Editorial
by Herbert W Armstrong
February,1938 Plain Truth Magazine
Do you realize what kind of times we are now living in? NEVER were there such times!
Never were prophecies being so rapidly fulfilled! the Roman Empire emerging from ts "bottomless pit." the crash of Gentile governments! World-wide un-employment and labor strife! World-wide drought fulfilling Joel 1. War, and the certainty of WORLD WAR! Civilization totters on the brink!
Never was there a time when Christians so needed to keep in an intimate contact with God! Never a time when we stood in such need of FAITH to stand up thru the terrible tests we now know lie ahead!
And yet NEVER a time of such universal lukewarmness and spiritual lethargy! NEVER a time of so little FAITH! never a time when it seemed so hard to PRAY! Why?
This is the time described in Rev. 12:12: "Woe to the inhabitors of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wealth, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."
There is a DEVIL loose! And he has a myriad demons serving him! Invisible spirit beings, having great power! Even the very air seems permeated with a spirit of spiritual slumber and drowsiness! Brother turns against brother. Churches get into wrangling, strife, and division! With the mouth they profess the love of God, but with their actions they deny it!
The devil has many snares and delusions. He will influence people to reject the truth of God entirely, if he can. Failing in that, he endeavors to throw the children of God clear over to the opposite extreme, leading them either into fanaticism, or to accept a COUNTERFEIT for God's true genuine. The Bible is the sword of the Spirit, which is our only defense! And, failing to swing people clear PAST the truth, Satan then places in their minds impressions of condemnation, designed to cause discouragement and cause them to give up.
But "There is therefore now NO CONDEMNATION to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. 8:1). If you perhaps stumble along the way in your Christian walk, do not let it discourage you. Read Hebrews 4:14-16. Take it boldly to the throne of grace, and find complete forgiveness. If you have wronged any person, make it right as far as possible. What you cannot right, God will. Repent and get it under grace---do not feel condemned.
Study Ephesians 6:10-18. BE STRONG, in the Lord. We are wrestling against wicked spirits in high places. We need the WHOLE armor of God in order to stand. STUDY your Bible more. RESIST the devil. Resist all evil thoughts---put them out of your mind, bu occupying your mind with POSITIVE and with SPIRITUAL things. Set your affections and thoughts on the things above.
And, most important of all, even if at first it requires POWER OF WILL, force your self to PRAY as you never did before.
There is no need to fear the Devil, IF we put on this whole armor of God. But, otherwise, you are certain to lose out completely in these trying times.
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