First God through Paul said, “Don’t be conquered by evil.”
Sounds like we’re in a defensive position, battling an onslaught of the enemy.
That can be scary. People react differently when these attacks occur. It’s the whole fight-or-flight thing. Some stand to do battle while others run for safety. Some even burrow down in safety, pulling the covers over their heads, plugging their ears, repeating ‘nah, nah, nah’.
Believer, if you are truly a follower of Jesus, you will suffer the same attacks He and his early followers did. He said so. Evil will come to take you over, and you need to be ready when it does.
There will be sneaky mind games where evil will try to convince you God didn’t REALLY mean… (remember Eve?).
There will be personal attacks, trying to discredit you and shake your confidence in Christ.
There will be sickness and pain – all designed to get you to stop believing in Christ.
God says you do not have to be conquered by that.
Matter of fact, He says YOU can conquer evil!! That’s the second point.
Wait! This sneak attacks? Those personal attacks? Those physical attacks?
Yes. You kick evil in the teeth every time you choose doing things God’s way instead of yours or the enemy’s.
If you live your everyday this way, filled with integrity, doing good, your reputation will help shield you from character attacks. Those who know you will rise up in your defense.
When you keep your mind focused on doing good as a sacrifice to Almighty God, it will be much less susceptible to assertions made by the enemy.
Imagine if every believer in Jesus followed these words, doing good in order to whip evil. The government wouldn’t need social aid programs, God’s people would take care of all that.
Imagine if every believer learned the Word well enough to be able to answer the deceitful tester as Jesus did in the wilderness. No doubts, only truth.
You and I are not responsible for what every believer does, only the one living in our skin. Let’s put that one to work doing good today.
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
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© 2019 Faye Stoeffler Bryant