Strength Through Trial, September 27

For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Psalm 66:10.TMK 276.1

Untried character is not reliable. We are to be tried by temptation in order that we may learn to seek wisdom from God and to flee to the stronghold in time of trouble. He alone will be successful in resisting temptation who finds help and grace from God. Individually we stand as did our first parents—face to face with manifold temptations that solicit mind and heart. All heaven is watching with intense interest to see whether we will look unto Jesus and submit ourselves to His will, or whether in the temptation we shall follow the inclinations of the natural heart and the solicitations of the evil one.^{34The Youth's Instructor, September 26, 1895.}TMK 276.2

Let those who are perplexed with temptation go to God in prayer.... Persevere in prayer and watch thereunto without doubting, and the Holy Spirit will work in the human agent, bringing heart and mind into subjection to right principles.^{35The Youth's Instructor, September 19, 1895.}TMK 276.3

Those who through faith are kept by the power of God learn good and precious things. They experience the peace of Christ which passeth understanding. In resisting temptation you refuse to be confederate with Satan, and place yourselves under the banner of Jesus Christ. In the sight of heavenly intelligences you develop yourself as a conqueror. It is made manifest that you are a son of God....TMK 276.4

You represent Christ in true goodness of character, and understand what these words signify: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.... And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace” (John 1:14-16). You receive grace, you develop grace; and as you reveal grace in your words, in your spirit and actions, God pours upon you a larger measure of grace. In proportion as you surrender yourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit you are supplied with heavenly grace. You are molded and fashioned a vessel unto honor, and become a channel through which God makes manifest His grace to the world.^{36The Youth's Instructor, September 26, 1895.}TMK 276.5