LivePrayerSermon 657. Satanic Hindrances
DELIVERED ON SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 29, 1865,
BY C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.
"Satan hindered us." 1 Thessalonians 2:18.
PAUL, Silas and Timothy were very desirous to visit the Church at Thessalonica, but they were unable to do so for the singularreason announced in the text, namely, "Satan hindered us." It was not from want of will, for they had a very great attachmentto the Thessalonian Brethren and they longedto look them in the face again. They said of the Thessalonians, "We give thanks to God always for you all, making mentionof you in our prayers: remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love and patience of hope in our LordJesus Christ in the sight of God andour Father."
Their will was overruled as to visiting the Church together, but being anxious for its welfare, they sent Timothy alone tominister for a time in its midst. It was not want of will which hindered them, but want of power. They were not preventedby God's special Providence. We find on certainoccasions that Paul was not allowed to go precisely where his heart would have led him. "They assayed to go into Bithynia:but the Spirit suffered them not."
"They were forbidden of the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia," but their course was directed towards Troas that theymight preach in Europe the unsearchable riches of Christ. They could not, however, trace their absence from Thessalonica toany Divine interposition. It appeared, to them, toproceed from the great adversary-"Satan hindered them." How Satan did so it would be useless to affirm dogmatically, butwe may form a reasonable conjecture. I find in the margin of my pulpit Bible by Bagster, this note, which may probably becorrect: "Satan hindered Paul byraising such a storm of persecution against him at Berea and other places, that it was deemed prudent to delay his visittill the storm was somewhat allayed."
Yet I can hardly allow this to have been the only hindrance, for Paul was very courageous, and having a strong desire to visitThessalonica, no fear of opposition would have kept him away. He did not shun the hottest part of the battle, but like a trulyvaliant champion, delighted most to be foundin the thick of his foes. Possibly the antagonism of the various philosophers whom he met with at Athens and the heresiesat Corinth, from which it seems that this Epistle was written, may have called for his presence on the scene of action. Hefelt that he could not leavestruggling churches to their enemies-he must contend with the grievous wolves and unmask the evil ones who wore the garbof angels of light.
Satan had moved the enemies of the Truth of God to industrious opposition and thus the Apostle and his companions were hinderedfrom going to Thessalonica. Or it may be that Satan had excited dissensions and discords in the churches which Paul was visitingand therefore he was obliged to stop firstin one, and then in another, to settle their differences-to bring to bear the weight of his own spiritual influence uponthe various divided sections of the Church to restore them to unity.
Well, whether persecution, or philosophic heresy, or the divisions of the Church were the outward instruments we cannot tell,but Satan was assuredly the prime mover. You will, perhaps, wonder why the devil should care so much about Paul and his whereabouts.Why should he take so much interest inkeeping these three men from that particular Church? This leads us to observe what wonderful importance is attached to theaction of Christian ministers. Here is the master of all evil, the Prince of the Power of the Air, intently watching the journeyingof three humble men. Andapparently far more concerned about their movements than about the doings of Nero or Tiberius!
These despised heralds of mercy were his most dreaded foes. They preached that name which makes Hell tremble. They declaredthat righteousness against which Satanic hate always vents itself with its utmost power. With malicious glance the archenemywatched their daily path and with cunning handhindered them at all points. It strikes us that Satan was desirous to keep these Apostolic men from the Church of Thessalonicabecause the Church was young and weak and he thought that if it was not fostered and succored by the preaching and presenceof Paul he might yet slay theyoung Child.
Moreover, he has of old a fierce hatred of the preaching of the Gospel and possibly there had been no public declaration ofthe Truth throughout Thessalonica since Paul had gone and he was afraid lest the fire-brands of Gospel Truth should be againflung in among the masses and a graciousconflagration should take place. Besides, Satan always hates Christian fellowship-it is his policy to keep Christians apart.Anything which can divide saints from one another he delights in. He attaches far more importance to godly communion thanwe do. Since union isstrength, he does his best to promote separation-and so he would keep Paul away from these Brethren who might have gladdenedhis heart and whose hearts he might have cheered.
