the days of evil

Since the day Adam invited the devil into our world, evil has abounded for six thousand years. It seems like evil hit a crescendo when Jesus came preaching salvation by grace. What made evil so intense at that time? The devil made the Son of God his number one target. No one by themselves is safe or exempt from the wiles of the devil.

Ephesians 5:16 Redeem (improve on opportunities) the time because the days are evil.

God did not put us in a world where He knew evil would abound and then leave us powerless. Jesus did two amazing things for His followers: First He defeated the devil and secondly He gave us His Name. The devil has been totally defeated but he acts as if nothing happened to him, so we must remind him every day. Let this mind be in you that was in the Lord Jesus, every day is evil but we have authority over it all. Having the Name doesn't exempt you from evil, it protects you from it. If you have His Name and if you have faith in His Name, you have nothing to fear. The thing the devil fears the most is a person who knows who they are in Christ Jesus. The devil will struggle every day to get you to believe one of his lies.

2 Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

​Any believer with a discerning heart can see how dangerous the world has become. The devil had no problem finding men who would do his bidding. He has a whole army of evil men who are worse now than in Jesus' day. There are more of them and they use the devices of the world to harm and seduce. In response to this, did Jesus increase the power of His Name? No! Just days after His return to Heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit and His nine gifts. The faithful have always had the advantage. The devil has become more assertive, but the intensity of his threats are still without power. How has the devil become more evil? He has inserted himself into all the mediums of electronic devices. Although he is defeated, he is still cunning and he knows how to reach the masses.

1 Corinthians 10:13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.

No matter what the devil cooks up, it will never be enough to overcome us, God won't allow it. If you believe God's Word you will never surrender to fear, but the devil will always persist. Do you know why God forewarns us of impending attacks of the devil? So you can prepare and not be taken by surprise, forewarned is forearmed. You know the devil is coming, so what should you do? Build yourself up on God's Word, become something he cannot overcome. When you're full of the Holt Spirit, there's no room for anything else, so give the devil no place. Faith created the devil and faith will control him.

1 Peter 4:12 Think it not strange when the fiery trial which comes to try you.

What have we done to attract all this attention from the devil? We confessed our faith in God and this upsets the devil, so he targets our faith. The devil's greatest price is a believer who will denounce their faith. A believer does not have to voice it, we can deny Christ by our works. I will never understand why anyone would turn from the truth, the truth that makes a way in Heaven for anyone who wants a place with Jesus!