The enemy is preparing for his last campaign against the church. He has so concealed himself from view that many can hardly believe that he exists, much less can they be convinced of his amazing activity and power. They have to a great extent forgotten his past record; and when he makes another advance move, they will not recognize him as their enemy, that old serpent, but they will consider him a friend, one who is doing a good work. Boasting of their independence they will, under his specious, bewitching influence, obey the worst impulses of the human heart and yet believe that God is leading them. Could their eyes be opened to distinguish their captain, they would see that they are not serving God, but the enemy of all righteousness. They would see that their boasted independence is one of the heaviest fetters Satan can rivet on unbalanced minds. {5T 294.1}

Fjenden bereder sig til sit sidste felttog mod menigheden. Han har i den grad stillet sig selv ude af syne, at mange knap kan tro, at han er til og langt mindre kan de overbevises om hans forbavsende aktivitet og magt. De har i stor udstrækning glemt hans tidligere historie og når han gør et nyt fremstød, vil de ikke kende ham som deres fjende, den gamle slange, men vil betragte ham som en ven, som en, der gør en god gerning. Medens de roser sig af deres selvstændighed, vil de under hans bestikkende, fortryllende indflydelse følge det menneskelige hjertes værste indskydelser og alligevel tro, at Gud leder dem. Kunne deres øjne oplades til at skelne deres høvding, ville de se, at de ikke tjener Gud, men al retfærdigheds fjende. De vil indse, at den selvstændighed, som de roser sig af, er en af de tungeste lænker, Satan kan fæste om deres ubalancerede sind.