He would hinder their fraternal communion that they might miss the strength which always flows from Christian communion andChristian sympathy. This is not the only occasion in which Satan has hindered good men-indeed, this has been his practicein all ages and we have selected this oneparticular incident that some who are hindered by Satan may draw comfort from it and that we may have an opportunity (ifthe Spirit of God shall enable us) of saying a good and forceful word to any who count it strange because this fiery trialhas happened to them.
I. Let us open our discourse by observing that IT HAS BEEN SATAN'S PRACTICE OF OLD TO HINDER, WHEREVER HE COULD, THE WORKOF GOD. "Satan hindered us," is the testimony which all the saints in Heaven will bear against the arch enemy. This is thewitness of all who have written a holy line on thehistoric page, or carved a consecrated name on the rock of immortality-"Satan hindered us." In sacred Writ, we find Sataninterfering to hinder the completeness of the personal character of individual saints. The man of Uz was perfect and uprightbefore God and to allappearances would persevere in producing a finished picture of what the Believer in God should be.
Satan could find no fault with his actions and only dared to impute wrong motives to him. He had considered Job and he couldfind no mischief in him-but then he hinted to God, "Have You not made an hedge about him and about his house and about allthat he has on every side?" Satan sought toturn the life-blessing which Job was given of God into a curse, and therefore he buffeted him sorely. He stripped him ofall his substance. The evil messengers trod upon one another's heels-and their tidings of woe only ceased when his goods wereall destroyed and his childrenhad all perished.
The poor afflicted parent was then struck in his bone and in his flesh till he was made to sit upon a dunghill and scrapehimself with a potsherd. Even then the picture had no blot of sin upon it-the pencil was held with a steady hand by the patientone. And therefore Satan made anotherattempt to hinder his retaining his holy character-he excited his wife to say, "Why do you hold fast your integrity? CurseGod and die." This was a great and grievous hindrance to the completion of Job's marvelous career, but, glory be unto God,the man of patience not onlyovercame Satan, but he made him a steppingstone to a yet greater height of illustrious virtue!
You know the patience of Job and you would not have known it if Satan had not illuminated it with the blaze of flaming afflictions!Had not the vessel been burnt in the furnace, the bright colors had not been so fixed and abiding. The trial through whichJob passed brought out the luster of hismatchless endurance in submission and resignation to God! Now, just as the enemy of old waylaid and beset the Patriarchto hinder his perseverance in the fair path of excellence, so will he do with us. You may be congratulating yourself thismorning, "I have up to now walkedconsistently. No man can challenge my integrity."
Beware of boasting! Your virtue will yet be tried! Satan will direct his engines against that very virtue for which you arethe most famous. If you have been up to now a firm Believer, your faith will, before long, be attacked. If up till now youhave been meek as Moses, expect to be tempted tospeak unadvisedly with your lips. The birds will peck at your ripest fruit and the wild hoar will dash his tusks at yourchoicest vines. O that we had among us more eminence of piety, more generosity of character, more fidelity of behavior! Inall these respects, I doubt not, manyhave set out with the highest aims and intentions, but alas, how often have they had to cry, "Satan hindered us!"
This is not the enemy's only business-he is very earnest in endeavoring to hinder the emancipation of the Lord's redeemedones. You know the memorable story of Moses-when the children of Israel were in captivity in Egypt, God's servant stood beforetheir haughty oppressor with his rodin his hand and in Jehovah's name he declared, "Thus says the Lord, Let My people go, that they may serve Me." A sign wasrequired. The rod was cast upon the ground and it became a serpent. At this point, Satan hindered. Jannes and Jambres withstoodMoses. We read that the magiciansdid so with their enchantments, whether by devilish arts or by sleight of hand, we need not now enquire-in either case theydid the devil service and they did it well-for Pharaoh's heart was hardened when he saw that the magicians worked, in appearance,the self-samemiracles as Moses.
