But people don’t like to talk about Satan. It makes them feel silly cause they can’t see him. They picture the old cartoon drawings of the red skin and pointy horns, forked tail and a sinister grin with matching, curly mustache. Of course, they feel silly blaming a caricature. But if you believe in God, and you believe in the Bible, then you must follow the warnings of Jesus about the one who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Yes, there are bad people out there, but recognize what power is influencing their life.
We see atrocities over the past few decades that once only existed in less civilized countries. Do you wonder why terrorism, rampant crime, and sadistic abuse now dominate your news feed? It’s not just because bad news sells. It’s because a country that once primarily served God has turned its back on Him. We no longer exist under the hedge of His protection like we once did. His faithful remnant remains, but evil will make its last rise before Jesus prevails once and for all. This has been prophesied, so don’t be surprised.
What can we do about this evil? If we can understand and believe that it’s not merely flesh and blood we battle, but principalities and powers of darkness, then we must stand for good. We must be the light. When we can stop hiding our heads in the sand and blaming guns, bad neighborhoods, or video games we will be able to stand firm in the spirit of truth.
We must take seriously our role in spreading God’s truth. [Ninety percent] of the population lives its own little life with little thought to the eternal existence of those around them. We have forgotten The Great Commission. We think it’s up to those called to ministry or the mission field to tell folks about Jesus. Do you go about your day and never make a single positive impact for God’s kingdom? It’s this world that suffers from Christian complacency and comfort. We usher in evil when we do nothing. Let that sink in.
We need to be on our knees praying for people’s souls but also opening our ears to how God may use us to lead people to Him. We must stand firm against evil by being the salt of the earth. We must walk in goodness, stand for truth, fight for the innocent, and ready our armor against evil. Read the Bible to be aware, open your eyes to spiritual warfare around you, and claim victory in Jesus’ name. The angel warriors of God gain strength through prayers of the saints. That’s you!
We need to be giving to our church and ministries that spread the love of Jesus, but we also gotta show that same love in our everyday interactions with others. The best roadmap to salvation for someone is watching your life. Not everyone will attend church with you, but they will watch how you react to conflict or treat a coworker.
We must stand up for what is right. We must not bury our heads in the sand or hide in our prayer closets. Yes, we must continuously intercede through prayerful petition, but the world also needs a dose of truth to know the way. We can’t expect them to simply find it on their own. Road to Damascus moments don’t happen every day. God is counting on us to be the voice of reason, eye-opener, and best example of Christ’s love.
We cannot keep living life oblivious. We can’t keep marching to [our] own drum of our perfect little lives, ignoring the plight of this world, shaking our head and saying, “that’s so sad,” but then heading out to LongHorn for a steak dinner, never letting distant tragedy cross our minds again. Instead, we’ll complain over slow service from the waiter and give a crappy tip while we wear our “I just need coffee and Jesus” T-shirt. No, sister. You need to show people Jesus. Just saying.
What really caused the shooting of innocent employees in VA Beach? I’ll give you a hint. It wasn’t just the [overabundant] rage of a disgruntled employee whose daddy whipped him as a child. It was the same root cause behind all things that try and stand against the goodness of God. It was evil. Plain and simple.
Why do things like this continue to happen, but also at an alarmingly high rate? Because we, God’s people, are doing nothing about the root cause. We’re being overly distracted by politics and numerous other side notes. Guess what? Distraction is from the devil too. It’s true.
Evil takes root when good hides its light under a bowl. Evil rears it’s head when good people do nothing. Evil stands tall when we bunker down in fear. Evil multiplies when we allow it.
So what really caused the Virginia Beach shooting?
Maybe it’s us. Maybe we did.
