General Conference Bulletin, vol. 3

“BE STRONG.”

L. A. HOOPES

Reading for Sunday, December 23.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Ephesians 6:10. GCB July 1, 1900, page 157.7

In the Scriptures we are often exhorted to confidence and strength. Not confidence in ourselves, nor trust in our own strength, for we are plainly told that “he that trusteth in his own heart is a fool.” Proverbs 28:26. The word of the Lord by the prophet Isaiah is this: “Let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me.” Isaiah 27:5. Those heeding this admonition can say with all confidence, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength.” Isaiah 45:24. GCB July 1, 1900, page 157.8

Our Saviour himself, who is our pattern, to show his entire trust in the power of his Father, said, “I can of mine own self do nothing” (John 5:30); and of his people he also said, “Without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5. In the parable of the vine and its branches he said, “As the branch can not bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” V. 4. As the branch must receive the sap from the parent stock, to be fruitful, so the Spirit of God must abide in us, else no fruit to God’s glory will appear. It must be Christ “working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight.” Hebrews 13:21. It is true, we are exhorted to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling;” but in the next sentence it is said, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12, 13. GCB July 1, 1900, page 157.9

A realizing sense of our own natural weakness and inability of ourselves to walk in ways of righteousness, is the proper fitness for receiving that help which the Lord has to impart. It was in such a condition of mind that the apostle Paul could say, “When I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10. It is to this class that the Lord said: “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that hath no might he increaseth strength.” Isaiah 40:29. To such he further states: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5, 6. In tracing his dealings with his children we read these words addressed to King Asa: “And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa, king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord he delivered them into thine hand. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward them.” 2 Chronicles 16:7-9. GCB July 1, 1900, page 158.1

The Lord’s admonition to be “strong” and “courageous” are given when the outlook is of such a nature that humanity, realizing its frailty, is dismayed. An instance of this character is found when the Lord instructed Moses to send twelve men to search the land of Canaan. Knowing that they would see that which might cause them to tremble, they were admonished, “Be ye of good courage.” Numbers 13:20. When the fainthearted ones went up and beheld the situation, they said: “We are not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.... The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants, and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” Numbers 13:31-33. “The cities are great and walled up to heaven.” Deuteronomy 1:28. Under these circumstances, those whose trust was in the Lord, and who for this reason were endued with his “courage,” said: “Rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us; their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.” Numbers 14:9. GCB July 1, 1900, page 158.2

When at last the people were about to go in and possess the land, Moses reminded them that they were coming in contact with “seven nations greater and mightier” than they, with “cities great and fenced up to heaven.” Deuteronomy 7:1; 9:1. He said to them, “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage; for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:6-8. GCB July 1, 1900, page 158.3

After the death of Moses the Lord said unto Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.” “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:5-7, 9. GCB July 1, 1900, page 158.4

Those who make God their confidence can say with David, “When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.” “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:2, 13. GCB July 1, 1900, page 158.5

Having seen the Lord’s deliverance, David could say to others with all confidence, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Verse 14. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.1

Those who falter while looking at the difficulties in the way, or at the greatness of the work, may be likened to “the slothful man [who] saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.” Proverbs 22:13. The Scriptures declare that “the wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Proverbs 28:1. Of the righteous it is said that he “shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” Job 17:9. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.2

We read that the Lord, in dealing with his people, “permits a crisis to come now and then, that his children may go to him. He sees and knows all things. He desires them to feel their helplessness, and to plead with him, casting their helpless souls upon him. Then they are ready to be taught.”—Mrs. E. G. White, in The Signs of the Times, September 5, 1900. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.3

When Solomon was about to construct the temple, his father David spake thus to him: “The Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfill the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.” 1 Chronicles 22:12, 13. “Be strong and of good courage and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 28:20. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.4

For the encouragement of his people, the Lord has recorded some cases where, by faith, “Out of weakness [they] were made strong.” In the days of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah (896 B. C.), the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir invaded the land. As the Lord’s people humbly sought him, he sent this word to them: “Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” As they went forth against their enemies praising the God of Israel, “Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.” GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.5

The sequel shows that the armies gathered against them fell to destroying one another. “When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, ... they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much.” 2 Chronicles 20:15, 20, 25. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.6