Brethren, take this as a type of Satan's hindrances to the Word of the Lord. Christ's servants came forth to preach the Gospel.Their ministry was attended with signs and wonders. "My kingdom is shaken," said the Prince of Evil, "I must bestir myself."And straightway he sent magicians to worklying signs and wonders without number. Apocryphal wonders were and are as plentiful as the frogs of Egypt. Did the Apostlespreach the sacrifice of Christ?-the devil's Apostles preached the sacrifice of the "mass." Did the saints uplift the Cross?-thedevil's servantsupheld the crucifix! Did God's ministers speak of Jesus as the one infallible Head of the Church?-the devil's servants proclaimedthe false priest of Rome as standing in the same place!
Romanism is a most ingenious imitation of the Gospel-it is the magicians, "doing so with their enchantments." If you studywell the spirit and genius of the great Antichrist, you will see that its great power lies in its being an exceedingly clevercounterfeit of the Gospel of the Lord JesusChrist. As far as tinsel could counterfeit gold, and paste could simulate the gem and candlelight could rival the sun inits glory and a drop in the bucket could imitate the sea in its strength, it has copied God's great masterpiece, the Gospelof our Lord Jesus Christ. And to thisday, as God's servants scatter the pure gold of the Truth of God, their worst enemies are those who utter base coin on whichthey have feloniously stamped the image and superscription of the King of kings.
You have another case farther on in history-and all Old Testament history is typical of what is going on around us now. Godwas about to give a most wonderful system of instruction to Israel and to the human race, by way of type and ceremony, inthe wilderness. Aaron and his sons wereselected to represent the great High Priest of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ. In every garment which they wore therewas a symbolical significance-every vessel of that sanctuary in which they ministered taught a lesson-every single act ofworship, whether it werethe sprinkling of blood or the burning of incense, was made to teach precious and important Truths of God to the sons ofmen. What a noble roll was that volume of the Book which was unfolded in the wilderness at the foot of Sinai!
How God declared Himself and the Glory of the coming Messiah in the persons of Aaron and his sons! What then? With this Sataninterfered. Moses and Aaron could say, "Satan hindered us." Korah, Dathan and Abiram arrogantly claimed a right to the priesthood.And on a certain day they stood forth withbronze censers in their hands, thrusting themselves impertinently into the office which the Lord had assigned to Aaron andto his sons. The earth opened and swallowed them up alive-true prophecy of what shall become of those who thrust themselvesinto the office of thepriesthood where none but Jesus Christ can stand!
You may see the parallel this day. Christ Jesus is the only Priest who offers sacrifice of blood and He brings that sacrificeno more-for having once offered it He has perfected forever those who are set apart. "This Man, after He had offered one sacrificefor sins forever, sat down on theright hand of God." Paul, with the strongest force of logic, proves that Christ does not offer a continual sacrifice, butthat, having offered it once and for all, His work is finished and He sits down at the right hand of the Father.
Now, this doctrine of a finished Atonement and a completed sacrifice seemed likely to overrun the world-it was such a graciousunfolding of the Divine mind that Satan could not look upon it without desiring to hinder it. And, therefore, look on everyhand, and you can see Korah, Dathan andAbiram in those churches which are branches of Antichrist-I mean the Anglican and the Roman. Men to this very day call themselves,"priests," and read prayers from a book in which the rubric runs, "Then shall the priest say"-these arrogate to themselvesa priesthoodother than that which is common to all the saints-some of them even claim to offer a daily "sacrifice," to celebrate anunbloody sacrifice at the thing which they call an "altar"!
