Evil, Sheer Evil

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.”     (1 John 5:19 ESV)

The power of the evil one. He is powerful, but his power is limited. He is not sovereign but subordinate to God, and he knows you. He knows you well. If you are in Christ, the evil one knew you better before your conversion. You followed him; you liked his song, pleasant to your ears, and like a pied piper, he led you where he wanted you to go.

When we know someone well, we know how they think. We can look at them and tell their mood. We can see their happiness and their distress. The evil one knows you that well. He uses his knowledge of you to try and lead you from God. In your successes, he brings out vanity. In your failures, your shortcomings. He brings a shadow of doubt over you when you are weak. And in your sadness, he throws the words rejected, abandoned, and forgotten to the forefront of your mind.

In John’s first epistle, he talks about the evil one and how the world is in his power. We know this to be true. But we sometimes fail to remember that we cannot escape the net of Satan, his temptations, sin, and condemnation without the help of Christ. What we cannot do is blame someone else, Satan, while trying to escape the responsibility of our actions. We cannot justify why we have committed that sin.

While sin is in our essence, it is also voluntary. We, especially those in Christ, know the difference between right and wrong, but we choose to continue in sin. We must remember that we cannot go on in sin because it is so easy. When we do, we fall for Satan’s lies, succumbing to his song.

Today, I am saddened not by my actions but by the influence Satan has brought upon those I love. Yesterday, I gave thanks for the works of God in our ministries, humbled by the things I have witnessed. All the while, I thought, God, I know he will try to destroy this thing you have done. The trials came quickly. Remain steadfast in your love of Christ. If you feel doubt, repent. God is in you and with you. There is nothing that Christ cannot overcome, nothing. Most importantly, you are not alone; you are not isolated. You are loved by your savior and those whom you call friends.

We can escape the evil one, but only through the power of the gospel.

Grace and Peace!