the desire of ages-第57章

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　tortured　man　must　lose　his　life　in　the　struggle　with　the　foe　that　had　been　the　ruin　of　his　manhood。　But　the　Saviour　spoke　with　authority；　and　set　the　captive　free。　The　man　who　had　been　possessed　stood　before　the　wondering　people　happy　in　the　freedom　of　self…possession。　Even　the　demon　had　testified　to　the　divine　power　of　the　Saviour。

The　man　praised　God　for　his　deliverance。　The　eye　that　had　so　lately　glared　with　the　fire　of　insanity；　now　beamed　with　intelligence；　and　overflowed　with　grateful　tears。　The　people　were　dumb　with　amazement。　As　soon　as　they　recovered　speech　they　exclaimed；　one　to　another；　〃What　is　this？　a　new　teaching！　with　authority　He　commandeth　even　the　unclean　spirits；　and　they　obey　Him。〃　Mark　1：27；　R。　V。

The　secret　cause　of　the　affliction　that　had　made　this　man　a　fearful　spectacle　to　his　friends　and　a　burden　to　himself　was　in　his　own　life。　He　had　been　fascinated　by　the　pleasures　of　sin；　and　had　thought　to　make　life　a　grand　carnival。　He　did　not　dream　of　becoming　a　terror　to　the　world　and　the　reproach　of　his　family。　He　thought　his　time　could　be　spent　in　innocent　folly。　But　once　in　the　downward　path；　his　feet　rapidly　descended。　Intemperance　and　frivolity　perverted　the　noble　attributes　of　his　nature；　and　Satan　took　absolute　control　of　him。

Remorse　came　too　late。　When　he　would　have　sacrificed　wealth　and　pleasure　to　regain　his　lost　manhood；　he　had　become　helpless　in　the　grasp　of　the　evil　one。　He　had　placed　himself　on　the　enemy's　ground；　and　Satan　had　taken　possession　of　all　his　faculties。　The　tempter　had　allured　him　with　many　charming　presentations；　but　when　once　the　wretched　man　was　in　his　power；　the　fiend　became　relentless　in　his　cruelty；　and　terrible　in　his　angry　visitations。　So　it　will　be　with　all　who　yield　to　evil；　the　fascinating　pleasure　of　their　early　career　ends　in　the　darkness　of　despair　or　the　madness　of　a　ruined　soul。

The　same　evil　spirit　that　tempted　Christ　in　the　wilderness；　and　that　possessed　the　maniac　of　Capernaum；　controlled　the　unbelieving　Jews。　But　with　them　he　assumed　an　air　of　piety；　seeking　to　deceive　them　as　to　their　motives　in　rejecting　the　Saviour。　Their　condition　was　more　hopeless　than　that　of　the　demoniac；　for　they　felt　no　need　of　Christ　and　were　therefore　held　fast　under　the　power　of　Satan。

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The　period　of　Christ's　personal　ministry　among　men　was　the　time　of　greatest　activity　for　the　forces　of　the　kingdom　of　darkness。　For　ages　Satan　with　his　evil　angels　had　been　seeking　to　control　the　bodies　and　the　souls　of　men；　to　bring　upon　them　sin　and　suffering；　then　he　had　charged　all　this　misery　upon　God。　Jesus　was　revealing　to　men　the　character　of　God。　He　was　breaking　Satan's　power；　and　setting　his　captives　free。　New　life　and　love　and　power　from　heaven　were　moving　upon　the　hearts　of　men；　and　the　prince　of　evil　was　aroused　to　contend　for　the　supremacy　of　his　kingdom。　Satan　summoned　all　his　forces；　and　at　every　step　contested　the　work　of　Christ。

So　it　will　be　in　the　great　final　conflict　of　the　controversy　between　righteousness　and　sin。　While　new　life　and　light　and　power　are　descending　from　on　high　upon　the　disciples　of　Christ；　a　new　life　is　springing　up　from　beneath；　and　energizing　the　agencies　of　Satan。　Intensity　is　taking　possession　of　every　earthly　element。　With　a　subtlety　gained　through　centuries　of　conflict；　the　prince　of　evil　works　under　a　disguise。　He　appears　clothed　as　an　angel　of　light；　and　multitudes　are　〃giving　heed　to　seducing　spirits；　and　doctrines　of　devils。〃　1　Tim。　4：1。

In　the　days　of　Christ　the　leaders　and　teachers　of　Israel　were　powerless　to　resist　the　work　of　Satan。　They　were　neglecting　the　only　means　by　which　they　could　have　withstood　evil　spirits。　It　was　by　the　word　of　God　that　Christ　overcame　the　wicked　one。　The　leaders　of　Israel　professed　to　be　the　expositors　of　God's　word；　but　they　had　studied　it　only　to　sustain　their　traditions；　and　enforce　their　man…made　observances。　By　their　interpretation　they　made　it　express　sentiments　that　God　had　never　given。　Their　mystical　construction　made　indistinct　that　which　He　had　made　plain。　They　disputed　over　insignificant　technicalities；　and　practically　denied　the　most　essential　truths。　Thus　infidelity　was　sown　broadcast。　God's　word　was　robbed　of　its　power；　and　evil　spirits　worked　their　will。

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History　is　repeating。　With　the　open　Bible　before　them；　and　professing　to　reverence　its　teachings；　many　of　the　religious　leaders　of　our　time　are　destroying　faith　in　it　as　the　word　of　God。　They　busy　themselves　with　dissecting　the　word；　and　set　their　own　opinions　above　its　plainest　statements。　In　their　hands　God's　word　loses　its　regenerating　power。　This　is　why　infidelity　runs　riot；　and　iniquity　is　rife。

When　Satan　has　undermined　faith　in　the　Bible；　he　directs　men　to　other　sources　for　light　and　power。　Thus　he　insinuates　himself。　Those　who　turn　from　the　plain　teaching　of　Scripture　and　the　convicting　power　of　God's　Holy　Spirit　are　inviting　the　control　of　demons。　Criticism　and　speculation　concerning　the　Scriptures　have　opened　the　way　for　spiritism　and　theosophythose　modernized　forms　of　ancient　heathenismto　gain　a　foothold　even　in　the　professed　churches　of　our　Lord　Jesus　Christ。

Side　by　side　with　the　preaching　of　the　gospel；　agencies　are　at　work　which　are　but　the　medium　of　lying　spirits。　Many　a　man　tampers　with　these　merely　from　curiosity；　but　seeing　evidence　of　the　working　of　a　more　than　human　power；　he　is　lured　on　and　on；　until　he　is　controlled　by　a　will　stronger　than　his　own。　He　cannot　escape　from　its　mysterious　power。

The　defenses　of　the　soul　are　broken　down。　He　has　no　barrier　against　sin。　When　once　the　restraints　of　God's　word　and　His　Spirit　are　rejected；　no　man　knows　to　what　depths　of　degradation　he　may　sink。　Secret　sin　or　master　passion　may　hold　him　a　captive　as　helpless　as　was　the　demoniac　of　Capernaum。　Yet　his　condition　is　not　hopeless。

The　means　by　which　we　can　overcome　the　wicked　one　is　that　by　which　Christ　overcame；the　power　of　the　word。　God　does　not　control　our　minds　without　our　consent；　but　if　we　desire　to　know　and　to　do　His　will；　His　promises　are　ours：　〃Ye　shall　know　the　truth；　and　the　truth　shall　make　you　free。〃　〃If　any　man　willeth　to　do　His　will；　he　shall　know　of　the　teaching。〃　John　8：32；　7：17；　R。　V。　Through　faith　in　these　promises；　every　man　may　be　delivered　from　the　snares　of　error　and　the　control　of　sin。

Every　man　is　free　to　choose　what　power　he　will　have　to　rule　over　him。　None　have　fallen　so　low；　none　are　so　vile；　but　that　they　can　find　deliverance　in　Christ。　The　demoniac；　in　place　of　prayer；　could　utter　only　the　words　of　Satan；　yet　the　heart's　unspoken　appeal　was　heard。　No　cry　from　a　soul　in　need；　though　it　fail　of　utterance　in　words；　will　be　unheeded。　Those　who　will　consent　to　enter　into　covenant　relation　with　the　God　of　heaven　are　not　left　to　the　power　of　Satan　or　to　the　infirmity　of　their　own

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nature。　They　are　invited　by　the　Saviour；　〃Let　him　take　hold　of　My　strength；　that　he　may　make　peace　with　Me；　and　he　shall　make　peace　with　Me。〃　Isa。　27：5。　The　spirits　of　darkness　will　battle　for　the　soul　once　under　their　dominion；　but　angels　of　God　will　contend　for　that　soul　with　prevailing　power。　The　Lord　says；　〃Shall　the　prey　be　taken　from　the　mighty；　or　the　lawful　captive　delivered？　。　。　。　Thus　saith　the　Lord；　Even　the　captives　of　the　mighty　shall　be　taken　away；　and　the　prey　of　the　terrible　shall　be　delivered：　for　I　will　contend　with　him　that　contendeth　with　thee；　and　I　will　save　thy　children。〃　Isa。　49：24；　25。

While　the　congregation　in　the　synagogue　were　still　spellbound　with　awe；　Jesus　withdrew　to　the　home　of　Peter　for　a　little　rest。　But　here　also　a　shadow　had　fallen。　The　mother　of　Peter's　wife　lay　sick；　stricken　with　a　〃great　fever。〃　Jesus　rebuked　the　disease；　and　the　sufferer　arose；　and　ministered　to　the　wants　of　the　Master　and　His　disciples。

Tidings　of　the　work　of　Christ　spread　rapidly　throughout　Capernaum。　For　fear　of　the　rabbis；　the　people　dared　not　come　for　healing　upon　the　Sabbath；　but　no　sooner　had　the　sun　disappeared　below　the　horizon　than　there　was　a　great　commotion。　From　the　homes；　the　shops；　the　market　places；　the　inhabitants　of　the　city　pr