Epistle 107
The sermon emphasizes the importance of trusting in the power of God to overcome weaknesses and temptations, and to live a life of dominion and victory.
George Fox emphasizes the importance of dwelling in the power of God, which surpasses all darkness and temptation. He encourages believers to focus on the life and strength found in God's word, which provides dominion over the tempter. By maintaining faith in God's power, individuals can overcome weaknesses and temptations, relying on God's grace as their teacher. Fox reminds his listeners that true strength comes from looking inward to God's light rather than outward to temptations. Ultimately, he reassures that God's grace is sufficient to lead and protect them from all trials.
Text
My dear friends,--In the power of the everlasting God, which comprehends the power of darkness, and all the temptations in it, in that power of God dwell, which will keep and bring you to the word which was in the beginning [John 1:1], which will keep you up to the life, and to feed upon the same, over the power of darkness [Col 1:13]. In that ye will find strength, and feel dominion and life, and that will let you see, before the tempter was, and over him; and into that the tempter cannot come, for the power and truth he is out of [John 8:44]. And in that life dwell, in which ye will know dominion.
And therefore, let your faith be in the power, and over the weakness and temptations, and look not out at them; but look in the light and power of God at the Lord's strength, which will be made perfect in your weakest state [2 Cor 12:9]. And look at the grace of God in all temptations, to bring your salvation, which is your teacher [Tit 2:11f] to teach you; for when ye look or hearken to the temptations, ye go from your teacher, the grace of God, and so are darkened [Eccl 12:3]. The grace of God is sufficient [2 Cor 12:9] in all temptations to lead out of them, and to keep over them.
G. F.
Sermon Outline
- The Power of God
- Faith in the Power of God
- The Grace of God
- Is sufficient in all temptations
- Leads us out of temptations and keeps us over them
Key Quotes
“In that ye will find strength, and feel dominion and life, and that will let you see, before the tempter was, and over him;” — George Fox
Application Points
- We must look to the Lord's strength in the light of God, rather than our own weaknesses and temptations.
- Faith in the power of God is essential for overcoming weaknesses and temptations.
- The grace of God is sufficient to lead us out of temptations and keep us over them.