by T. Austin-Sparks
Beloved of God,
We are glad to be able to send you this further supply of food, and
we are grateful for the many expressions that come to us that it is
such.
Food is vital to existence, to growth, to health, to work, to
warfare. Food has always been a strategic matter in campaigns. The
enemy knows the strategic value of the people's food. Just as his
success can be immensely accelerated and guaranteed by cutting off
or destroying the food supplies of a temporal object of his
aggression, so it is in this great conflict of spiritual kingdoms.
There has been a persistent determination all along to weaken,
undermine, and render ineffective the Lord's people by interfering
with their food. One of the tragic effects of a poor food supply, or
of a shortage of good food, is that people get used to it, take it
as all there is, settle down to the poor quality, and lose their
appetite for the better because they have no knowledge of its
existence.
That can be put the other way. Only by knowing of, and tasting, the
better food will people reach after it and make for it. A taste
stimulates the appetite.
The Lord's glory and honour are intimately bound up with His
people's condition, and His desire is to have them well fed,
flourishing, healthy, strong, and able. Such a state is a menace to
the interests of the enemy.
Hence there arises a need for the Lord's people, on the one hand to
know that plenty of good food is available, and on the other hand to
realise that, by any conceivable means, the enemy will keep it from
them or them from it.
The question governing this matter must always be: Is this
calculated to bring about a fuller measure of Christ in us?
The Apostle Paul's ministry was so largely one of "building up", and
that by means of sound and abundant spiritual food. Hence, there was
never a ministry more contested by every means - subversion,
criticism, misrepresentation, slander, falsehood, and evil report in
every place. Oh, how the Devil hates everything and anything that
will bring in Christ in greater measure!
In this ministry we have no other and no less an object than that
Christ shall find His fulness in His people, and our prayer is that
this little messenger may be an ever-growing minister of Him to you.
The Lord find His pleasure in you in terms of spiritual health,
stature, stamina, fruitful labour, and triumphant warfare!
With warmest greetings,
Yours in His grace,
EDITOR.
In keeping with T. Austin-Sparks' wishes that what was freely received should be freely given and not sold for profit, and that his messages be reproduced word for word, we ask if you choose to share these messages with others, to please respect his wishes and offer them freely - free of any changes, free of any charge (except necessary distribution costs) and with this statement included.