2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 1 Samuel 3-6 GW; Psalms 97 GW
Rebel against evil.
Evil means “having bad qualities of a natural kind; mischievous; having qualities which tend to injury, or to produce mischief.” When you see someone blatantly wicked, don’t tolerate it. Even in the smallest of ways, evil is despicable. And realize, sometimes the evil you need to address is in you.
We need Jesus to overcome our evil tendencies. The fruits of the Spirit don’t come naturally to us:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)
Only with Jesus can we produce good fruit. Left to our own devices, our response amid an emotional moment isn’t necessarily love. All of us differ in our struggles. My go-to emotion is anger. However, following Christ helps me to address the evil within me. I’ve learned to identify the emotion quickly. I handle it in myself with this passage:
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV)
Fight evil with prayer.
When I feel myself beginning to boil over with anger, this verse comes to mind. Remembering Paul’s words helps me contain the rage. I’ve dropped to my knees amid the emotion and prayed fervently, “God, please don’t let me sin in my anger.” 100% of the time, He has kept me from sinning. The problem is, I don’t pray 100% of the time when I’m angry. Our battle against evil is ongoing.
Talk to God about the evil in your life. Ask Him for help in addressing it. Find a scripture to help you pray specifically. Experience God’s peace as you produce His fruit.
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Lord, thank You for the Holy Spirit at work within us, helping us overcome our evil tendencies. Forgive us for tolerating any evil in our lives. Today, as we face the challenges of this world, help us stand up to wickedness. Cleanse us from within of our issues. Fill us with Your Spirit, letting its fruit overflow in our lives. Let us bring Your light into the world, wherever we are. IJNIP. Amen
Question for reflection
What evil are you tolerating today?
Thank you.