In the dark days in which we live, how easy it is for those who profess the Name of Christ to be cast down. On every hand there are evidences of the working, and even of the triumphing, of Satan’s kingdom — evidences which are all fitted to discourage the hearts of the people of God. To outward appearances Satan’s kingdom seems to be carrying all before it with scarcely a set-back to its progress at all. In high places and low the forces of darkness are evidently at work, and are actively engaged in subverting the souls of poor sinners and establishing more and more that kingdom over which Satan reigns. Such a state of affairs cannot but deeply try the exercised people of God who look and long for a reversal of the fortunes of Satan’s kingdom and for the reviving and refreshing of the Kingdom of Christ.
The promises of God in His Word are an encouragement to them in such a day. When they see the wicked triumphing haughtily, as though they are never to be moved, the children of God recall to mind the declaration of God’s Word that the triumphing of the wicked is short. Like the Psalmist they then begin to see things in a different light. They understand that these present appearances are but momentary and that soon the Lord will cast them down, as the Psalmist declared:—
“Assuredly thou didst them set
a slipp’ry place upon;
Them suddenly thou castedst down
into destruction.”
When the people of God are tried through the hiding of the Lord’s countenance from them, they are ready to fear that the Lord will hide His face from them for ever. However, they receive encouragement from the promises of God’s own Word that the Lord will never cast off His own. He has engraven them upon the palms of His hands, their walls are continually before Him. What encouragement the promises of God’s Word affords to the tried soul when these promises come with light and power into the soul.
But what assurance have they that these promises will ever be fulfilled? They have the testimony of God concerning them that all the promises of God are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus, and therefore shall surely be fulfilled. Along with this they have the knowledge that the One in whom these promises are secured to them is at the right hand of power. It is in a risen and exalted Saviour their hope lies, and that place which He occupies at the right hand of the Father in heaven is a guarantee to them that His kingdom and not Satan’s shall ultimately triumph. He has secured in His death the overthrow of Satan’s kingdom and will shortly make it apparent for every eye to see that He has gotten Him the victory and that Satan, for all his appearance otherwise, is indeed a vanquished foe.