INTRODUCTION
The source of one’s strength to oppose another, or to react to the opposition could be either of an evil passion or of a godly passion. Do you wield evil passions to attack another or to resist attack?
Often, we face challenges and stiff opposition from people including, our loved ones, family members, friends, colleagues and communities, or by adversities like illness. Cases of opposition are driven by the force of ‘strength of evil’ that emboldens the adversary. The strength of evil is usually fueled by human passions of pride, hatred, jealousy, covetousness, deceit, envy, fear, greed, strife, conflict etc.
Unfortunately, victims of opposition quite often react to the opposing force with similar evil passions, thereby bringing themselves under the influence or control of the strength of evil as the adversary.
The ‘Strength of the Lord’ however, is not found on evil passions nor would one be able to realize God’s power to deliver where one is ruled by such evil passions or conspires by them. The strength of the Lord is manifest though godly passions of faith, love, patience, goodness, courage, humility and peace. These are passions that are sacrificial by nature, their occurrence often working to constrain one’s action to submission and in giving or denying oneself.
For believers to sustain and overcome opposition, adversity or affliction by the strength of God, they would need to cultivate and demonstrate the godly passions as oppose to the evil passions.
Over the coming weeks, this series on “The Lord my Strength” will present the context of mankind’s disposition to rely on the strength of evil and illustrate through some biblical examples the relationship between oppositions and the power of evil. It will also analyse the strength of evil and distinguish it from the ‘STRENGTH OF THE LORD’ and reveal the physical and spiritual character of both sources of strengths. Importantly the series reveals the Lord’s strength in His sacrifice of Jesus Christ to enable mankind to obtain His POWER in the Holy Spirit to overcome the strength of evil and the world.
This series should help you reflect on the source of your strength in the face of opposition, temptation or distress and to inspire you to seek to make the Lord your strength. Believers and unbelievers will be able to identify the basic principles of how to rely on the Lord as your Strength to guide one’s heart and conduct. You will understand the choice you face when in adversity either to invoke the weapons of evil or to rely on the Lord’s Strength. This first part of the series briefly introduces the context of evil and explains the influence on mankind (i.e. the human flesh) of the strength of evil.
1. MANKIND AND THE STRENGTH OF EVIL
Our biblical descendants Adam and Eve fell out with God because they chose to disobey God’s word and ate the fruit of the “tree of knowledge of good and evil” which God warned them about, that if they ate of that tree they “shall surely die”. They chose instead to believe Satan’s word that if they eat of the fruit they “shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4-6; Romans 6:12 & 21).
After Adam and Eve yielded to Satan, although they remained alive physically their godly (living) spirit died according to God’s word and they became sinful. Owing to the spiritual death, Mankind became disconnected from the true living Spirit of Father God and became subject to Satan and the influence of the evil. Mankind’s godly spiritual nature transformed into an “evil heart”; and all became Satan’s “children of disobedience” causing Man to remain steep in “flesh” and lustful desires. (Genesis. 2:16-17; Isaiah 14:11-17; Ephesians 2:2).
So, under this influence of evil, disobedience and fleshly lusts, “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”. (Genesis 6:5). The state of Man’s disposition to evil is an event occurring to all humans including, the righteous, the wicked, the good, and the sinner alike: such “[that] the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead”. (Ecclesiastes 9:3).
2. THE ‘EVIL HEART’
What then is an “evil heart” that overtakes mankind? It is the state of “unbelief” in God’s word and power that causes mankind to depart from the living God. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God”. (Hebrews 3:12).
It is because Adam and Eve, and generations following, did not believe in God’s word and power that is why they obey Satan and the flesh and are plunged into strife and spiritual death. (Psalm 78:22,32; Numbers 20:12; Hebrew 3:14-19; John 3:18,19;).
3.‘DISOBEDIENT SPIRIT’ AND FLESH DESIRES
Satan’s world of Sin, evil and “disobedient spirit” thus rules in the FLESH of mankind. Being detached from the divine lineage of God upon the ‘curse of death’, man is prone to engage in unrighteous thoughts and conducts that are constructs of man’s wisdom and power, than of the ‘Spirit of God’ and His Power which mankind lost under the curse of death. (Romans 1:22-24).
The “disobedient spirit” drives the fleshly or carnal desires, conducts and thoughts that form abnormal evil passions, characters and dispositions in people including unbelief, jealousy, greed, covetousness, strife, pride, anger, hate, envy, witchcraft, stubbornness, revelling, heresies etc. (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:11 & 22-24; Romans 8:1-4).
The spiritually dead commit these unrighteous conducts and have pleasure in those that do them being aware of the judgement of death. (Romans 1:29-32; Galatians 5:20-21; Colossians 3:5; Deuteronomy 5:7-21).
Brethren it is important to note that to be disobedient and flesh in mind is enmity against God. And “they that are in the flesh cannot please God”. (Romans 1:24; 8:7-8).
Next week, we will examine biblical examples of fleshly conduct on the strength of evil in opposition to God’s people and the character of the strength of evil distinguished from the strength of the Lord.
PRAYER
Almighty father, thank you for your word.
Give an understanding heart to your children to receive your word and seek your face.
Holy Spirit cause them to reflect on their weakness and hope in your tender mercies.
Deliver them from the strength of evil and keep them in your Grace
I make this prayer in Jesus name.
Have a blessed week!
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG), 13/1/2019
