My subtlest and strongest enemies
are within myself by Alexander Smiley from The Secret Place
1907 Fighting a long and hard campaign,
I shall be very foolish if I underestimate my foes. There are many of them,
but they serve under a trinity of wicked captains. 1. If any man loves the world, writes
John, the love of the father is not in him. The world is my
sworn and unrelenting enemy, an enemy all the more dangerous
because it professes to be something so different, the best of comrades
and the truest of friends. I must take my part, and that
with diligence, in the world's business, yet what a risk there
is that it should absorb my thoughts morning and night. Then I shall
become selfish and earthly and unspiritual. I must make my acquaintance
with the world's literature, and much of it is beautiful and
good, but I am prone to give it an undue attention, and to
forget the divine library which God's finger has panned. I must
mingle among the world's citizens, and many of them are love-worthy
and full of charm. Yet when I prize them overmuch,
they separate me from Father and Son and Holy Spirit. Under
its kindly face, the world is a hostile power. Your adversary the devil, writes
Peter, here is another stupendous antagonist. The accuser of the
brethren prowls about, unseen and malignant, sleeplessly plotting
my harm. Never should I leave off my spiritual
armour. The flesh lusts after the spirit,
writes Paul. After all, my subtlest and strongest
enemies are within myself. Old sin comes back, seeking the
mastery again, and much in me loves it, and goes out to meet
and embrace it. There indeed is my greatest hazard,
there my most deadly snare. O wretched man that I am, I re-echo
the ancient cry, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Yes, my worst foes are entrenched
within the citadel of man's soul, within my own heart. My God,
I have no might against this great company, neither do I know
what to do, but my eyes are upon you. to Him who was able to keep
you from falling, and to present you before His glorious presence
without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Savior,
be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ
our Lord before all ages, now and forevermore. Jude chapter
1 verse 24 and 25.