Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

degree does not thereby give evidence that he is the most useful.When Brother F is humble and makes God his trust, he can do much good. Angelscome to his help, and he is blessed with clearness and freedom. But after a time ofspecial victory he has too often been lifted up and thought himself equal to anything,thought that he was something, when he was only an instrument in the hands of God.After such seasons angels of God have left him to his own weak strength, and then,though he himself was the one at fault, he would too frequently charge upon hisbrethren and the people the darkness and weakness he felt. While in this unhappystate of mind he frequently bears down upon this one and that one, and, even when hiswork is not half done, feels that he must remove and commence labor elsewhere.I saw that Brother F was in danger of going into battle in his own strength, but hewill find that strength but weakness in the conflict. While he made God his trust, he hasoften been successful in combats with opposers of our faith. But he has sometimes feltelated with the victory which God has given truth over error, and has taken the glory tohimself in these conflicts. Self has been magnified in his eyes.I was shown that in his last two discussions he did not have the right spirit. Previousto the first he became exalted by the flattery of men who love not the truth. As helistened to, and acted some part in, a discussion carried on between two who werenot in the faith, he became lifted up and thought himself sufficient to enter the battlewith anyone. And while he was so confident, he was, in the very act, shorn of hisstrength. God was displeased with his disregard of the counsel of Brother Andrews.His self-sufficient spirit came near making that discussion an utter failure. Unless thereis a decided gain in these combats, there is always a loss. They should never623