LOOK UPWARD

Now it is Satan's chief business to hinder Christ's redeemed from looking upward, for not only does he hate Christ, but he knows he cannot prevail with you while you be believingly and lovingly absorbed with Him and drawing strength form Him. Therefore he will do everything in his power to keep you from this "one thing needful". He did so when you were under conviction of sin. He sought to get you occupied entirely with your guilt and defilement, telling you your case was hopeless and trying to drive you to despair. When you were half delivered from that snare, he set you to work trying to save yourself by a process of reformation and religious exercise. But you found there was no relief for your lacerated conscience and burdened heart until you looked away from self and beheld "the Lamb of God" taking your place and suffering the Just for the unjust. Only as you turned the eye of a feeble and flickering faith unnto the atoning Redeemer did your burden roll away and peace surpassing all understanding fill your soul. Satan is very persistant he will now seek to get you absorbed with self, to dwell unduly upon your failings (instead of confessing them to Christ), and push you down into the slough of despond........

We should resist the devil (James 4v7) and refuse to be ensnared by him, constantly looking upward to the Lord.