“Satan, the great enemy of God and man, has been too long in quiet and undisturbed possession of the soul to resign his dominion without a strong and a fearful struggle to maintain it. When the Spirit of God knocks at the door of the heart, every ally is summoned by the ‘strong man armed’ to ‘resist’ the Spirit, and bar and bolt each avenue to his entrance. All is alarm, agitation and commotion within. There is a danger of being dispossessed, and every argument and persuasion and contrivance must be resorted to, in order to retain the long undisputed throne. The world is summoned to throw out its most enticing bait – ambition, wealth, literary and political distinction, pleasure in her thousand forms of fascination and power – all are made to pass, as in review, before the mind. The flesh exerts its power – the love of sin is appealed to, affection for some long-cherished lust, some long-indulged habit, some ‘fond amusement,’ some darling taste – these, inspired with new vigour, are summoned to the rescue. Thus Satan, the world, and the flesh, are opposed to the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, in the great work of spiritual regeneration.”280