Now I can suppose the devil coming in among us and endeavoring to dishearten us by this or that supposed failure or difficulty. “Oh,” says he, “will you ever win the victory? See! Sin still abounds, notwithstanding all the preaching and all the praying. Are not the jails full? Do you see any great moral change worked after all? Surely you will not make the advances you expected—you may as well give it up.” Yes, and when once an army can be demoralized by a lack of spirit—when once the British soldier can be assured that he cannot win the day—that even at the push of the bayonet nothing can await him but defeat, then the rational conclusion he draws is that every man had better take care of himself, and look to his heels and fly to his home.
But oh, if we can feel that the victory is not precarious nor even doubtful but absolutely certain! If each one of us can rest assured that the Lord of Hosts is with us! That the God of Jacob is our refuge. That the most discouraging circumstances which can possibly occur are only mere incidents in the great struggle—mere eddies in the mighty current that is bearing everything before it. If we can but feel that sooner should Heaven and earth pass away than God’s promise be broken! I say, if we can keep our courage up at all times—if from the youngest of us who have lately joined, to the venerable veterans who have for years fought at our side we can feel that we must win, that the purposes of God must be fulfilled, that the kingdoms of this world must become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ—then we shall see
bright and glorious things!
Some of you grow discouraged because you have taught in the Sunday school and you have seen no conversions in your class, and you want to sneak away among the baggage. Others of you have tried to preach in the streets and you did not get on, and you feel half inclined not to do anything more. Isn’t this right? Some of you have not felt as happy with other Christian people as you would like to be. You do not think others respect you quite up to the mark that you have marked for yourselves on your thermometer of dignity, and you are inclined to run away. Isn’t this right?
Now I will boldly say to those of you who are inclined to run, run—for our resolution is to stand fast. Those who are afraid, let them go to their homes—for our eyes are on the battle and the crown. Those of you who cannot bear a little roughness and cannot fight for Christ, I had almost said, we shall be better without your cowardly spirits—but I would rather pray for you, that you may pluck up heart and cry with holy boldness, “Nothing shall discourage us.” If all the devils in Hell should appear visibly before us, and show their teeth with flame pouring from their mouths as from ten thousand ovens, yet so long as the Lord of Hosts lives, by His Grace we will not fear, but lift up our banners and laugh our enemies to scorn!—
Source: Sermon #730 Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled
