It is a sovereign grace (they are saying), an unconditional salvation untouched by human effort. Many proceed further to claim that once this sovereign grace has been accepted it never can be changed or lost. It is from God alone and man's actions can neither add to nor subtract from it.

This concept does away with the "good fight" of faith. It is a demonic delusion designed by Satan to destroy the moral strength of the Church.

As we follow the Lord in the Christian warfare we learn how to lean on the Lord. We cannot gain victory by our own efforts to overcome sin. We soon will give up in despair if we do. It is "the sword of the Lord and of Gideon." We have to do the fighting but it is always the Lord Jesus who gives the necessary strength and wisdom.

We learn to move with the Lord and rest with the Lord. He is the Overcomer with a capital "O." We are the overcomer with a small "o." We cannot fight the good fight of faith by ourselves and the Lord Jesus will not fight it for us.

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. (Revelation 3:21)

"Him that overcometh . . . even as I also overcame."

The path to victory includes knowing how to rest in Jesus while we are gaining victory over Satan, over the spirit of the world, over our fleshly lusts, and over our own self-will and self-seeking. We gain total victory over these adversaries by the Spirit's guidance and strength, as we pray, read, hope in, and trust in the Scriptures, as we confess our sins, as we resist the devil, as we gather together with fervent saints, as we minister to and are ministered to by the other members of the Body of Christ and by all the other means God has provided.

To employ trusting in Jesus as the only aspect of the victorious Christian life, not following the Spirit's guidance in using the means God has provided for gaining release from the world, for conquering our fleshly lusts, for overcoming our self-centeredness, will lead to confusion, passivity, despair, and finally, spiritual destruction—a complete loss of inheritance.

The current teaching that Jesus did all the overcoming for us is a lie. This lie was designed to destroy the moral character of the Church. Satan knows that God cannot use an unrighteous Church to bring the Kingdom of God to the earth.

Neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament Scriptures advocates a trust in God apart from the daily, active, diligent, intense, single-minded seeking of God's will in every area of personality and behavior.

Ordinarily God does not move us to read the Scriptures. He helps us, and then speaks to us when we make the effort on a consistent basis.

Ordinarily God does not move us to pray. He helps us and speaks to us when we make the effort on a consistent basis.

Ordinarily God does not move us to present our body a living sacrifice. He helps us when we make the effort day by day.

Ordinarily God does not move us to give an offering. God blesses us when we give of our means on a consistent basis.

Ordinarily God does not move us to resist the devil. We resist the devil, according to the commandment in the Word, and then God strengthens us.

Ordinarily God does not move us so we choose Him in times of trial. We make the choice and then God blesses us. God provides a way of escape for us so we may emerge unharmed.

(To be continued.)