Here Satan is represented as a conquered foe, and even as a degraded antagonist. He has been “disarmed.” One is reminded of the figure of a scarecrow on a farmer’s field where the dead birds are hung up as warnings against other depredators. He cannot harm us, although he may alarm us.

He is beaten before the battle begins. We enter the fray with the prestige of victors. Let us hold this high place as we meet our adversary. Let us treat him as a defeated enemy. Let us not honor him by our doubts and fears. It is not our valor or our victory. It is our confidence in Christ, the Victor, that wins.

“This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Our triumph has already been won by our Leader, but we must identify ourselves with His victory. Let us never dare to doubt!

“And the hostile princes and rulers He shook off from Himself, and boldly displayed them as His conquests when by the Cross He triumphed over them” (Colossians 2:15 WNT).

Says Dr. Weymouth: “Stand your ground in the day of battle, and having fought to the end, remain victors on the field!” “Victors on the field”—I am thrilled by the inspiring word. After every temptation—the temptation which comes to me in sunshine or the temptation that comes to me in the gloom—after every fight, victors on the field, the Lord’s banner flying, and the evil one and all his hosts in utter rout, and in full and dire retreat! J. H. JOWETT

Describing the force of the waves which beat on the Eddystone Lighthouse, a writer says: “But without a quiver the lighthouse supports those terrible attacks. Yet it bends toward them as if to render homage to the power of its adversaries.”

Let us meet the storms of life with the fixedness and plasticity with which the lighthouse overcomes the wild tempest.

Fastened to the Rock of Ages, I shall not be moved.

Here Satan is represented as a conquered foe, and even as a degraded antagonist. He has been “disarmed.” One is reminded of the figure of a scarecrow on a farmer’s field where the dead birds are hung up as warnings against other depredators. He cannot harm us, although he may alarm us.

He is beaten before the battle begins. We enter the fray with the prestige of victors. Let us hold this high place as we meet our adversary. Let us treat him as a defeated enemy. Let us not honor him by our doubts and fears. It is not our valor or our victory. It is our confidence in Christ, the Victor, that wins.

“This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Our triumph has already been won by our Leader, but we must identify ourselves with His victory. Let us never dare to doubt!

“And the hostile princes and rulers He shook off from Himself, and boldly displayed them as His conquests when by the Cross He triumphed over them” (Colossians 2:15 WNT).

Says Dr. Weymouth: “Stand your ground in the day of battle, and having fought to the end, remain victors on the field!” “Victors on the field”—I am thrilled by the inspiring word. After every temptation—the temptation which comes to me in sunshine or the temptation that comes to me in the gloom—after every fight, victors on the field, the Lord’s banner flying, and the evil one and all his hosts in utter rout, and in full and dire retreat! J. H. JOWETT

Describing the force of the waves which beat on the Eddystone Lighthouse, a writer says: “But without a quiver the lighthouse supports those terrible attacks. Yet it bends toward them as if to render homage to the power of its adversaries.”

Let us meet the storms of life with the fixedness and plasticity with which the lighthouse overcomes the wild tempest.

Fastened to the Rock of Ages, I shall not be moved.

Notice the little word “in”! We are to honor the Lord in the trial— in the very thing that afflicts us. And although there are examples where God did not allow His saints to even feel the fire, usually the fire causes pain.

It is precisely there, in the heat of the fire, we are to glorify Him. We do this by exercising perfect faith in His goodness and love that has permitted this trial to come upon us. Even more, we are to believe that out of the fire will arise something more worthy of praise to Him than had we never experienced it.

To go through some fires will take great faith, for little faith will fail. We must win the victory in the furnace. MARGARET BOTTOME

A person has only as much faith as he shows in times of trouble. The three men who were thrown into the fiery furnace came out just as they went in—except for the ropes that had bound them. How often God removes our shackles in the furnace of affliction!

These three men walked through the fire unhurt—their skin was not even blistered. Not only had the fire “not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them” (Daniel 3:27).

This is the way Christians should come out of the furnace of fiery trials—liberated from their shackles but untouched by the flames.

“Triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15 KJV).

This is the real triumph—triumphing over sickness in it, triumphing over death in dying, and triumphing over other adverse circumstances in them. Believe me, there is a power that can make us victors in the conflict.

There are heights we can reach where we can look back over the path we have come and sing our song of triumph on this side of heaven. We can cause others to regard us as rich, while we are poor, and make many rich in our poverty. We are to triumph in it.

Christ’s triumph was in His humiliation. And perhaps our triumph will also be revealed through what others see as humiliation. MARGARET BOTTOME

Isn’t there something captivating about the sight of a person burdened with many trials, yet who is as lighthearted as the sound of a bell? Isn’t there something contagious and valiant in seeing others who are greatly tempted but are “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37)? Isn’t it heartening to see a fellow traveler whose body is broken, yet who retains the splendor of unbroken patience?

What a witness these give to the power of God’s gift of grace! JOHN HENRY JOWETT

When each earthly brace falls under, And life seems a restless sea, Are you then a God-held wonder, Satisfied and calm and free?

Thou shalt bruise his heel.—This is your hour, and the power of darkness.—As the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, that is, the devil.—Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour: whom resist stedfast in the faith.—Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.—The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.—The devil . . . was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.—Forasmuch . . . as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death. that is, the devil.—And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them.—I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Who is like unto thee, O Lord , among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.

Being made a curse for us.

O sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

Having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

They overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony.