OVERCOMING EVIL
Jesus Christ did nothing wrong, but was falsely accused, persecuted, and crucified for sins of the world. (Luke 23:2-4; Corinthian 5:21) And he lets us know that Satan will influence people to “insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me” (Matthew 5:11; Revelation 12:10). He says: “ In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
JOB OVERCAME EVIL BY TRUSTING IN HIS REDEEMER
In the Bible, Satan or the devil, and three of Job’s friends falsely accused Job. However, he was upright in the eyes of God. Satan accused Job of serving God only because God had blessed him with so much, and had placed a hedge of protection around him. God gave the devil permission to test the faithfulness of Job. Satan destroyed Job’s material possessions, killed members of his family, and afflicted his entire body with sores and boils. (Job 1,2)
However, the devil, the accuser of our brothers and sisters (Revelation 12:10), was not finished accusing and testing Job. The devil influenced Job’s wife to turn against him, and caused three of his friends to falsely accuse him. They said that he was being punished by God because he had sinned against God. (Job 8…).
Confident that he had not sinned against God and that he could trust God, Job said, “all of the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes” (Job 14:14).
Job had never seen the Lord with his natural eyes; but he said, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last” (Job 19:25).
“The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part” (Job 42:12).
When Jesus appeared later, he said, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” in him (John 20:29).
JESUS OVERCAME EVILY BY TRUSTING IN HIS FATHER.
Satan falsely accused Jesus through some of his own people. Some members of the Jewish Sanhedrin accused him of blasphemy, and of deserving to die for his claiming to be the promised Messianic Son of God (Matthew 26:63-66; Isaiah 9:6). And they falsely alleged that he violated Roman law by claiming to be a king; for this they said he should die (John 19:12,15).
However, Jesus told his accusers, ”You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above” (John 19:11). And when he was being put to death, he said “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16). And when Jesus had triumphed over sin and the devil by dying on the cross, he said to the Father, “it is finished.” (Colossians 2:15; John 19:30)
WE OVERCOME EVIL BY BELIEVING AND TRUSTING IN OUR LORD GOD.
The Word of God says, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, and he will guide you in the right way (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). For God is the same yesterday today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
In Ephesians 6:12, we are told by the Lord’s apostle Paul that we contend not with flesh and blood, but with powerful spiritual forces of the devil. However, our adequacy comes from God.
Paul said: “I was given a thorn in my flesh,(M) a messenger of Satan,(N) to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.(O) 9 But he said to me, “My grace(P) is sufficient for you, for my power(Q) is made perfect in weakness.(R)”(S) Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight(T) in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,(U) in persecutions,(V) in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
In our fight with Satan, God may also permit us to be tested to prove faith, show his grace and strengthen our relationship with him. God may allow Satan to cause someone to mistreat you. The devil may even set a weak or misguided brother’s or sister’s “tongue on fire from hell” against you (James 5:16).
God’s Word and Spirit help us to recognize and overcome the schemes of the devil:
- For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).
- Jesus said: “If you love me, keep my commands.(A) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate(B) to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth.(C) The world cannot accept him,(D) because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[a] in you.
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, and he will guide you in the right way (Proverbs 3:5-6; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). For God is the same yesterday today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
- Do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). And forgive “each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast” (1 Peter 5:10).
“Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12-13; Revelation 19:7).
