PARENTHOOD
a divine stewardship

We often keep silent and endure while Satan is wearing us out; we try to suffer silently. But at a certain point, we become disgusted and angry, saying, "I do not agree with this! I do not want this!" This speaking and anger will deliver us and stop the wearing-out work. God's children should stand up to reject Satan in disgust; they should rebuke Satan. Some people have never experienced deliverance or release because they still have the "strength" to endure. A man who endures Satan's wearing out and allows Satan to waste his energy, joy, and spirit has fallen into Satan's trap. We are not saying that we should be angry with those men whom Satan has used; we must be patient with them and still love them. But we should oppose and reject the strategies and methods of Satan. If we oppose Satan's work, we will be freed and liberated.

The power to reject Satan comes from realizing his pressure. Some believers have been deceived and attacked by Satan. They withstand it and oppose it, yet they do not feel that they have any strength. This is because they have not seen the pressure of Satan. We often oppose and reject him, yet we do not have any energy to raise our voice. This is because we have not seen Satan's pressure. Whether or not we can reject Satan depends on whether we are disgusted with him. If we are not sufficiently disgusted with him, our speaking to him will be like speaking to the air; it will not produce any effect. But when we truly become disgusted and angry with him, the anger will become our strength, and the minute we open our mouth, he will go away.

Such a feeling of disgust comes from revelation. Once we see that Satan is wearing us out, we must oppose him. Once we see this, Satan cannot do anything more; he will realize his hopelessness. May the Lord be merciful to us so that we see Satan's wearing-out work. As long as we tolerate and endure him, his work will continue. But the minute we feel disgusted and become angry with him, Satan will go away. We must realize that no other kind of withstanding will work. Satan will withdraw only when we withstand him with our words. If we do not see this and allow him to go on, he will not stop. When we see that Satan is doing the work and plotting everything, we must say, "I do not want this. I oppose this." God will then bless our withstanding, and it will become effectual.

Finally, let us read Ephesians 6:13. Paul said, "Having done all, to stand." We must stand and not allow Satan to continue wearing us out. May the Lord open our eyes to see Satan's wearing-out work on God's children. We have to reject this, and we have to speak up. We have to say, "I reject this. I oppose this. I do not accept this wearing out." We must not accept any kind of wearing out from Satan; we should oppose it and reject it. If we do this, we will witness the Lord's deliverance and release, and we will be freed from Satan's wearing-out work.

The Collected Works of Watchman Nee, Vol. 38, chap. 52, pp. 387-392

APPLICATION

1. "Satan's work among God's children is not apparent; he works by wearing them out." What does it mean to wear someone out?

2. Describe some of the strategies Satan uses in wearing out a man's body; his heart; his spirit; his time; his consecration.

3. Spend a little time before the Lord to consider where Satan may be active in wearing you out in relation to your personal and family life. Isn't it time to become angry with him and oppose and reject his strategies?