Saint Augustine was one of the great fathers of the early church. The story is told that soon after his conversion to Christ he was walking down a street in Milan, Italy, where he was at the time a student. A prostitute saw him and called him by name. “Augustine,” she said. He paid no attention to her, though he heard her. She called after him several times, but he did not respond and just kept on walking. Finally she said, “Augustine, it is I.” Without slowing down or even looking at her, he said, “Yes, but it is no longer I.”
Surely Augustine was enduring temptation at that time. His reply to the prostitute, whom he no doubt knew, indicate his knowledge also of the true source of solicitation to evil and the way of victory as well. Augustine’s reply, “It is no longer I,” expresses his realization that having become a believer, a Christian, he now had a new enablement to say no to sin and he availed himself of that power. He was a changed man from the inside out.
Our friend James, brother of Jesus, was used of God to give us information about how to have victory over both the trials and troubles of life and the temptations to sin.
-- Dr. Robert Lightner, pg 3, Solid Stepping Stones (used with permission)