In the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah (710 B. C.), when Rab-shakeh taunted them with their weakness, and said, “Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria” (2 Kings 18:30), Hezekiah “covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the Lord.” The prophet Isaiah told him that the king should “hear a rumor, and return to his own land.” 2 Kings 19:7. This came to pass, and then the king sent a letter boasting what great things he should do. Hezekiah spread this letter out before the Lord, and pleaded, “I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.” Verse 19. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.7

“The Lord sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valor, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land.” 2 Chronicles 32:21. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.8

This is in harmony with the word by the apostle James: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace [unmerited favor] to the humble. Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” James 4:6-8. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.9

“Man is wholly dependent on the grace of Christ. He has no power to move one step in the direction of Christ unless the Spirit of God draws him.... The Spirit reveals to the mind the things of God, and to him who co-operates with God is the realization that a Divine Presence is hovering near.... The Spirit of God is not commissioned to do our part of the work, either in the willing or doing. It is the work of the human agent to co-operate with divine agencies. As soon as we incline our will to harmonize with God’s will, the grace of Christ is supplied to co-operate with our resolve.”—“Apples of Gold Library,” No. 17, pp. 2-4. GCB July 1, 1900, page 159.10

“Heavenly angels fight our battles for us; and co-operating with them, we may be victorious over the powers of evil. Trusting in Christ as our personal Saviour, we may be ‘more than conquerors through him that loved us.’ GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.1

“‘Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee.’ ... GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.2

“By connecting his divinity with our humanity, Christ has exalted the human family. His divinity grasps the throne of the Infinite in behalf of man.... Why will you keep your eyes fastened on self, when your Saviour stands beside you, saying, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light’? ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’”—The Review and Herald, September 15, 1896. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.3

Of the believer it is said: “While toiling in battle as a faithful soldier of Christ, he has the sympathy of the whole loyal universe. The ministering angels are round about him to aid in the conflict, so that he may boldly say, ‘The Lord is my helper.’ ‘The Lord is my strength, and my shield.’ I shall not be overcome.”—“Special Testimony,” August, 1890. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.4

“The scenes to be enacted in our world are not yet even dreamed of.... We need to trust in God, believe in him, and go forward. The tireless vigilance of the heavenly messengers, and their unceasing employment in their ministry in connection with the beings of earth, show us how God’s hand is guiding the wheel within a wheel. The divine Instructor is saying to every actor in his work, as he said to Cyrus of old, ‘I girded thee, though thou hast not known me.’ ... GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.5

“That which appears to finite minds entangled and complicated, the Lord’s hand can keep in perfect order. He can devise ways and means to thwart the purposes of wicked men.... He who ruleth in the heavens is our Saviour. He measures every trial. He watches the furnace fire that must test every soul. When the strongholds of kings shall be overthrown, when the arrows of God’s wrath shall strike through the hearts of his enemies, his people will be safe in his hands.”—Testimonies for the Church 5:753, 754. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.6

“The commandment-keeping people of God erelong will be placed in a most trying position; but all those who have walked in the light will realize that God interposes in their behalf. When everything looks most forbidding, then the Lord will reveal his power to his faithful ones.”—“Special Testimony for Ministers and Workers,” No. 3. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.7

In view of the many “great and precious promises” of help to the Lord’s trusting people, can we not say from the heart, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might”? Let the watchword be passed with vigor all along the line, Courage in the Lord! J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.8

It may be of interest in connection with this reading, to read some of the letters from our foreign missionaries. Begin on page 187, and read the letters from South America, Central America, India, and China. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.9

When we think back, and see that only a few years ago we had no foreign missionaries and but very few churches in North America, and now see how the work has gone to all these countries, is it not enough to inspire courage in every heart? True, much money has been expended; but it is the greatest blessing and privilege to us that we can give to the cause of God, so that at last there may be souls saved in the kingdom of God as the result of our contributions. Please read Isaiah 66:18-22 in connection with these extracts. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.10

Do not fail to take a contribution envelope home with you. Then lay the matter before the Lord, and ask him to put the spirit of liberality into your soul. Then you can bring your offering in the envelope to the meeting at the time the collection is to be taken up. GCB July 1, 1900, page 160.11