“There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” (Psalm 91:10)
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
These two verses sort of make you reevaluate just exactly what you believe evil to be, don’t they, specifically in the context of us who have been born-again.
In light of all things happening for good to those who are hid in Christ, who are the righteousness of God in Christ, imagine now the most horrific event you can happening to you, and then attempt to call it evil.
I can easily fill this page with examples, but you have an imagination, you probably even have something that occurred in your past that others will never experience, that they would consider an evil event. And you could even say that it was our adversary that brought it upon you. Can you honestly say though that he did so without your Father in heaven’s permission?
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:” (Luke 22:31)
“But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.” (Job 2:5)
It would be extremely wise of you to contemplate that word “evil” in the context of what has been allowed to happen, and what may happen to you, if indeed you have been born-again, for it will also modify the way you will look at James 1:17.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
All things my friends, no matter what it is, no matter how we initially determine to react to them, are for good, and that can be, as it is said, a very hard pill to swallow.
“If God is good, why is He allowing this to happen to me?” Because He loves you, and even if you cannot see it today, it is for good.
Far too many people believe that the Most High is overly concerned with our emotional state, how we feel about a particular circumstance or situation that befalls us, and have forgotten that we are to be holy, that happiness is not our primary goal. Obedience to His Word and will is, submission to the Holy Spirit because of our love for the Lord Jesus Christ to the glory of God.
“Do all things without murmurings and disputings:” (Phil. 2:14)
Not possible, but we can catch ourselves when we start to complain, we can remember that no evil will come upon us, and that what is happening is happening for good. It is how our faith grows, it is how we move along the path in the assurance that we are being sanctified, of the truth of 1st Peter 1:7.
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
Even the temptations that we occasionally succumb to, those we willingly follow our flesh in, our old nature towards, are for good, if we see them as such, as we recognize them as disobedience to His will for us, as we repent of them and grow in the grace and knowledge that everything is for good.
Is there evil in this world? Oh yes, we see it every day, from those who only profess Him with their lips, those who deny Him completely, false religious cults, from the fools who say there is no God, to unspeakable horrific events, this world is under a curse and the hearts of mankind are only evil continuously. It is a very, very wicked place.
But no evil will come upon you.
Contemplate these truths and you will look at your Father in heaven in a completely different light, you will view every circumstance with different eyes, your heart will finally begin to realize just how infinitely you are loved.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer. 29:11)
My friends, with the knowledge of these truths, you will finally know joy, and the truth of Philippians 4:7 will become an unquestionable reality in your life.
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
