What the breath is to the flute,
What's the mother to the child,
What the guide in pathless wild,
What is oil to troubled wave,
What is ransom to a slave,
What is flower to the bee,
That is Jesus Christ to me."
The special Bible-study which I made at that time was embodied in a leaflet. Proving helpful to others, it is added below.[3]
God's Presence
The secret of Victory is simply Christ himself in the heart of the believer. This truth, of Christ's indwelling, is, and always has been, a mystery.
Ephesians 3:9 with Colossians 1:26, 27.
Ephesians 5:30, 32 (R. V.).
Colossians 4:3.
Christ himself taught this truth.
Matthew 28:20.
Revelation 3:20. (See also Mark 16:20).
It was a vital reality to the Apostle Paul.
1 Corinthians 6:15.
1 Corinthians 12:27 (R. V.).
2 Corinthians 5:17.
2 Corinthians 13:5.
Galatians 2:20.
Galatians 3:27.
Galatians 4:19.
Ephesians 3:17.
Philippians 1:21
1 Thessalonians 5:10.
Hebrews 3:6.
The words "in Christ," which recur in many other passages, will have a new literalness when read in the light of the above.
The Apostle John had a like conception of Christ's indwelling presence.
1 John 4:4, 12, 13, 16.
1 John 5:20.
God's Purpose
As Victory is the result of Christ's Life lived out in the believer, it is important that we see clearly that Victory, and not defeat, is God's Purpose for his Children. The Scriptures are very decided upon this truth.
Romans 5:2.[A]
Romans, chaps. 6 and 8.
1 Corinthians 15:57.
2 Corinthians 2:14.
2 Corinthians 10:5.
Ephesians 1:3, 4.
Colossians 4:12.
1 Thessalonians 5:23.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 (R.V.).
2 Timothy 2:19.
Titus 2:12.
Hebrews 7:25.
1 Peter 1:15.
2 Peter 3:14.
1 John 2:1.
1 John 3:6, 9.
And many other passages.
That Christ came as the Saviour from the power as well as the penalty of sin we see in Matthew 1:21, with John 8:34, 36, and Titus 2:14.
God's Provision
God knew the frailty of man, that his heart was "desperately wicked," that even his righteousness was "as filthy rags," that man's only hope for victory over sin must come from the God-ward side. He, therefore, made kingly provision so rich, so sufficient, so exceeding abundant, that as we study it, we feel we have tapped a mine of wealth, too deep to fathom. Just a few suggestions of its riches:
God's greatest provision is the gift of a part of His Own Being in the person of the Holy Spirit. The following are but some of the many things the Holy Spirit does for us, as recorded in the Word:
He seals or marks us as God's.—Eph. 1:13.
He dwells in us.—1 Cor. 3:16.
He unites us to Christ.—1 Cor. 12:13, 27.
He changes us into the likeness of Christ.—2 Cor. 3:18.
He helps in prayer.—Rom. 8:26.
He comforts.—John 14:16.
He guides.—Rom. 8:14.
He strengthens with power.—Eph. 3:16.
He is the source of power and fruitfulness.—John 7:38, 39.
Some of the victorious results in our life, as Christ has His way in us, are shown in:
Romans 15:13.
2 Corinthians 9:8, 11.
2 Corinthians 2:14.
Ephesians 1:19.
Ephesians 3:16, 20.
Philippians 4:7, 13, 19.
Colossians 1:11.
1 Peter 1:5.
2 Timothy 3:17.
Jude 24.
John 15:7.
To the seeker for further Scripture help the writer would suggest a plan that has proved a great blessing to herself.
Read the Psalms through, making careful record of all the statements of what the Lord was to the writers of the Psalms. The list will surprise you. Then on your knees go over them one by one, with the prayer that Christ may be to you what he was to David and the others.
Take a Cruden's, or better still a Young's, concordance and look up the texts under such headings as Love, Fulness, Power, Riches, Grace, etc., grouping them into usable Bible studies. As a sample, taking this last word, "grace"; the more one studies it the more wonderful does it become. Here are some of these headings:
Sufficient grace.—2 Cor. 12:9.
More Grace.—James 4:6.
All Grace.—2 Cor. 9:8.
Abundant grace.—Rom. 5:17.
Exceeding abundant grace.—1 Tim. 1:14.
Exceeding riches of His grace.—Eph. 2:17.
But let us remember that to simply know of riches will never materially benefit us. We must make them our own. All fulness dwells in Christ. It is only as we "apprehend" (which means take hold or take in) Christ through the Holy Spirit can it be possible for these spiritual riches to become ours. The slogan of this glorious life in Christ is just "Let go and let God."
FOOTNOTES:
[1] This leaflet, giving a carefully selected list of Scripture references on the Victorious Life, may be had from The Sunday School Times Company, 1031 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa., at 50 cents per 100 copies; or 15 cents for 25 copies; postpaid.
[2] "The Life that Wins" may be obtained from The Sunday School Times Company at 2 cents each; or 20 cents a dozen copies, or $1.50 per hundred, postpaid.
[3] This leaflet may be obtained from the Christian Life Literature Fund, 600 Perry Building, Philadelphia, at 15 cts. a dozen, 60 cts. a hundred, or 2 cts. each.
[A] The 7th chapter of Romans should be read in the light of the 6th and 8th chapters.
Transcriber's notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Page 129, "4" missing from list of Conditions of Prevailing Prayer. The list was renumbered to correct this.