Here is the revelation that is shaping my life today- I have been given the great power of faith to overcome the world’s systems of evil and live in the life of the kingdom of God.
1 John 5:4,19 TPT
[4] You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world. [19] We know that we are God’s children and that the whole world lies under the misery and influence of the Evil One.
Observation
God is not in control of what is going on around here. “The whole world lies under the misery and influence of the Evil One.” God gets the blame for most of what happens because we think ‘all powerful’ equals ‘in control.’ But in His power, God has given His creation choice, because love demands a choice. So the world is under the influence of evil and when I choose its ways I release evil and its destructive powers upon my life and those around me. Alternatively, when I choose God’s ways I release life.
Here is the good news, I can overcome the influence and misery of evil by standing by faith in what God declares as truth. “Faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.” In every circumstance, every time, God has given me the power to choose and then the power of faith to stand in my choice of Him. No manipulation here on God’s side only an invitation to the life he intends for me and the power to see that life manifest in and through me as I stand by faith.
Faith does not listen to any other voice other than God himself. It does not ride the emotional roller coaster, it does not interpret truth through the lens of circumstance, it does not allow brokenness to have the final say, faith simply, powerfully, and miraculously stands in God’s truth no matter what. And faith is not something I must make happen, I do not need enough faith, it is a choice I make to stand and God gifts me the faith the circumstance requires for victory.
This is not to say that standing by faith is easy, but look at the alternative, “the misery and influence of evil.” When you don’t choose God you choose evil, the systems of the world which evil influences. I see so many walk away from faith because of some complaint against God, or unable to accept that God and His ways are beyond their finite comprehension, and then they become bedfellows with evil and suffer all the misery of that relationship. It must break the heart of God to see His children choosing the arms of the misery of evil over His love.
Application
I will understand that my choices matter. I will take responsibility to choose to exercise faith in all circumstances. I will not be naive to think that God is in control and the author of all this mess that is the world. I will stay and stand by faith in His goodness, in His love, in His ways, even when I can’t comprehend the ‘why’ behind all that happens in this life. I will not choose to sleep with evil and be shaped by its seductive influence to misery.
Response
Thank you for the gift of freedom of choice. Thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you for giving the heads up on how things work. Thank you for not choosing to manipulate me but to love me to life. Thank you that “every child of God overcomes the world,” I love being yours. I am blessed!
Meditation
Are there circumstances in your life where you have chosen not to stand by faith in the truth God offers?
Do you know how powerful you are to overcome the world and evil by faith?
JOURNEY DEEPER