And they claim to have power to forgive sins, saying to sick and dying persons, "By authority committed unto me I absolveyou from all your sins." This in England! And this throughout Europe! This is the great hindrance to the propagation of theGospel-the priestly pretensions of a set of menwho are no priests of God, though they may be priests of Baal. Thus the ministers of Jesus are made to cry, "Satan hindersus." Take another instance of Satanic hatred. When Joshua had led the tribes across the Jordan they were to attack the variouscities which God had given themfor a heritage and from Dan to Beersheba the whole land was to be theirs. After the taking of Jericho, the first contactinto which they came with the heathen Canaanites ended in disastrous defeat to the servants of God.
"They fled," it is written, "before the men of Ai." Here, again, you hear the cry, "Satan hindered us." Joshua might havegone from city to city exterminating the nations, as they justly deserved to be, but Achan had taken of the accursed thingand hidden it in his tent. Therefore no victory couldbe won by Israel till his theft and sacrilege had been put away. Beloved, this is symbolic of the Christian Church. We mightgo from victory to victory-our home mission operations might be successful and our foreign agencies might be crowned withtriumph-if it were notthat we have Achans in the camp at home!
When churches have no conversions it is more than probable that hypocrites concealed among them have turned away the Lord'sblessing. You who are inconsistent, who make the profession of religion the means of getting wealth! You who unite yourselveswith God's people, but at the same time covet thegoodly Babylonian garment and the wedge of gold, you are they who cut the sinews of Zion's strength! You prevent the Israelof God from going forth to victory! Ah, little do we know, Beloved, how Satan has hindered us. We, as a Church, have had muchreason to thank God, but how manymore might within these walls have been added to the number of this Church if it had not been for the coldness of some,the indifference of others, the inconsistency of a few and the worldliness of many more? Satan hinders us not merely by directopposition, but by sending Achansinto the midst of our camp!
I will give you one more picture. View the building of Jerusalem after it had been destroyed by the Babylonians. When Ezraand Nehemiah were found to build, the devil was sure to stir up Sanballat and Tohiah to cast down. There was never a revivalof religion without a revival of the old enmity. Ifever the Church of God is to be built, it will be in troublous times. When God's servants are active, Satan is not withoutvigilant followers who seek to counteract their efforts. The history of the Old Testament Church is a history of Satan endeavoringto hinder the work of theLord.
I am sure you will admit it has been the same since the days of the Lord Jesus Christ. When He was on earth Satan hinderedHim. He dared to attack Him to His face! And when that failed, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians and men of all sorts hinderedHim. When the Apostles began their ministry, Herodand the Jews sought to hinder them. And when persecution availed not, then all sorts of heresies and schisms broke out inthe Christian Church-Satan still hindered them. A very short time after the taking up of our Lord, the precious sons of Zion,comparable to fine gold, hadbecome like earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter. The glory had departed and the luster of Truth was gone,because by false doctrine, lukewarmness and worldliness, Satan hindered them.
When the Reformation dawned, if God raised up a Luther, the devil brought out an Ignatius Loyola to hinder him. Here in England,if God had his Latimers and his Wickcliffes, the devil had his Gardiners and Bonners. When in the modem reformation Whitfieldand Wesley thundered like the voice of God,there were ordained reprobates found to hinder them, to hold them up to opprobrium and shame. Never, since the first hourstruck in which goodness came into conflict with evil, has it ceased to be true that Satan has hindered 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 at midnight,Satan has hindered us. If we toil in the field he seeks to break the plowshare. If we build the walls he labors to cast downthe stones. If we would serve Godin suffering or in conflict-Satan hinders us everywhere.
II. We shall now, in the second place, INDICATE MANY WAYS IN WHICH SATAN HAS HINDERED US. The
Prince of Evil is very busy in hindering those who are just coming to Jesus Christ. Here he spends the main part of his skill.Some of us who know the Savior recollect the fierce conflicts which we had with Satan when we first looked to the Cross andlived.
