Satan well knows that success can only attend order and harmonious action. He well knows that everything connected with heaven is in perfect order, that subjection and thorough discipline mark the movements of the angelic host. It is his studied effort to lead professed Christians just as far from heaven’s arrangement as he can; therefore he deceives even the professed people of God and makes them believe that order and discipline are enemies to spirituality, that the only safety for them is to let each pursue his own course, and to remain especially distinct from bodies of Christians who are united and are laboring to establish discipline and harmony of action. All the efforts made to establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful liberty, and hence are feared as popery. These deceived souls consider it a virtue to boast of their freedom to think and act independently. They will not take any man’s say-so. They are amenable to no man. I was shown that it is Satan’s special work to lead men to feel that it is in God’s order for them to strike out for themselves and choose their own course, independent of their brethren. {1T 650.1}

Satan ved godt, at fremgang kun er mulig, hvor der er orden og enig handling. Han ved godt, at i alt, som Gud står i forbindelse med, hersker der fuldkommen orden og at lydighed og fuldkommen disciplin præger englehærens bevægelser. Hans overlagte bestræbelser går ud på at lede kristendomsbekendere så langt bort fra Herrens ordning, som han kan; derfor bedrager han endda dem, der bekender sig til at være Guds folk og leder dem til at tro, at orden og disciplin er uforenelige med åndelighed og at det eneste sikre for dem er at lade enhver gå sin egen vej og holde sig helt adskilte fra grupper af kristne, der står sammensluttede og arbejder for at tilvejebringe disciplin og enighed i handling. Alle forsøg på at skabe orden, betragtes som farlige, som en indskrænkning af retmæssig frihed og frygtes derfor, som et pavevælde. Disse forførte sjæle betragter det som et fortrin, at kunne rose sig af deres frihed til at tænke og handle selvstændigt. De vil ikke rette sig efter, hvad mennesker siger. De lader sig ikke råde af noget menneske. Det blev mig vist, at det er Satans særlige opgave at indbilde mennesker, at det er Guds vilje med dem, at de skal handle på egen hånd og vælge deres egen vej, uafhængig af deres brødre.