It behoves the Lord’s consecrated people carefully to strain out the impurities, and see that they do not enter into our hearts, our thoughts, realizing that if they enter, the result will be to work our defilement, to a greater or less degree. Whoever maintains purity of thought will have comparatively little effort in maintaining purity of word and of action. Whether the impurity come from one direction or another—from the world or the flesh or the devil—its attack must first of all be upon the mind; and if repelled there the victory is won; if not repelled, we cannot know what the consequences might be, as the Apostle James (1:15) declares: “When lust [selfish desire of any kind], hath conceived [in the mind], it bringeth forth sin [develops sinful words or deeds]; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death”.