The War of Good vs Evil
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.” “Yet He also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back His words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.” Isaiah 5:20; 31:2
Over the last few months, we have heard about the threat of World War III due to the conflict involving Ukraine and Russia. Of course, this is the fear of the secular world, and those of us who are believers in Jesus Christ don’t want to see a worldwide conflict break out in any part of the world. But, if we are honest, we would have to say that we are already in a world war, a spiritual war for the hearts, souls, and minds of all people in every country, the war of good versus evil. This war has been raging since Adam and Eve disobeyed God as they listened to Satan who deceived them into doing the one thing that God had forbidden them to do. One thing. Their transgression is proof that men and women can’t be trusted to always do the right thing, and it shows how vulnerable we all are to sin.
There are things going on in the world today that I could never have even imagined. There is a saying which is not a quote from scripture, although it does describe many of the things that God does: “God works in mysterious ways”. It is part of a poem written by the English poet William Cowper. He was inspired by Isaiah 55:8: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD”. While God does act in ways that are mysterious at times, Satan also works in mysterious ways. He is a deceiver. He has managed to convince folks of some of the most absurd, ridiculous, and ungodly ideas that shock even those of us who think we have heard it all. I don’t need to list them because you know what I am talking about.
All the way back in the dark ages when I was in high school, boys who wore their shirttails out of their slacks were sent to the principal’s office. The guidance counselor had towels in her office for girls to cover their legs if their skirt was above their knees when they sat at their desks. The worse things that were done were smoking in the restrooms and drinking beer on their own time. No girl was pregnant by the time she graduated. The most shocking thing to happen was a suicide by one of the male students. We had standards in school, at home, and everywhere else we went. We certainly weren’t perfect, but we had respect for the teachers even if we didn’t particularly like them. By the time my children were in high school, one of my son’s teachers said that he didn’t give homework because the students wouldn’t do it. My daughter’s graduating class had several girls who were pregnant. A few years later, my husband and I drove past our old high school and noticed that the kids were wearing tank tops and shorts. Now in schools there are drugs, violence, disrespect, and danger to both students and teachers. Students are no longer being taught the basics, but rather being indoctrinated rather than being taught to think for themselves.
This is how the devil operates. He goes after the younger generation because if he can corrupt them, then everyone after them becomes a very easy target. Once the younger generation has bought into all the lies of Satan, they carry them into adulthood, becoming the movers and shakers who control all the institutions which play large roles in society. This is what we are seeing now, but this didn’t happen overnight. The devil has been at his task since time began. He doesn’t mind waiting as long as it takes. Just imagine what it will be like in 20 years when all the baby boomers are gone. The war of good and evil is raging now, and Christians must take a stand against all the ungodliness that is permeating our nation. As we leave this world one by one, the side of evil begins to win more battles, but thank God, they will not win the war.
Every day that passes, I see more evidence that leads me to believe that we are in the last days, but no one knows how long the last days will continue before the antichrist appears and the tribulation begins. I read an article online today in which Pastor Andrew Brunson, a prisoner in Turkey from 2016 to 2018, says that American Christians need to prepare for persecution. He also said that since he returned to the U.S., he has noticed a “dramatic rise in hostility toward Christians that appears to be increasing”. God pronounced a woe upon those who trust in man because man offers no hope. The Lord is our only hope of rescue from this world of sin.