Others of you here this morning are just passing through that trying season-I will address myself to you. Beloved Friends,you long to be saved, but ever since you have given any attention to these eternal things you have been the victim of deepdistress of mind. Do not marvel at this! Thisis usual, so usual as to be almost universal! I should not wonder if you are perplexed with the doctrine of election. Itwill be suggested to you that you are not one of the chosen of God, although your common sense will teach you that it mightjust as well be suggested to you thatyou are, since you know neither the one nor the other, nor indeed can know until you have believed in Jesus.
Your present business is with the precept which is revealed, not with election which is concealed. Your business is with thatexhortation, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved." It is possible that the great battlefield betweenpredestination and free will may be the dry anddesert place in which your soul is wandering-now you will never find any comfort there! The wisest of men have despairedof ever solving the mystery of those two matters and it is not at all probable that you will find peace in puzzling yourselfabout it.
Your business is not with metaphysical difficulty, but with faith in the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is simpleand plain enough. It is possible that your sins now come to your remembrance and though once you thought little enough ofthem, now it is hinted to you by Satanic malice thatthey are too great to be pardoned-to which, I pray you, give the lie, by telling Satan this Truth-"All manner of sin andblasphemy shall be forgiven unto men." It is very likely that the sin against the Holy Spirit much molests you. You read thatwhoever shall speak aword against the Holy Spirit it shall never be forgiven him.
In this, too, you may be greatly tried. And I wonder not that you are, for this is a most painfully difficult subject. Onefact may cheer you-if you repent of your sins, you have not committed the unpardonable offense, since that sin necessitateshardness of heart forever. And so long as aman has any tenderness of conscience and any softness of spirit, he has not so renounced the Holy Spirit as to have lostHis Presence. It may be that you are the victim of blasphemous thoughts. This very morning, since you have been sitting here,torrents of the filth of Hell havebeen pouring through your soul.
At this be not astonished, for there are some of us who delight in holiness and are pure in heart, who nevertheless, havebeen at times sorely tried with thoughts which were never born in our hearts, but which were injected into them- suggestionsborn in Hell, not in our spirits-to behated and to be loathed, but cast into our minds that they might hinder and trouble us. Now, though Satan may hinder youas he did the child who was brought to Jesus, of whom we read that as he was, "coming, the devil threw him down and tore him,"yet do you come notwithstanding!For though seven devils were in him, Jesus would not cast the coming sinner out. Even though you should feel a convictionthat the unpardonable sin has fallen to your lot, yet dare to trust in Jesus! And, if you do do that, I warrant you thereshall be a joy and a peace in believingwhich shall overcome him of whom we read, that he has "hindered us."
But I must not stop long on any one point where there are so many. Satan is sure to hinder Christians when they are earnestin prayer. Have you not frequently found, dear Friends, when you have been most earnest in supplication, that something orother will start across your mind to make you ceasefrom the exercise? It appears to me that we shake the tree and no fruit drops from it. And just when one more shake wouldbring down the luscious fruit, the devil touches us on the shoulder and tells us it is time to be gone! And so we miss theblessing we might have attained. Imean that just when prayer would be the most successful we are tempted to abstain from it.
When my spirit has sometimes laid hold upon the Angel, I have been painfully conscious of a counter influence urging me tocease from such importunity and let the Lord alone, for His will would be done. Or if the temptation did not come in thatshape yet in some other, to cease to pray becauseprayer, after all, could not avail. O Brethren, I know if you are much in prayer you can sing Cowper's hymn-
"What various hindrances we meet In coming to the Mercy Seat."
The same is true of Christians when under the promptings of the Spirit of God, or when planning any good work. You have beenprompted, sometimes, to speak to such a one. "Run, speak to that young man," has been the message in your ear. You have notdone it-Satan has hindered you. You havebeen told on a certain occasion-you do not know how, (but believe me, we ought to pay great respect to these inward whispers),to visit such-and-such a person and help him. You have not done it-Satan hindered you. You have been sitting down by the fireone eveningreading a missionary report concerning Hindustan, or some district destitute of the Truth of God and you have thought, "NowI have a little money which I might give to this object." But then it has come across you that there is another way of spendingit more profitably on yourfamily-so Satan has hindered you.
