James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
[The Great Controversy pp 489] If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed.
Therefore, he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his fatal sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome. Let none, then, regard their defects as incurable. God will give faith and grace to overcome them…. [The Desire of Ages pp 125] While Satan can solicit, he cannot compel to sin. Unless Christ should consent to temptation, He could not be overcome. Not all the power of earth or hell could force Him in the slightest degree to depart from the will of His Father.
The tempter can never compel us to do evil. He cannot control minds unless they are yielded to his control. The will must consent, faith must let go its hold upon Christ, before Satan can exercise his power upon us….. In preparation for the great final conflict, the habit of making excuses for our failures should become a thing of the past for as was stated before, persons who will be living at that time, and those who would stand like the brave, with their face to the foe, must have Christ fully formed within, to survive without blemish.
James 3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!