As Christians in this present world, we see evil everyday in some form or fashion. So how are we to deal with it and overcome it, and live a life that is pleasing to the Lord? Let us look at what the Word of God has to say regarding this subject. The Lord is faithful and will keep and preserve our soul from all darkness, if we cooperate with His Holy Spirit. We as Christians have a part to play in staying free from all evil, our part is to stand and resist it. The Lords grace is sufficient to sustain us.
“As little sticks set the great ones on fire, and a wisp of straw often enkindles a great block of wood, so we are drawn on by the lesser evils to greater, and by the just judgment of God allowed to fall into them, because we made no conscience of lesser. The lesser commandments are a rail about the greater, and no man grows downright wicked at first, but rises to it by degrees.”
First lets define what Evil is, definition taken from the Webster’s 1828 dictionary.
Evil
E’VIL, adjective e’vl. [Heb. to be unjust or injurious, to defraud.]
1. Having bad qualities of a natural kind; mischievous; having qualities which tend to injury, or to produce mischief.
Some evil beast hath devoured him. Genesis 37:2.
2. Having bad qualities of a moral kind; wicked; corrupt; perverse; wrong; as evil thoughts; evil deeds; evil speaking; an evil generation.
3. Unfortunate; unhappy; producing sorrow, distress, injury or calamity; as evil tidings; evil arrows; evil days.
E’VIL, nounevil is natural or moral. Natural evil is any thing which produces pain, distress, loss or calamity, or which in any way disturbs the peace, impairs the happiness, or destroys the perfection of natural beings.
Moral evil is any deviation of a moral agent from the rules of conduct prescribed to him by God, or by legitimate human authority; or it is any violation of the plain principles of justice and rectitude.
There are also evils called civil, which affect injuriously the peace or prosperity of a city or state; and political evils, which injure a nation, in its public capacity.
All wickedness, all crimes, all violations of law and right are moral evils. Diseases are natural evils, but they often proceed from moral evils.
2. Misfortune; mischief; injury.
There shall no evil befall thee. Psalms 91:10.
A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself. Proverbs 22:3.
3. Depravity; corruption of heart, or disposition to commit wickedness; malignity.
The heart of the sons of men is full of evilEcclesiastes 9:3.
4. Malady; as the king’s evil or scrophula.
E’VIL, adverb [generally contracted to ill.]
1. Not well; not with justice or propriety; unsuitable.
Evil it beseems thee.
2. Not virtuously; not innocently.
3. Not happily; unfortunately.
It went evil with his house.
4. Injuriously; not kindly.
The Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us.
In composition, evil denoting something bad or wrong, is often contracted to ill.
Now let’s look at what the Word of God has to say and how He instructs us to deal with Evil.
Scripture outlines several ways in which believers should respond to evil.
Evil is to be avoided
Psalm 1:1; Proverbs 4:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Psalm 1:1 (NASB95) — 1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
Proverbs 4:14 (NASB95) — 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 (NASB95) — 22 abstain from every form of evil.
See also Job 28:28; Ps 119:115; Proverbs 4:27; Proverbs 14:16; Isaiah 52:11; Acts 2:40 Peter’s appeal to the crowd; Romans 12:9; Romans 13:14
Job 28:28 (NASB95) — 28 “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
Psalm 119:115 (NASB95) — 115 Depart from me, evildoers, That I may observe the commandments of my God.
Proverbs 4:27 (NASB95) — 27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.
Proverbs 14:16 (NASB95) — 16 A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool is arrogant and careless.
Isaiah 52:11 (NASB95) — 11 Depart, depart, go out from there, Touch nothing unclean; Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves, You who carry the vessels of the Lord.
Acts 2:40 (NASB95) — 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
Romans 12:9 (NASB95) — 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 13:14 (NASB95) — 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.
Evil likened to yeast:
1 Corinthians 5:6–7; Galatians 5:9
1 Corinthians 5:6–7 (NASB95) — 6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 7 Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed.
Galatians 5:9 (NASB95) — 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.
2 Co 6:14–18; Eph 4:27; Eph 5:3; Eph 5:6–7; 2 Th 3:6; 1 Pe 3:11; Ps 34:14
2 Corinthians 6:14–18 (NASB95) — 14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 17 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “And do not touch what is unclean; And I will welcome you. 18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.
Ephesians 4:27 (NASB95) — 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity.
Ephesians 5:3 (NASB95) — 3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;
Ephesians 5:6–7 (NASB95) — 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them;
2 Thessalonians 3:6 (NASB95) — 6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.
1 Peter 3:11 (NASB95) — 11 “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:14 (NASB95) — 14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.
Evil is to be hated
Proverbs 8:13 (NASB95) — 13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate.
See also Psalm 97:10; Amos 5:15; John 3:20; Romans 12:9
Psalm 97:10 (NASB95) — 10 Hate evil, you who love the Lord, Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Amos 5:15 (NASB95) — 15 Hate evil, love good, And establish justice in the gate! Perhaps the Lord God of hosts May be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
John 3:20 (NASB95) — 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Romans 12:9 (NASB95) — 9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
Evil is to be rebuked
Matthew 16:23 (NASB95) — 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
2 Timothy 4:2 (NASB95) — 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
See also 1 Sa 2:29; 1 Sa 13:13; 1 Sa 15:22; 2 Sa 12:9 Nathan rebukes David; 1 Ki 18:18 Elijah rebukes Ahab; 2 Ch 16:9; 2 Ch 24:20; 2 Ch 26:18; Ezr 10:10; Ps 141:5; Da 4:27; Da 5:22; Mt 14:4 John the Baptist rebukes Herod; Lk 23:40; Ac 5:3–4 Peter rebukes Ananias; Ac 5:9 Peter rebukes Sapphira; 1 Ti 1:3; 1 Ti 5:20; Tt 1:13; Tt 2:15
1 Samuel 2:29 (NASB95) — 29 ‘Why do you kick at My sacrifice and at My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling, and honor your sons above Me, by making yourselves fat with the choicest of every offering of My people Israel?’
1 Samuel 13:13 (NASB95) — 13 Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.
1 Samuel 15:22 (NASB95) — 22 Samuel said, “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.
2 Samuel 12:9 (NASB95) — 9 ‘Why have you despised the word of the Lord by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.
1 Kings 18:18 (NASB95) — 18 He said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and you have followed the Baals.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB95) — 9 “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.”
2 Chronicles 24:20 (NASB95) — 20 Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He has also forsaken you.’ ”
2 Chronicles 26:18 (NASB95) — 18 They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from the Lord God.”
Ezra 10:10 (NASB95) — 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel.
Psalm 141:5 (NASB95) — 5 Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; It is oil upon the head; Do not let my head refuse it, For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.
Daniel 4:27 (NASB95) — 27 ‘Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.’
Daniel 5:22 (NASB95) — 22 “Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this,
Matthew 14:4 (NASB95) — 4 For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
Luke 23:40 (NASB95) — 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
Acts 5:3–4 (NASB95) — 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”
Acts 5:9 (NASB95) — 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”
1 Timothy 1:3 (NASB95) — 3 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines,
1 Timothy 5:20 (NASB95) — 20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.
Titus 1:13 (NASB95) — 13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,
Titus 2:15 (NASB95) — 15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
Evil is to be resisted
Proverbs 1:10; Galatians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11; James 4:7
Proverbs 1:10 (NASB95) — 10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.
Galatians 2:11 (NASB95) — 11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
Ephesians 6:11 (NASB95) — 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
James 4:7 (NASB95) — 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
See also 1 Co 5:13; Eph 5:11; Heb 12:1; 1 Pe 2:1; 1 Pe 5:9
1 Corinthians 5:13 (NASB95) — 13 But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.
Ephesians 5:11 (NASB95) — 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them;
Hebrews 12:1 (NASB95) — 1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
1 Peter 2:1 (NASB95) — 1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander,
1 Peter 5:9 (NASB95) — 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.
Evil is to be repaid with good
Luke 6:35 (NASB95) — 35 “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.
Romans 12:20–21 (NASB95) — 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
See also Pr 25:21–22; Ex 23:5; Le 19:18; Mt 5:44; 1 Th 5:15; 1 Pe 3:9
Proverbs 25:21–22 (NASB95) — 21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; 22 For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the Lord will reward you.
Exodus 23:5 (NASB95) — 5 “If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying helpless under its load, you shall refrain from leaving it to him, you shall surely release it with him.
Leviticus 19:18 (NASB95) — 18 ‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
Matthew 5:44 (NASB95) — 44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NASB95) — 15 See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.
1 Peter 3:9 (NASB95) — 9 not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
Believers should pray in response to evil
Matthew 6:13; Acts 4:29; Hebrews 4:16
Matthew 6:13 (NASB95) — 13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’
Acts 4:29 (NASB95) — 29 “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,
Hebrews 4:16 (NASB95) — 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
See also Ex 17:4; 1 Ki 18:36; 2 Ki 19:19; 2 Ch 20:12; Ezr 8:23; Ne 1:4; Mt 26:41; Ac 12:5; Jas 5:13
Exodus 17:4 (NASB95) — 4 So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do to this people? A little more and they will stone me.”
1 Kings 18:36 (NASB95) — 36 At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word.
2 Kings 19:19 (NASB95) — 19 “Now, O Lord our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God.”
2 Chronicles 20:12 (NASB95) — 12 “O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You.”
Ezra 8:23 (NASB95) — 23 So we fasted and sought our God concerning this matter, and He listened to our entreaty.
Nehemiah 1:4 (NASB95) — 4 When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
Matthew 26:41 (NASB95) — 41 “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Acts 12:5 (NASB95) — 5 So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.
James 5:13 (NASB95) — 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.
Believers should trust God in the face of evil
Psalm 23:4 (NASB95) — 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Matthew 26:39 (NASB95) — 39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”
See also Ps 4:8; Ps 20:7; Ps 27:1; Is 12:2; Da 3:17–18; Hab 3:17–18; 2 Ti 1:12; Heb 13:6; Ps 118:6–7
Psalm 4:8 (NASB95) — 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.
Psalm 20:7 (NASB95) — 7 Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.
Psalm 27:1 (NASB95) — 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?
Isaiah 12:2 (NASB95) — 2 “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.”
Daniel 3:17–18 (NASB95) — 17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Habakkuk 3:17–18 (NASB95) — 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
2 Timothy 1:12 (NASB95) — 12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
Hebrews 13:6 (NASB95) — 6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
Psalm 118:6–7 (NASB95) — 6 The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
Conclusion
The only way to continually overcome evil is by living in close communion and fellowship with the Lord moment by moment. Prayer is our umbilical cord to God, without it we have no divine strength to resist evil. Also what we set our minds upon daily determines what law will operate in us. Either the Law of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus or The Law of Sin and Death. We must be continually presenting ourselves to him by reading and mediating on the Word, practicing His Word….