It is important to understand that evil is simply not the absence of good. There is no goodness, so evil happens? No. There is no good so nothing happens? No. There is evil and it is an active force. If there is no good, then evil asserts itself because it operates out of a kingdom at war with God. Evil leaves no neutral territory. It takes all that is not consecrated and dedicated to God captive.
This is why in scripture God told the Israelites to utterly destroy evil doers root and branch, women and children. Their mere presence, though seemingly harmless, was the seed of future destruction. Think of it this way… If you are being operated on, how much cancer is it safe to leave? Doctors go to great lengths to remove even the hint of cancer because it is not neutral. It may be benign at some point, but its presence always has the possibility of becoming malignant.
Evil is not passive. Evil is aggressive. Did Eve invite the serpent to lunch? No, it showed up and started yapping at her quite uninvited.
The Bible tells us the origin of Evil. It is not accurate to say that “God created evil, so there must be evil in God.” Scripture is clear that the source of evil begins with one who was created perfect. The only facet of that perfection that gave way to the birth of evil is found in the free will of an angel once named Lucifer.
From this we see that Satan was created Lucifer. When he rebelled his name was changed from ‘Bringer of Light’ to ‘Adversary’. We also seesomething astonishing that Jesus had to say about him in John 8:44.
The devil is the father, or the origin, of lies. When he speaks a lie, he is not speaking on behalf of the Father in Heaven. The point of origination of not only lies, but murder and all sin, begins with Satan, not God. Have you ever noticed that before? Yet the devil seeks to twist our brain to make God responsible for poor little him and his terrible boo boo! Not so! Lucifer had free will and he chose to make and believe a lie. He chose a path of ‘self’ aggrandizement and ‘self’ fulfillment that is the root of all evil today. This is why we must die to self.
As Christians we are told that ‘strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.’ Hebrews 5:14. We have to discern evil for what it is and what it does. What it looks like and what it does not look like.
Why? Because a long time ago, in a place far away, there were two people and two trees. And the two people ate the fruit of the tree of ‘the knowledge of good AND evil’. We have taken unto ourselves to ‘know’ both good and evil – just as Adam ‘knew’ Eve and she bore a son. We have an intimate acquaintance with evil for it now dwells within. We need the discernment between good and evil so we can remove the evil and retain the good. Would you want an oncologist operating on you if he or she did not know the difference between a good cell and a bad cell? Thank God His Word is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.
Verse 13 further illuminates the nature of evil. “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. In the process of examining our hearts, God finds creatures, created beings, that are invisible to our own sight. This is the manifestation of Satan’s kingdom at work in our hearts for our destruction.
We need to be in God’s Word and comparing all our thoughts and concepts to it, that we may discern what is good and what is evil. God’s Word is what reveals where one begins and the other ends, so we may circumcise our hearts accurately removing the evil while retaining what is right and good.
Make no mistake. Evil is alive and it is malignant. Evil is authored and driven by the devil and his kingdom that ever seeks to expand its influence over us. As God warned Cain, “sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” Someone is going to rule your day today. Who will it be? Will sin and evil rule over you, or will you rule over it?
We must not assume Evil is the absence of good, or we will be overcome by it instead of being overcomers of it. The really good news is that Good is greater than Evil! No matter how dark the darkness, or how great the oppression you are facing, there is HOPE and POWER and STRENGTH and VICTORY in the name and in the person of JESUS CHRIST. Isn’t it time you made Him Savior over that area that has you bound?