The Lord carries His point, and often makes His conquest, by keeping His saints in a helpless condition in various ways, so as to make them live by faith and depend on God alone. Men of great faith are never allowed to get beyond having their faith tried. God’s plan is that there shall be none of self and all of Christ. The very people who are doing most for God are often those who are working on short supplies of strength, money, talents and advantages. They are kept in a position of living by faith and taking from God, day by day, both physical and spiritual supplies. This is the way God [completes His work].
Our [victory] is to form a secret alliance with God and take His side. We succeed by agreeing to be what other people [may] call a miserable failure. Yet God always comes out ahead and on top. He [may seem] to be doing nothing, yet all the while, like the majesty of chemistry, He is working miracles.
Excerpt quoted in a personal letter