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united with divinity; He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit. And He came to make us partakers of the divine
nature. So long as we are united to Him by faith, sin has no more
dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith in us to direct
it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ, that we may attain to
perfection of character.
And how this is accomplished, Christ has shown us. By what
means did He overcome in the conflict with Satan? By the word of
God. Only by the word could He resist temptation. “It is written,” He
said. And unto us are given “exceeding great and precious promises:
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
the corruption that is in the world through lust.”
2 Peter 1:4
. Every
promise in God’s word is ours. “By every word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God” are we to live. When assailed by temptation, look
not to circumstances or to the weakness of self, but to the power of the
word. All its strength is yours. “Thy word,” says the psalmist, “have
I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” “By the word
of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.”
Psalm
119:11
;
17:4
.
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