Sacred Scripture, given us for reproof and instruction, is always urging upon the followers of God the necessity of fighting. we must "fight the good fight;" fight for the faith; fight the mental battle with the false evidences of evil; but we must see that the contest is not ours, that it is not a contest of personalities, but one between Truth and supposititious evil, which surely destroys all errors, futilely and helplessly arrayed against divine Principle.
The Scriptures recount the fighting experiences of the ancient worthies; and from these it is evident that obedience to the First Commandment is required for the undertaking and winning of every battle. The command is always: "Be of good courage;" "Be not afraid;" "I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God;" "Thou shalt have no other gods before me,"—Life, Truth, Love; Thou shalt not have a god called fear, and bow down thyself to it, and so become paralyzed before the boast of its false claim to power; Trust good; Have faith in God!
The Bible sets before us the sure triumphs of Joseph in Egypt, of Moses at the Red Sea, of Joshua before the walls of Jericho, of Gideon with his little band all ready and willing to fight, of the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, of Daniel in the den of lions, and of David, quick to see and obey God, quick in repentance from error and in the washing of himself from the mire of self-condemnation, quick to renew his joy in the salvation of his God.
