Romans 12:21
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
How to Overcome Evil With Good (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
How to Overcome Evil With Good
From the moment you accept Christ as your Savior, the battle is on! Open eyes make you sense and see the differences between your old self and the new you that God has created you to be. Your soul is like a ship at sea: Sometimes the sailing is smooth and the winds are favorable. At other times the sky is dark and storms of life toss you about. Whether the sea is calm or stormy, your goal is to navigate in accordance to the will of God.
The Storms in Life Are In & Around You
The storms of life are often brought about by evil. The evil that tosses your life about can live within your own mind and heart because of old habits you haven’t abandoned. Sometimes the evil comes from enemies around you. Regardless of the source, our instructions are simple: We are to overcome evil with good.
Faith & Hope Help You Overcome Evil With Good
But how do you overcome evil with good? The journey of the overcoming Christian starts with faith in our Savior Jesus. Faith and hope make room objectivity, so that you don’t get lost in negative emotions. Faith and hope give you a positive attitude. It allows you to take the high road and not be afraid. Faith and hope in God are the antidotes to fear. Fear is not of God.
2 Timothy 1:7 (King James Bible, Cambridge Ed.) says: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
1 John 4:18 (KJV) says: There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
Fear is dangerous because it can paralyze your will. A paralyzed will makes you passive. Being passive allows your circumstances to dictate what you have to do. So, a paralyzed will weakens your ability to overcome evil with good.
Perfect love casts out fear. God is love, and in Him is our love for Him perfected. The more you know the Lord, the less you will fear. The love of God empowers you to be bold and equips you to overcome in all the storms of life.
Faith & Hope Empower You to Overcome
Faith and hope empowers you to “be of good cheer.” You can smile, no matter what your circumstances are. Smiles are a great example of balm in Gilead: They cause your mind and body to relax. Smiles also make people around you feel good. You can positively charge the air just by being of good cheer. Our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ has overcome the world. This alone is cause for victorious smiles and confidence that we are “more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).
Take It to the Lord in Prayer
Prayer is a two-way street. When you pray, you talk to God, but God also talks back to you. During and after prayer, the Lord will speak comfort, confidence and instructions to your heart and mind. We are to let our requests be made known unto God, Who has all power, and has given unto us the water of life that we may have life that is eternal and abundant.
What Then Is Your Prayer?
Having learned these things what is my prayer? My prayer is: Father forgive me the sins of pride and unbelief. I have not seen you as the mighty God, and I have doubted your power to help me in my everyday life. Lord, please make me a overcomer. Help me to overcome evil with good, and to bring all the pertains to my life to you, that I may live in the strength of your love and wisdom, to the glory of your holy and precious name.
May these words educate, comfort and encourage you to pray today. Until we meet again: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!” (Ephesians 6:10).
Your friend in Christ,
– Verneda
Twitter handle: @vlights
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