On faith and hope in the midst of temptations and struggles:
But then the devil attacks this faith. This is the next wave of temptation: that he accuses you, and you listen, you get beaten down in your conscience. What has to happen is that faith – in which you learn what to believe – has to become hope, it has to influence your will, so that you *want* to walk in God’s ways, so that you *want* to resist the devil, to face the temptations and to face with courage and resolve what’s against you today and in the future.
This is when you need help. For no matter how determined you are, you’ll never be able to do it yourself, never be strong enough to meet Satan one on one. Well, you are not one on one. Jesus is with you in the fight. “He is able to help those who are being tempted …” to help *you.* Not only able but present.
Through the Holy Spirit, He does influence your will, through His Word, the Gospel. In the Lord’s Supper especially. Coming to the Lord’s Supper is not only receiving Christ’s body and blood, but “the words [which] are the main thing in the Sacrament.”
Receiving His gifts like this is receiving His Word, and it fills you up and makes a protective fence around you. Fighting the devil is something you do not out ahead of the Word, but *inside* the Word.
So He strengthens you in this combat and struggle against temptations, against guilt and shame, against doubt. He strengthens your faith, makes it become hope that drives your will, so that you battle and conquer the devil with His help, fight against the flesh, and bring joy out of the struggle as you hear His forgiveness, receive faith again, and retain the victory Christ won for you. He helps you. He gives you joy out of this struggle, and in the midst of this struggle.