Among all who walk in harmony with God, there must be perfect freedom from all the natural passions of the human heart. All who give themselves to the service of Christ will follow the example of Christ, and will be perfect overcomers. When self ceases to wrestle for the supremacy, and the heart is worked by the Holy Spirit, the soul lies perfectly passive—and then the image of God is mirrored upon the heart, the soul is in accord with the mind of God, and human identity is lost in Jesus Christ. Then all temporal and spiritual transactions which need to be done will be done under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, without worry, perplexity, murmuring, faultfinding, accusation, or wrathful speeches, which, among those who have not surrendered self to God, are often not restrained but pour forth from the lips in any place and under any circumstance when selfish ideas are interfered with.
(9MR 324.1)
Who presides over and controls the selfish heart? Could the curtain be withdrawn, that passionate, professed believer would see a legion of satanic angels controlling him with their own spirit. He is standing in the presence of holy angels and in the presence of Satan’s hellish army, and his conduct shows that he has no right to the name of “Christian.” He professes much, but brings forth thorn-berries. Self is the mainspring of action. One such exhibition before the people is sufficient to testify—How “can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3)—Manuscript 176, 1898, pp. 4, 5. (“Testimony to the Members of the Prahran Church,” April 4, 1898.)
(9MR 324.2)