Evening, August 7
Go To Morning Reading
“Satan hindered us.”
1 Thessalonians 2:18
Since the first hour in which goodness came into conflict with evil,
it has never ceased to be true in spiritual experience, that Satan
hinders us. From all points of the compass, all along the line of
battle, in the vanguard and in the rear, at the dawn of day and in
the midnight hour, Satan hinders us. If we toil in the field, he seeks
to break the ploughshare; if we build the wall, he labours to cast
down the stones; if we would serve God in suffering or in conflict—everywhere Satan hinders us. He hinders us when we are first coming
to Jesus Christ. Fierce conflicts we had with Satan when we first
looked to the cross and lived. Now that we are saved, he endeavours
to hinder the completeness of our personal character. You may be congratulating
yourself, “I have hitherto walked consistently; no man can challenge my integrity.” Beware of boasting, for your virtue will yet be tried; Satan will
direct his engines against that very virtue for which you are the
most famous. If you have been hitherto a firm believer, your faith
will ere long be attacked; if you have been meek as Moses, expect
to be tempted to speak unadvisedly with your lips. The birds will
peck at your ripest fruit, and the wild boar will dash his tusks at
your choicest vines. Satan is sure to hinder us when we are earnest
in prayer. He checks our importunity, and weakens our faith in order
that, if possible, we may miss the blessing. Nor is Satan less vigilant
in obstructing Christian effort. There was never a revival of religion
without a revival of his opposition. As soon as Ezra and Nehemiah
begin to labour, Sanballat and Tobiah are stirred up to hinder them.
What then? We are not alarmed because Satan hindereth us, for it is
a proof that we are on the Lord’s side, and are doing the Lord’s work, and in his strength we shall win the victory, and triumph
over our adversary.