Riddled with Evil

Even if our age has become riddled with evil, even if death runs rampant on the earth, we will not accept these as final facts. We must not sleepily say, “It is the Lord’s will. What will be, will be.” No, we must resist and, like Moses, throw ourselves into the breach. Just as Moses strove with compassion, patience, and faithfulness for the people of Israel, rebellious as they were, so we, with the same courage, and certainly also with the same repentance, must proclaim that light has broken into the darkness. Salvation and healing are the will of God. To the devil and to all the powers of hell, which accusingly proclaim the hopelessness of our situation, we will cry out, “You will not win! We know this because we know Jesus, who is victorious over every devil.” The fact that Jesus became one of us, in flesh and blood, means that he identifies himself with all that belongs to us as human beings, even our darkest night (Hebrews 2:18). May this enter our consciousness with full impact.

Let us not be led astray, especially in times of corruption when sin appears to have the upper hand and worldly seductions are so great. If we give up on the world, we also give up on a part of ourselves. If I think of someone or some group as being hopelessly lost, then I must feel that part of me is at the same time lost. If your neighbor cannot be made whole because of his present nature, then how much of your nature will also be lost in darkness? Or do you think that an exception will be made for those who have somehow “arrived”? God would not dream of that – He is just. Although darkness reigns everywhere, it does so most especially within us. Therefore, let us each be on our guard. For before we realize it, we can become enslaved to corruption; even our most noble works can become tainted. If we are not careful we can become like the mute who could no longer speak the things of God (Luke 11:14). Perhaps this is why we so seldom see people joyfully, vigorously, happily looking up to God.

We’ve become mute. Though people talk plenty about various kinds of weaponry and other instruments of power, who speaks of God’s will? Instead we hear lies and words of ill will. “We want it this way,” says one, and “We will do it that way,” say another. But who cries out, “We want God’s will!”? Do any of us truly want Christ to conquer – to come and make his kingdom great among us? Is he not the Lord? Or do we think we can save ourselves? Jesus alone shows us the way out of darkness. He is God’s power that leads to salvation (Romans 1:16). He reconciles all that is broken and not right. So we need never lose courage, even when the world is so terribly torn apart, or when we do not foresee a quick redemption from our own sins. We must not lose heart because of God’s delay. God has sealed the world with the name of Jesus. If this were not the case we would have all perished in our need long ago.

Our battle cry is: “Jesus is the victor.” This cry must be heard again and again, especially in our day. For Jesus was given authority over dark forces while on earth and he continues to exercise that authority in the here and now (Colossians 2:9). Our attitude should be: “Just wait until you have been wrested from the clutches of darkness and your eyes are opened – then you will believe!” When we have this attitude we will be the first fruits, light and salt, pioneers for the others.

From Jesus Is the Victor.