President George Q. Cannon testified that every
man has power enough to resist Satan. “The Lord our
God has sent us here to get experience in these things
so that we may know the good from the evil and be
able to close our hearts against the evil. . . . It is true
that some have greater power of resistance than
others, but everyone has the power to close his heart
against doubt, against darkness, against unbelief,
against depression, against anger, against hatred,
against jealousy, against malice, against envy. God
has given this power unto all of us, and we can gain
still greater power by calling upon Him for that
which we lack. If it were not so, how could we be
condemned for giving way to wrong influences?
“There could be no condemnation for our doing
what we could not help; but we can help yielding to
wrong influences and being quarrelsome and selfish.
We can help giving way to the spirit of theft, and we
can resist the spirit of lust. God has given us power
to resist these things, that our hearts may be kept
free from them and also from doubt; and when Satan
comes and assails us, it is our privilege to say, ‘Get
thee behind me, Satan, for I have no lot nor portion
in you, and you have no part in me. I am in the
service of God, and I am going to serve Him, and
you can do what you please. It is no use you
presenting yourself with your blandishments to me.
You come and try to insinuate into my heart evil
thoughts about the servants of God or about the
work of God, and I will not listen to you; I will close
my heart against you. . . .’
“Whenever darkness fills our minds, we may
know that we are not possessed of the Spirit of God,
and we must get rid of it. When we are filled with the
Spirit of God, we are filled with joy, with peace and
with happiness no matter what our circumstances
may be; for it is a spirit of cheerfulness and of
happiness.” (Gospel Truth, 1:19–20.)
Thursday, January 22, 2009
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Good stuff.
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