Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)

Lt 116, 1899

Wessels, Philip

“Sunnyside,” Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

August 10, 1899

Portions of this letter are published in 1SM 94-97.

Brother Philip:

I have words to say to you. Now for you is the accepted time, now is your day of salvation. Trifle not with your soul’s eternal interest. Account of little value the flattery of men. What will it all avail you in the perils which are coming upon our world? The last call of mercy is being made to a guilty world, and it is for your present and eternal good that you do not flatter yourself or make any account of the praise and flattery of men. Satan is the great flatterer, the great seducer. The Lord God of heaven is He who measures every character and the value of every man by his willing obedience to the laws of His kingdom. God alone estimates without any mistake the value of man. His Word declares that the haughtiness and pride of men shall be brought low. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 1

All our hope of eternal life is through Jesus Christ, and did He not come to our world in the greatest humility? When He found Himself in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself. This is the lesson we are all to learn. We are to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God. If the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, humbled Himself, it is a lesson every human being will have to learn—to humble self. Let the Lord do all the exalting. Let the Lord Jesus do the fashioning of the mind and of the disposition and character. Let Christ be our hope and crown of rejoicing. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 2

The Lord will save Philip Wessels if he will seek God with all his heart. If he comes, humble and repentant, God will mold and fashion his character, so that He can use Philip Wessels to His name’s glory. If he seeks his own honor, if he thinks he knows best how to manage himself, then the Lord cannot work with him or for him. Satan is the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience, but the Lord has passed through the scenes of temptation, point by point, in behalf of man. He knows the strength of Satan’s temptations. He knows how to lift up in behalf of the tempted a standard against the enemy. He will do this if man will call upon Him sincerely; if he will recognize that his disobedience was sin and dishonor to God, and that he was in co-partnership with satanic agencies in making of none effect the Word of the living God. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 3

In the presence of your enemies you can magnify the law, but you will have no strength given you from God in justifying the course of disobedience, transgression and sin. Had you lost your life in your unrepentant life, you would have perished in your sins. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 4

Now Philip, I beg of you to consider Jesus your Pattern. He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. He came out of the wilderness of temptation a conqueror. You lost your hold on God and were conquered. But Christ your Redeemer has thoughts of mercy toward you. He will receive you if you humble your heart before Him. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 5

It is expressly stated that Satan works in the children of disobedience, not merely having access to their minds, but working through their influence, conscious and unconscious, to draw others into the same disobedience. If evil angels have such power over the children of men in their disobedience, how much greater power the good angels have over those who are striving to be obedient. When we put our trust in Jesus Christ, working obedience unto righteousness, angels of God work in our hearts unto righteousness. It is due to the guardianship and working of the angels of God for your wife that she has not apostatized. Heavenly angels have guarded her. Now it is time that you took your position beside her as a houseband, to bind up your children, yourself, and your wife in solemn covenant with God, to obedience unto obedience. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 6

The Spirit of God will lead Philip Wessels if he will be led to understand that he cannot have his own way. He cannot follow the working out of his own will. Angels came and ministered to our Lord in the wilderness of temptation. Heavenly angels were with Him during all the period in which He was exposed to the assaults of satanic agencies. These assaults were more severe than man has ever passed through. Everything was at stake in behalf of the human family. In this conflict Christ did not frame His words even. He depended upon “It is written.” In this conflict the humanity of Christ was taxed as none of us will ever know. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 7

The Prince of life and the prince of darkness met in terrible conflict, but Satan was unable to gain the least advantage in word or in action. These were real temptations, no pretense. Christ “suffered being tempted.” [Hebrews 2:18.] Angels of heaven were on the scene on that occasion, and kept the standard uplifted, that Satan should not exceed his bounds and overpower the human nature of Christ. In the last temptation Satan presented to Christ the prospect of gaining the whole world with all its glory if He would only worship him who claimed to be sent of God. Christ must then issue His command. He must then exercise authority above all satanic agencies. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 8