Or you yourself thought of doing a little in a certain district by way of preaching and teaching, or commencing some new RaggedSchool, or some other form of Christian effort-but as sure as ever you began to plan it, something or other arose and Satanhindered you. If he possibly can, he willcome upon God's people in those times when they are full of thought and ardor and ready for Christian effort that he maymurder their infant plans and cast these suggestions of the Holy Spirit out of their minds.
How often, too, has Satan hindered us when we have entered into the work! In fact, Beloved, we never ought to expect a successunless we hear the devil making a noise. I have taken it as a certain sign that I am doing little good when the devil is quiet.It is generally a sign that Christ's kingdomis coming when men begin to lie against you and slander you and the world is in an uproar, casting out your name as evil.Oh, those blessed tempests! Do not give me calm weather when the air is still and heavy and when lethargy is creeping overone's spirit. Lord, send a hurricane,give us a little stormy weather! When the lightning flashes and the thunder rolls, then God's servants know that the Lordis abroad and that His right hand is no longer in His bosom-that the moral atmosphere will get clear-that God's kingdom willcome and His will bedone on earth, even as it is in Heaven!
"Peace, peace, peace!" That is the flap of the dragon's wings! The stern voice which proclaims perpetual war is the voiceof the Captain of our salvation. You say, how is this? "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to sendpeace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man atvariance against his father and the daughter against her mother and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And aman's foes shall be they of his own household." Peace, physical, Christ makes. There is to be no strife with the fist, noblow with the sword, but moral peace andspiritual peace can never be in this world where Jesus Christ is, so long as error is there.
But, you know, Beloved, that you cannot do any good thing but what the devil will be sure to hinder you. What then? Up andat him! Cowardly looks and faint counsels are not for warriors of the Cross! Expect fights and you will not be disappointed.Whitfield used to say that some Divines would gofrom the first of January to the end of December with a perfectly whole skin. The devil never thought them worth while attacking!But, said he, let us begin to preach with all our might, and soul, and strength the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and men will soonput a fool's cap on ourheads and begin laughing at us and ridiculing us-but if so, so much the better!
We are not alarmed because Satan hinders us! Nor will he only hinder us in working-he will hinder us in seeking to unite withone another. We are about to make an effort, as Christian churches in London, to come closer together and I am happy to findindications of success. But I should notwonder but what Satan will hinder us and I would ask your prayers that Satan may be put to the rout in this matter, andthat the union of our churches may be accomplished. As a Church ourselves, we have walked together in peace for a long time,but I should not marvel if Satanshould try to thrust in the cloven foot to hinder our walking in love and peace and unity.
Satan will hinder us in our communion with Jesus Christ. When at His table we say to ourselves, "I shall have a sweet momentnow," but just then vanity intrudes. Like Abraham, you offer the sacrifice, but the unclean birds come down upon it and youhave need to drive them away. "Satan hindered us."He is not omnipresent, but by his numerous servants he works in all kinds of places and manages to distract the saints whenthey would serve the Lord.
III. In the third place THERE ARE TWO OR THREE RULES BY WHICH THESE HINDRANCES MAY BE
DETECTED AS SATANIC. I think I heard somebody saying to himself this morning, "Yes, I should have risen in the world and havebeen a man of money now if it had not been that Satan hindered me." Do not believe it, dear Friend! I do not believe thatSatan generally hinders people from getting rich.He would just as soon that they should be rich as poor. He delights to see God's servants set upon the pinnacle of the temple,for he knows the position to be dangerous.
High places and God's praise do seldom agree. If you have been hindered in growing rich, I should rather set that down tothe good Providence of God which would not place you where you could not have borne the temptation. "Yes," said another, "Ihad intended to have lived in a certain district anddone good and have not been able to go-perhaps that is the devil." Perhaps it was-perhaps it was not. God's Providence willknow best where to place us. We are not always choosers of our own locality-and so we are not always to conclude when we arehindered anddisappointed in our own intentions that Satan has done it, for it may very often be the good Providence of God.
But how may I tell when Satan hinders me? I think you may tell first, by the object. Satan's object in hindering us is toprevent our glorifying God. If anything has happened to you which has prevented your growing holy, useful, humble and sanctified,then you may trace that to Satan. If thedistinct object of the interference to the general current of your life has been that you may be turned from righteousnessinto sin, then from the object you may guess the author. It is not God who does this, but Satan. Yet know that God does, sometimes,put apparent hindrances inthe way of His own people-even in reference to their usefulness and growth in Grace-but then His object is still to be considered-itis to try His saints and so to strengthen them! While the object of Satan is to turn them out of the right road and make themtakethe crooked way.
You may tell the suggestions of Satan, again, by the method in which they come-God employs good motives, Satan bad ones. Ifthat which has turned you away from your object has been a bad thought, a bad doctrine, bad teaching, a bad motive-that nevercame from God, that must be fromSatan. Again, you may tell them from their nature. Whenever an impediment to usefulness is pleasing, gratifying to you-considerthat it came from Satan. Satan never brushes the feathers of his birds the wrong way-he generally deals with us accordingto our tastes andlikes. He flavors his bait to his fish. He knows exactly how to deal with each man and to put that motive which will fallin with the suggestions of poor carnal nature.
Now, if the difficulty in your way is rather contrary to yourself than for yourself, then it comes from God. But if that whichnow is a hindrance brings you gain, or pleasure, or emolument in any way, rest assured it came from Satan. We can tell thesuggestions of Satan, once more, by their season.Hindrances to prayer, for instance, if they are Satanic, come out of the natural course and relation of human thoughts.It is a law of mental science that one thought suggests another and the next the next and so on-as the links of a chain drawone another.
But Satanic temptations do not come in the regular order of thinking. They dash upon the mind at odd times. My soul is inprayer-it would be unnatural that I should then blaspheme-yet then the blasphemy comes. Therefore it is clearly Satanic andnot from my own mind. If I am set upondoing my Master's will and presently an unfaithful thought assails me and-being apart from the natural run of my mind andthoughts-it may be at once ejected as not being mine and may be set down to the account of the devil, who is the true fatherof it.
By these means I think we may tell when Satan hinders and when it is our own heart, or when it is of God. We ought carefullyto watch that we do not put the saddle on the wrong horse. Do not blame the devil when it is yourself. And on the other hand,when the Lord puts a bar in your way, do notsay, "That is Satan," and so go against the Providence of God. It may be difficult at times to see the way of duty, butif you go to the Throne of God in prayer you will soon discover it. "Bring here the ephod," said David, when he was in difficulty.Say the same! Go to the greatHigh Priest whose business it is to give forth the oracle! Lo, upon His breast hangs the Urim and Thummim and you shall,from Him, find direction in every time of difficulty and dilemma.
IV. Supposing that we have ascertained that hindrances in our way really come from Satan, WHAT THEN? I have but one pieceof advice and that is-go on-hindrance or no hindrance, in the path of duty as God the Holy Spirit enables you. If Satan hindersyou, I have already hinted that thisopposition should cheer you. "I did not expect," said a Christian minister, "to be easy in this particular pastorate, orelse I would not have come here. I always count it," he said, "to be my duty to show the devil that I am his enemy and ifI do that, I expect that he will show methat he is mine."
