The New Life by Andrew

Andrew Murray on The New Life: Words of God for Young Disciples Text
In Christ this truth is now still more real. God has come near. His power works in us who believe; it is
really He that fights for us.
O Lord Jesus, who art the Prince of the army of the Lord, the Hero, the Victor, teach me to be strong
in Thee my stronghold, and in the power of Thy might. Teach me to understand what the good fight of
faith is, and how the one thing that I have need of is, always to look to Thee, to Thee, the supreme
Guide of faith. And, consequently, in me, too, let this be the victory that overcometh the world,
namely, my faith. Amen.
1. The conflict of faith is no civil war, in which one half of the kingdom is divided against the other.
This would be insurrection. This is the one conflict that many Christians know: the unrest of the
conscience, and the powerless wrestling of a will which consents to that which is good, but does not
perform it. The Christian has not to overcome himself. This his Lord does when he surrenders
himself. Then he is free and strong to combat and overcome the enemies of his Lord and of the
kingdom. No sooner, however, are we willing that God should have His way with us than we are
found striving against God. This also is truly conflict, but it is not the good fight of faith.
2. In Galatians 5 reference is made to the inner conflict; for the Galatians had not yet entirely
surrendered themselves to the Spirit, to walk after the Spirit. 'The connection,' says Lange, 'shows that
this conflict betwixt the flesh and the Spirit of God is not endless, but that there is expected of the
Christian a complete surrender of himself, in order to be led only by the one principle -- the Spirit;
and then, further, a refusal to obey the flesh.' The believer must not strive against the flesh, to
overcome it: this he cannot do. What he is to do is to choose to whom he will subject himself: by the
surrender of faith to Christ, to strive in Him through the Spirit, He has a divine power for overcoming.
3. Hence, as we have seen in connection with the beginning of the new life, our one work every day
and the whole day is to believe. Out of faith come all blessings and powers, also the victory for
overcoming.
XXIX BE A BLESSING
'Get thee out of they country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I
will show thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee; and be thou a blessing.' --
Gen. 12:1,2
In these first words that God spake to Abraham, we have the short summary of all that God has to say
to him and to us as His children. We see what the goal is to which God calls us, what the power that
carries us to that goal, and what the place where the power is found. Be a blessing: that is the goal for
which God separates Abraham and every believing child of His.
God would have him and us made to understand that, when he blesses us, this is certainly not simply
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