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Satan and His Kingdom
labors to keep the understanding darkened, blinding the mind with (1) wrong thoughts about God, (2) prejudices of all kinds, (3) philosophy of earth, (4) false reasonings concern ing spiritual things, or else he occupies the thoughts with earthly things, earthly idols, or the cares and pleasures of this life. The Spirit of God alone can defeat the evil one, and destroy the veil which darkens men’s minds. The adversary seeks to snatch away the Word of truth. “When anyone heareth the Word . . . and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away” (Matt. 13:19). The adversary, or his minions, attends every preach ing of the Word of. truth, and when it does not enter the understanding it is easily snatched away. Once the smallest seed of the Word of truth enters the understanding it is sure to bring forth fruit in its season, unless it is choked by other things entering in. The adversary keeps his subjects in a false peace. “The strong man fully armed guardeth his own court,” and his goods are in peace” (Luke 11:21). Here the adversary is pictured as in full control of the . darkened sinner, keeping him in peace, and the sinner is guarded carefully by the ter rible one who is “fully armed” to meet every attempt to deliver the captive from his bonds. The poor soul resents his peace being disturbed, and cries, “Let me alone,” but the time comes when the “Stronger than he”—the Man of Calvary—lays hold of the captive soul, and he is delivered “out of the power of darkness, and translated . . . into the kingdom of the Son” (Col. 1:13). The adversary counterfeits the true work of God. “While men slept, his enemy came, and sowed tares also among the wheat” (Matt. 13:25, 38, 39). The “tares are the sons of the evil one . . . the enemy that sowed them is the devil.” The attention of the world must be drawn to the counterfeits , and the true living seed of God hidden, for the tares look like the wheat until the time of fruit! And God
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