THE grace of God filling the heart with Christ, alone enables us to give up self, and its idols; and the more filled we are with Him, and His grace and truth, the more readily and thoroughly can we yield up all that His eye condemns. For it is only as led by the “God of all grace” that we can really go down, really be nothing, or really admit all His rebukes, and the hollowness of all His grace has not given. Christ enters, and all that cannot live in His company goes out. Slowly it may be―unwilling to yield possession―but the inflowing of blessing through the knowledge and power of Christ, must cleanse the heart, while filling it.
This is indeed a process, not a thing done at once, once for all. There is conflict. There are sad advantages often gained by the enemy. But just as Christ enters and abides, ―dwelling in the heart by faith―so are the many traffickers driven outside, and kept outside. Yea, so full may the blessing be, that the enemy may be driven away from the gate. The devil flees from us, because he not only has no place within, but because he is resisted in the power of Christ, and for Christ’s sake. Then there is peace and joy around as well as within. The coasts enlarge; ― “His branches shall spread;” and “they that dwell under His shadow shall return.”
LET our weakness humble us and cast us upon God; but let it not induce unbelief, and so set us against God.