sixth Help.
If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares, then keep humble. Humility keeps the soul free from many darts of Satan's casting, and snares of his spreading. The devil has least power to fasten a temptation on him that is most humble. God has said that "He will teach the humble," and that "He will dwell with the humble," and that "He will dwell with the humble," and the "He will fill and satisfy the humble." And if the teachings of God, and the in-dwellings of God and the in-pouring of God, will not keep the soul from falling into Satan's snares, I do not know what will. And therefore, if you would be happy in resisting Satan, and blessed in triumphing over Satan and all his snares, keep humble; I say again, keep humble.
The Seventh Help.
If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares, then keep a strong, close and constant watch. That soul that will not watch against temptations, will certainly fall before the power of the temptations. Satan works most strongly on the fancy when the soul is drowsy. The soul's security is Satan's opportunity to fall upon the soul and spoil the soul. Satan always keeps a crafty and malicious watch, "seeking whom he may devour." Shall Satan keep a crafty watch, and shall not Christians keep a holy spiritual watch? Our whole life is beset with temptations. Satan watches all opportunities to break our peace, to would our conscience, to lessen our comforts, to impair our graces, to slur our evidence, and to damp our assurances. What need have we, then, to be always upon our watch-tower, lest we be surprised by this subtle serpent.
The Eight Help.
If you would not be taken with any of Satan's snares and devices, then keep up your communion with God. A soul high in communion with God may be tempted, but will not easily be conquered. Your strength to stand, and withstand, Satan's fiery darts, is from your communion with God. Communion is Jacob's ladder, where you have Christ sweetly coming down into the soul, and the soul, by divine influences, sweetly ascending up to Christ. So long as your communion with God is kept up, you will be too hard for "spiritual wickedness in high places;" but if you fall from your communion with God, you will fall before the face of every temptation. Job keeps up his communion with God, and conquers Satan upon the dunghill; Adam loses his communion with God, and is conquered by Satan in paradise. Communion with God is a shield upon land, as well as an anchor at sea. It is a sword to defend you, as well as a staff to support you. Therefore keep up your communion with God.
The Nineth Help.
If you would not be taken in any of Satan's devices, then engage not against Satan in your own strength. Be every day drawing new virtue and strength from the Lord Jesus. Certainly that soul that engages against any old or new temptation without new strength, new influences from on high, will fall before the power of the temptation. Ah, souls! When the snare is spread, look up to Jesus Christ, who is lifted up in the gospel, as the brazen serpent was in the wilderness, and say to Him – Dear Lord, here is a new snare laid to catch my soul, and I know that grace formerly received, without fresh supplies from Thy blessed bosom, will not deliver me from this snare. Oh, give me new strength, new power, new influences, new measures of grace, so that I may escape the snares.
The Tenth Help.
If you would not be taken in any of Satan's snares, then be much in prayer. Prayer is a shelter to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to the devil. You must watch and pray, and pray and watch, if you would not enter into temptation. David had many snares laid for him, but this puts him to prayer: - "The proud have hid a snare for me," he says, "and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah. (Pause and consider.) I said unto the Lord, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplication, O Lord!" (Psalm 140 verses 5 and 6.) Ah, souls! Take words to yourselves, and go to God. Tell God that Satan has spread his snares in all places for you; tell God that he digs deep, and that he has plot upon plot, and device upon device. Tell God that you have neither skill not power to escape his snares; tell God that it is a work too high and too hard for any created creatures to work you own deliverance, unless, He puts under you His everlasting arms. Tell God of the love of Christ, of the blood of Christ, and of the intercession of Christ for you, so that a way may be found for your escape. Tell God that if He will make it His hour to save you from falling into Satan's snares, you will make it your glory and business to speak of His everlasting goodness, and to live out his goodness in your life.
There is nothing that renders plots fruitless like prayer; therefor saith Christ "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." (Matthew 26 verse 41.