Undoing Evil

Read: 1 John 3:7-10

The Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

IN WORD

Most Christians try to circumvent the devil’s work. Or when we can’t get around it, we endure it. We appeal to God for help, pray for strength, and ask questions about why bad things happen to God’s faithful people. What we often don’t realize is that we are called to do more than tolerate evil. We are called to undo it.

That’s one of the reasons Jesus came into this world, according to John. He came to destroy the works of the evil one, to render him powerless, to fix whatever was broken. We realize that we live in a still-broken world, but we also have to believe that Jesus’ solution isn’t simply escaping to a better place. The devil’s works simply cannot continue to rage on in the presence of people filled with God. If Jesus came to destroy the enemy’s works, and the Spirit of Jesus is alive in us, then we will be somehow compelled to destroy the enemy’s works too.

What does that look like? At the very least, it means being engaged in works of healing, restoration, reconstruction, deliverance, compassion, reconciliation, and love. It means showing comfort wherever comfort is needed, praying boldly for miracles, shining with the glory of God from within, standing aggressively against darkness, and seeing everyone and everything around you with Kingdom eyes. It means radiating love—not the kind of sentimentality that brings a tear but changes no lives, but the kind that fiercely seeks the good of everyone, even human antagonists. Whatever attitudes and actions we see in Jesus, we are to embody in ourselves.

IN DEED

Whatever goals you have in life, make this one of them. Don’t just avoid evil or tolerate it. Find ways to destroy it. Ask God for opportunities to reconcile, heal, and restore. Break the enemy’s works by carrying the Spirit that undoes them. Wherever there is discord, sow peace. Wherever shame, sow grace and acceptance. On and on, opportunities will present themselves. Turn them into occasions for Kingdom building.

ADDITIONAL READING: Luke 10:19

The kingdom of Satan retreats only as the Kingdom of God advances.

JOHN STOTT