Divinity flashed through humanity, and Satan was peremptorily repulsed. “Get thee hence, Satan,” Christ said, “for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” [Matthew 4:10.] It was enough. Satan could go no farther. Angels ministered to the Saviour. Angels brought Him food. The severity of this conflict no human mind can compass. The welfare of the whole human family and of Christ Himself was at stake. One admission from Christ, one word of concession, and the world would be claimed by Satan as his; and he, the prince of the power of darkness would, he supposed, commence his rule. There appeared unto Christ an angel from heaven, for the conflict ended. Human power was ready to fail. But all heaven sang the song of eternal victory. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 9

The human family have all the help that Christ had, in their conflicts with Satan. They need not be overcome. They may be more than conquerors through Him who has loved them and given His life for them. “Ye are bought with a price.” [1 Corinthians 6:20.] And what a price! The Son of God in His humanity wrestled with the very same fierce, apparently overwhelming, temptations that assail men—temptations to indulgence of appetite, to presumptuous venturing where God has not led them, and to the worship of the god of this world, to sacrifice an eternity of bliss for the fascinating pleasures of this life. Everyone will be tempted, but the Word declares that we shall not be tempted above our ability to bear. We may resist and defeat the wily foe. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 10

Every soul has a heaven to win, and a hell to shun. And the angelic agencies are all ready to come to the help of the tried and tempted soul. He, the Son of the infinite God, endured the test and trial in our behalf. The cross of Calvary stands vividly before every soul. When the cases of all are judged, and they are delivered to suffer for their contempt for God and their disregard of His honor in their disobedience, not one will have an excuse, not one will need to have perished. It was left to their own choice who should be their prince, Christ or Satan. All the help Christ received, every man may receive in the great trial. The cross stands as a pledge that not one need be lost, that abundant help is provided for every soul. We can conquer the satanic agencies, or we can join ourselves with the powers that seek to counterwork the work of God in our world. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 11

On which side are you, Philip? Are you on the Lord’s side? You are on one side or the other. It is a life and death question now with the members of the Wessels family. How long will they halt between two opinions? “If the Lord be God, serve him; if Baal, serve him.” [1 Kings 18:21.] I have more to say in regard to these matters, but time fails me. Your safety, Philip, is in clinging to the stronghold for refuge. You have no time to lose. Dally not. We have an Advocate pleading in our behalf. The Holy Ghost is continually engaged in beholding our course of action. We need now keen perception, that by our own practical godliness the truth may be made to appear truth as it is in Jesus. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 12

The angelic agencies are messengers from heaven, actually ascending and descending, keeping earth in constant connection with the heaven above. These angel messengers are observing all our course of action. They are ready to help all in their weakness, guarding all from moral and physical danger according to the providence of God. And whenever souls yield to the softening, subduing influence of the Spirit of God under these angel ministrations, there is joy in heaven; the Lord Himself rejoices with singing. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 13

Men take altogether too much glory to themselves. It is the work of heavenly agencies co-operating with human agencies according to God’s plan, that brings the result in the conversion and sanctification of the human character. We cannot see and could not endure the glory of angelic ministrations if their glory was not veiled in condescension to the weakness of our human nature. The blaze of the heavenly glory, as seen in the angels of light, would extinguish earthly mortals. Angels are working upon human minds just as these minds are given to their charge; they bring precious remembrances fresh before the mind as they did to the women about the sepulcher. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 14

A created instrumentality is used in heaven’s organized plan for the renewing of our nature, working in the children of disobedience obedience unto God. The guardianship of the heavenly host is granted to all who will work in God’s ways and follow His plans. We may in earnest, contrite prayer call the heavenly helpers to our side. Invisible armies of light and power will work with the humble, meek, and lowly one. They that [be] for us are more than they that be against us. Take courage. Be hopeful. 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 15

“Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth, for the spirit shall fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is nigh, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.” [Isaiah 57:15-19.] 14LtMs, Lt 116, 1899, par. 16