There has been much talk about evil lately. It is important to understand what the Bible says about evil, and how we can combat it in our own lives.
First, we must recognize that there is an evil force in the world. The Book of Revelation makes this clear. It says, "Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." (Revelation 12:12) The Apostle Paul often indicated in his writings the ways that evil had disrupted his work. In his First Letter to the Thessalonians, he writes, "We had hoped to pay you a visit, but Satan stopped us." (1 Thessalonians 2:18) Jesus too had much contact with the Devil throughout his ministry, from his own temptations (Matthew 4:1-10) to casting the devil out of others (Mark 5:1-20). The Bible is clear in its portrayal of evil as a living force constantly in search of weak souls to sour and then consume.
For this reason, Paul urges us to "put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes … Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:10-18)
The second point to realize, in the wake of our realization that evil is a real and powerful force in the world, is that if we do as Paul says, and wear "the armor of God", we need not fear evil. Why? As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13) The Devil knows that his time is short on this earth, because he knows that there is a readily available antidote to his power. Put on the armor of God today, and insure not only your defenses against evil, but that its time on this earth is indeed short.
Copyright 2001 Gordon McClellan -- All Rights Reserved.
