Spirit jealously struggles against the uprisings of the old nature within us. His mighty power keeps the wicked impulses of our sinful nature under restraint. The same God who gave the be liever the Holy Spirit also gives us more grace for everyday's need. He freely gives us grace that is greater than the power of the flesh ly nature within us. It overcomes the world and the devil. God's grace is fully sufficient to conquer our natural propensities toward sin. The more we are tempted by the allurements of the world, the more continuously the grace of God operates within us to effect our deliverance. “ God resisteth the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.'' Humility is the condition for re ceiving more grace. God requires humility as a condition for receiv ing His beneficent gift of divine love. It is God the Holy Spirit at work within us which brings the realization of our own needs pro ducing a right attitude about our purpose in life. God demands that the Christian submit and subject himself to His grace. We are to resist the devil in the strength this grace alone af fords. We are to take our stand against the deceiver (Eph. 6:10). The devil will flee from those who resist him. On the positive side God re quires that believers draw near to Himself (4:8). The command car ries with it the promise that the Lord will in turn draw near to us. How wonderful to come boldly to the throne of grace (Ex. 19:10). Clean hands mean little if the heart is not pure. Christians who are de filed by the world and dominated
by a fleshly nature are sinful and double-minded. They need an in ward cleansing from contamina tion. We should separate ourselves unto the Lord (I Pet. 3:15). It is interesting to have James tell us to “ Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep." This indicates specific action with permanent results. It does not suggest that we become morbid, melancholy and depressed. We are to manifest a proper atti tude toward sin. And Jesus pro nounced a benediction upon those who mourn because of their sin (Matt. 5:4). Such a sorrowful dis position toward offending God is also the product of the Holy Spirit. The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and the exceeding rich supply of the grace of God, pro vide the only sufficiency for over coming the world, the flesh and the devil. Are we using these di vine resources? Let us remember the nearness of the Lord, submit ting to Him, and resisting the dev il. May we humbly face our re sponsibilities with clean hands and a pure heart.
Dr. Anderson is Pastor of Beth any Baptist Church in West Covina. Page 55
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