A well-grounded assurance is usually strongly assaulted by Satan on all sides. Satan is such a grand enemy to the joy and peace, to the salvation and consolation of the saints, that he cannot but make use of all his devices and stratagems to amaze and amuse, to disturb and disquiet the peace and rest of their souls. No sooner had Jesus Christ heard that lovely voice from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” but He was desperately assaulted by Satan in the wilderness. No sooner was Paul dropped out of heaven, after he had seen visions of glory that were unutterable, but he was immediately assaulted and buffeted by Satan.
Stand up, stand up, assured Christians, and tell me whether you have not found the blast of the terrible one to be as a storm against the wall. Since the Lord said unto you, “Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you,” have you not found Satan to play the part both of the lion and the wolf, both of the serpent and the fox? And all to weaken your assurance, and to cause you to question the truth of your assurance, and to cast water upon your assurance, and to take off the freshness and sweetness, the beauty and glory, of your assurance; I know you have. His malice, envy, and enmity is such against God's glory and your comfort that he cannot but be very studious and industrious to make use of all traps, snares, methods, whereby he may shake the pillars of your faith, and weaken and overthrow your assurance. Pirates, you know, do most fiercely assault those ships and vessels that are most richly laden; so doth Satan assault those precious souls that have attained to the riches of full assurance.
Assurance makes a paradise in believers' souls, and this makes Satan to roar and rage. Assurance fits a man to do God the greatest service and Satan the greatest dis-service, and this makes him mad against the soul. And therefore never wonder at Satan's assaulting your assurance, but expect it and look for it.
The jailor is quiet when his prisoner is behind bolts, but if he be escaped then he pursues him with hue and cry. So long as the soul is behind bolts and in bondage under Satan, Satan is quiet and is not apt to molest and vex it; but when once a soul is made free, and assured of his freedom by Christ, then says Satan, as once Pharaoh did, “I will arise, I will pursue, I will overtake …” Israel going into Egypt had no enemies, no opposition; but travelling to Canaan they were never free.
(Thomas Brooks 1654)
This Page Title –The Believer's Assurance – the Devil's Target The Wicket Gate Magazine "A Continuing Witness". Internet Edition number 84 – placed on line May 2010 Magazine web address – www.wicketgate.co.uk |