When you look around and see the devil's vast empire and what a little spot of ground contains Christ's subjects - what heaps of precious souls lie prostrate under Satan's feet and what a tiny regiment of saints arch under Christ's banner of grace - perhaps you ask yourself, "is hell stronger than heaven? Are the arms of Satan more victorious than the cross of Christ?" But if you consider what I am about to tell you, you will wonder that Christ has any to follow Him rather than that He has so few.
Every son of man is born in sin (51:5). So when the prince of this world first approaches a young soul with this or that wicked proposal, he finds the soul unarmed and in its natural state already familiar with his policies. Yielding to Satan's control will therefore not cause much of a stir in the naturally sinful heart. But when Christ campaigns for a soul, He proposes sweeping changes. And the selfish soul, which generally likes things as they are, answers Him with the same scorn as the rebellious citizens in the parable: "We will not have this man to reign over us!" (Luke 19:14). The vote is unanimous: All the lusts cast their ballots against Christ, and rise up like the Philistines against Samson, whom they called the destroyer of their country (Judges 16:23-24). If God's grace did not step in and override the veto, the whole world would be held in Satan's sway.
Satan's conquests are limited to itnorant, graceless souls who have neither strength nor strength to oppose him. They are born imprisoned to sin; all he has to do is keep them there. But when he assaults a saint, whose freedom was won at the Cross, once for all, then he is laying siege to a city with gates and bars. Sooner or later, he must retreat in shame, unable to pluck the weakest saint out of the Savior's hand. Doubt your own strength, but never doubt Christs's. In your gravest conflicts with Satan, trust Him to bring you out of the devil's dominion.
- William Gurnall (Daily Readings from: The Christian in Complete Armour)
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