Sovereign Grace Church

…cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins

(ISAIAH 40:2)

Warfare accomplished with the Law

An awakened soul as a dreadful warfare with the law of God. The law of God is revealed to his conscience, armed with a flaming, glittering sword. It demands the obedience of his heart and life. The sinner tries to obey it, he tries to bring his life up to its requirements; but in vain. The law lifts up its sword to slay him; it hurls its curses at him. This is a dreadful warfare in every awakened conscience; but when the sinner runs into Jesus Christ, [he discovers] his warfare is accomplished. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe” (PROVERBS 18:10). In Christ Jesus, the demands of the law are satisfied; for He was made under the law. Its curses are borne; for He was made a curse for us. The glittering sword pierced the side of Jesus. Oh! [reader] do you know what it is to have this warfare accomplished?

Warfare accomplished with the devil

We wrestle not with flesh and blood. An awakened soul has often an awful warfare with Satan. Satan fights against him in two ways: 1st, By stirring up his corruptions, and making his lusts to flame and burn within him in a fearful manner. 2nd, By accusing him. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He accuses him in his conscience, in order to drive him away from Christ, to drive him to despair, and to give up all hope of salvation. He says to him: ‘Thou art a vile wretch, not fit for a holy Saviour; see what raging lusts are in thy heart, thou wilt never be saved.’ Ah! when the poor sinner runs into Christ, he finds rest there [and it made to know]; his warfare is [already] accomplished. He sees all the accusations of Satan answered in the blood of the Lamb.

Warfare accomplished with sin

The awakened soul has a dreadful warfare with his corruptions. His heart appears just full of raging lusts, all tearing him to pieces. He is driven hither and thither; but when he comes to Christ this warfare is accomplished. Indeed, in one sense the battle is not over, but just begun; but now victory is sure. God is now for him. Greater is He that is for him than all that can be against him. “If God be for us, who can be against us?!” (ROMANS 8:31). The Spirit of God is now within him; he will abide with him for ever. The Spirit now reigns in him. Christ now fights for him, covers his head in the day of battle, carries him on His shoulder. He is as sure to overcome as if he were already in glory. He says to him: “Fear not, thou worm Jacob”…“Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine”… “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” [ISAIAH 41:14, 43:1; HEBREWS 13:5] That word, never leave thee, reaches through the darkest hours of temptation, the deepest waters of affliction, the hottest fires of persecution; it reaches unto death, through death and the grave, into eternity.