Many a sanctified soul has given up faith for
sanctification, and even for justification, merely on the strength of
some argument the devil has presented. For instance, a person may
consecrate all, have perfect faith, and receive the experience of entire
sanctification. In a week or two this person may make a mistake, or for
some reason or other he may begin to have bad feelings in himself. Satan
now sends his tempter to accuse the soul and cause it to doubt its having
the experience of entire sanctification. After a painful struggle, the
soul feels, that, on the evidence presented, it must give up its profession
of a sanctified state, and does so. But God, looking down, sees that
that soul is just as consecrated as ever, and loves God as much as ever.
He can not hold that soul as it holds itself. So while the soul despairs,
God holds it as all right. The only reason the soul does not get God's
view is because these doubts and accusations obscure God's will and
promise, and the devil's doubts are admitted instead of God's word.
That more souls are done to death by discouragement than by any other
one thing is probably a true saying.
You say you are discouraged.
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