If you are now opposed and you can trace that opposition distinctly to Satan, congratulate yourself upon it-do not sit downand fret! Why, it is a great thing that a poor creature like you can actually vex the great Prince of Darkness and win hishate! It makes the race of man the more noblethat it comes in conflict with a race of spirits and stands foot to foot even with the Prince of Darkness himself. It isa dreadful thing, doubtless, that you should be hindered by such an adversary, but it is most hopeful-for if he were yourfriend-you might have causeto fear, indeed!
Stand out against him because you now have an opportunity of making a greater gain than you could have had, had he been quiet.You could never have had a victory over him if you had not engaged in conflict with him. The poor saint would go on his ingloriousway to Heaven if he were unmolested. Butbeing molested, every step of his pathway becomes glorious! Our position today is like that described by Bunyan, when fromthe top of the palace the song was heard-
"Come in, come in, Eternal glory you shall win."
Now merely to ascend the stairs of the palace, though safe work, would not have been very ennobling. But when the enemy crowdedround the door and blocked up every stair and the hero came to the man with the ink-horn, who sat before the door and said,"Write my name down, Sir," then, to get fromthe lowest step to the top where the bright ones were singing-every inch was glorious! If devils did not oppose my pathfrom earth to Heaven, I might travel joyously, peacefully, safely-but certainly without renown! But now, when every step iscontested in winning ourpathway to Glory, every single step is covered with immortal fame! Press on then, Christian! The more opposition, the morehonor!
Be in earnest against these hindrances when you consider, again, what you lose if you do not resist him and overcome him.To allow Satan to overcome me would be eternal ruin to my soul. Certainly it would forever blast all hopes of my usefulness.If I retreat and turn my back in the day of battlewhat will the rest of God's servants say? What shouts of derision will ring over the battlefield? How will the banner ofthe Covenant be trailed in the mire! Why, we must not, we dare not, play the coward-we dare not give way to the insinuationof Satan and turn from theMaster-for the defeat were then too dreadful to be endured.
Beloved, let me feed your courage with the recollection that your Lord and Master has overcome. See Him there before you.He of the thorn-crown has fought the enemy and broken his head-Satan has been completely worsted by the Captain of your salvation!And that victory wasrepresentative-he fought and won it for you! You have to contend with a defeated foe and one who knows and feels his disgrace!And though he may fight with desperation, yet he fights not with true courage, for he is hopeless of ultimate victory. Strike,then, for Christ hasdestroyed him! Down with him, for Jesus has had him under His foot! You, weakest of all the host, you will be triumphant,for the Captain has triumphed before you!
Lastly, remember that you have a promise to make you gird up your loins and play the man this day-"Resist the devil and heshall flee from you." Christian minister, resign not your situation! Do not think of sending in your resignation because theChurch is divided and because the enemy ismaking headway! Resist the devil! Flee not, but make him flee! Young Christian men-you who have begun to preach in the street,or distribute tracts, or visit from house to house-though Satan hinders you very much I pray you, now, redouble your efforts!It is becauseSatan is afraid of you that he resists you, because he would rob you of the great blessing which is now descending on yourhead. Resist him and stand fast.
You Christians pleading in prayer-let not go your hold upon the Covenant Angel-for now that Satan hinders you it is becausethe blessing is descending! You who are seeking Christ, close not those eyes! Turn not away your face from Calvary's streamingtree-now that Satan hindersyou, it is because the night is almost over and the daystar begins to shine! Brethren, you who are most molested, most sorrowfullytried, most borne down, yours is the brighter hope- be courageous now-play the man for God, for Christ, for your own soul-andthe dayshall yet come when you, with your Master, shall ride triumphantly through the streets of the New Jerusalem!
Sin, death and Hell will be captive at your chariot wheels and you, with your Lord, will be crowned as victor, having overcomethrough the blood of the Lamb! May God bless dear Friends now present. I do not know to whom this sermon may be most suitable,but I believe it is sent especially tocertain tried saints. The Lord enable them to find comfort in it! Amen.
PORTION OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON-1 Peter 412