Overcome Evil with Good
The most important principle in truly giving myself to God is to see His ways are the way out of trouble, hurt and pain, and my ways are why I'm in trouble, hurt, and pain.
Romans 12:19-21 NKJV — Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.The world has a Spiritual problem that manifests in physical brokeness. Trying to fix spiritual problems with worldly (what the Bible calls carnal) solutions INCREASES brokeness, it never decreases it.
More brokeness = more pain, loss, and fear
I want to let God lead me out of acting like those who resist me. Satan is prowling, looking for those he can covertly and craftily devour with his ways of thinking and acting. He does this by attaching good/God reasons to lawless, fear-filled, and evil behavior. Satan's lies are tailor made to appeal to our flesh. Satan would that we would all feel good eradicating evil in the flesh... Truly falling into deep darkness... than come out of the flesh and let God's goodness win us back to God.
Your enemy thinks you are evil... They truly believe that. If you think your enemy is evil and don't recognize they are a victim of the in evil one... YOU also are under the influence of the evil one and outside of God's truth!
This delusional self-righteousness will only make your world worse, never better.
God loves every human he has made. He only enjoys those who agree with Him about what is really happening. Satan presents himself as an angel of light. We are supposed to be aware of the devil's schemes.
When someone treats us poorly, we have to recognize the real enemy. It isn't the person who is the vehicle of evil. Our real enemy is a crafty devil that want us to sink to a new level of fear, desperation, so we can be emotionally led to even greater depths of evil and fear. We overcome that hidden agenda by getting into God's ways and out of human ways, of changing the world.
Yeshua is the only example the earth has ever witnessed of someone who could do anything He wanted to right wrongs, and instead of fighting "bad people," offered His own life. Yeshua was sent to save people out of their own ways. He is the one we must follow if we claim to be His.
1 Peter 3:8-17 NKJV — Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.” And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
God curses those who claim to love Him but refuse his ways. They heap more trouble on their own head, their families, their cities, congregations, nations, and even the world. The world is in darkness because those with God's Spirit are mostly refusing to humble themselves under God's mighty hand.
God blesses those who follow His ways out of the world and into a new Kingdom of HIS vision, values and power.
The power of God's kingdom on earth is the CROSS, because it crucifies all of our evil ideas of how to help good overcome evil. The cross gets our human ways out of the way and makes a place for God's MORE powerful, but less understood, ways to reign.
No one can kill what has already been sacrificed and offered to God. If I give my heart to God... crucify my flesh... then whatever happens to me only helps that process along. There are literally no victims in God's kingdom... Only former enemies who have turned back to a generous and forgiving king and want to live the same way as God does, blessing even those who curse.
Matthew 5:38-48 NKJV — “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
When we begin following Jesus, all of our trouble takes on new meaning. All our persecution is transformed into victory when we simply come out of our ways, and all the loss, and into God's ways and all the victory of good over evil.
Satan is becoming desperate. More and more, he will try to provoke an unrighteous response. We must be sober minded about he real war and not try to carnally win wars against those who themselves have been overcome by evil. We MUST come out and win the Spiritual victory of being better at following God than our enemies.
Perhaps God will win both us and the hearts of our human enemies, those truly overcome by evil... Victims of the evil one... as we give witness that God's ways are better, and even the gates of hell will not prevail against Him.
May God be praised in these evil and dark times. May His truth cut through the darkness and truly free captives.
Everyone thinks they are doing God's will. Only those who let God define goodness, even unto their own persecution and loss, are in God's will.
John 16:33 NKJV — “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
When someone treats us poorly, we have to recognize the real enemy. It isn't the person who is the vehicle of evil. Our real enemy is a crafty devil that want us to sink to a new level of fear, desperation, so we can be emotionally led to even greater depths of evil and fear. We overcome that hidden agenda by getting into God's ways and out of human ways, of changing the world.
Yeshua is the only example the earth has ever witnessed of someone who could do anything He wanted to right wrongs, and instead of fighting "bad people," offered His own life. Yeshua was sent to save people out of their own ways. He is the one we must follow if we claim to be His.
1 Peter 3:8-17 NKJV — Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.” And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
God curses those who claim to love Him but refuse his ways. They heap more trouble on their own head, their families, their cities, congregations, nations, and even the world. The world is in darkness because those with God's Spirit are mostly refusing to humble themselves under God's mighty hand.
God blesses those who follow His ways out of the world and into a new Kingdom of HIS vision, values and power.
The power of God's kingdom on earth is the CROSS, because it crucifies all of our evil ideas of how to help good overcome evil. The cross gets our human ways out of the way and makes a place for God's MORE powerful, but less understood, ways to reign.
No one can kill what has already been sacrificed and offered to God. If I give my heart to God... crucify my flesh... then whatever happens to me only helps that process along. There are literally no victims in God's kingdom... Only former enemies who have turned back to a generous and forgiving king and want to live the same way as God does, blessing even those who curse.
Matthew 5:38-48 NKJV — “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. “And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. “Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
When we begin following Jesus, all of our trouble takes on new meaning. All our persecution is transformed into victory when we simply come out of our ways, and all the loss, and into God's ways and all the victory of good over evil.
Satan is becoming desperate. More and more, he will try to provoke an unrighteous response. We must be sober minded about he real war and not try to carnally win wars against those who themselves have been overcome by evil. We MUST come out and win the Spiritual victory of being better at following God than our enemies.
Perhaps God will win both us and the hearts of our human enemies, those truly overcome by evil... Victims of the evil one... as we give witness that God's ways are better, and even the gates of hell will not prevail against Him.
May God be praised in these evil and dark times. May His truth cut through the darkness and truly free captives.
Everyone thinks they are doing God's will. Only those who let God define goodness, even unto their own persecution and loss, are in God's will.
John 16:33 NKJV — “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
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ReplyDeleteBrother, it is so good to read these words of insight, instruction, encouragement and wisdom. Thank you. 🙏🏼
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