Difficulties of Mounting an Effective Resistance

There are reasons why it is so difficult to resist. The master of evil who designs and orchestrates these assaults against the children of the Most High has foreseen our resistance, and has taken provision to discourage us beforehand.

The enemy of our souls has stirred many to resist in a carnal way. It is not enough to be right in the principles and values which I hold—It is vital to be right in spirit and attitude, in love for others and humility, even as I contend for the right. As one brother said, “If I must step outside of holiness to defend it… I have already lost it.” The ends do not justify the means.

Because of those “who hold the truth in unrighteousness,”* (Romans 1:18) a reproach is cast over the standard itself, and a false impression is very subtly inferred that many who are not clear and hold standards beneath the Bible standard actually seem to manifest a better spirit than those who are “standing for the truth.” In this way, in the minds of many, light is confused for darkness and darkness for light.

If there was just the occasional instance of someone resisting letting-down in a wrong spirit, then these situations could be more easily recognized for what they are, but they are unending. Truly “one sinner destroyeth much good,”* (Ecclesiastes 9:18) especially if he (or she) has some valid insights and is puffed up with pride and perhaps gives place to harshness and unkindness. The overall effect is to “wear out the saints of the most High”* (Daniel 7:25) and everyone else, also.

Quoting again from Fellowship Is of the Spirit: “Sometimes people pass for years as true children of God and then manifest the spirit they are of in strife, contention, and opposition to the people of God on some line, and then go out from among them because they were not of them.” There have always been those who were not right, who gave place in some way to something other than the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, these other spirits do not always manifest themselves in strife, contention, and opposition. Sometimes they seek to blend in, to become “hewers of wood and drawers of water,”* (Joshua 9:27) and the false spirit manifested is a spirit of human organization. Such are highly loyal to the group and perhaps even exceedingly zealous and missionary-minded, but their zeal is not according to the knowledge of God and the fruit of their efforts is not spiritual (Matthew 23:15). Also, they do not “go out from among them because they were not of them,” for the nature of their condition is to stay and make room for themselves.