For our sins are piled up before God and testify against us (Isaiah 59:12, NLT).
One of the underlying tenets of the Bible is good vs. evil. God vs. Satan.
When evil seemingly wins, the Bible teaches that a standard has already been raised as a testimony of our ultimate victory.
That standard: Jesus on the cross. And His resurrection!
Last week I rode my bike into a small village. The totality of lifestyles and attitudes of self were on full display. I don’t want to discuss “the people” at this event, just “the spirit” that I sensed.
The spirit of mocking, desecration, and illicit orientation had flooded the place, in my spirit, my thoughts and Biblical sense of good vs. evil came under attack.
The thoughts hurled at me were – this is true love, this is the future, you have been wrong, you can’t stop it, you are old and stuck in the past.
I felt all that I was and God’s Spirit within me was being mocked. Since my encounter in that village, I’ve been considering Isaiah 59.
Before I write further, have you felt this way about culture today? Have you wondered how things have turned so quickly? Let’s remember that our battle isn’t against flesh and blood but against the principalities of evil.
Isaiah 59:18-19 . . .
He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth. In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.
That’s my conclusion. Perhaps we might be defeated in this generation, and that perversity can’t be stopped, but let’s remember that Jesus has already won. And with Jesus on His throne, there is always hope.
Isaiah 59 describes overwhelming evil . . .
They conceive evil deeds and then give birth to sin (v. 4).
Their feet run to do evil . . . They think only about sinning (v. 7).
They don’t know where to find peace (v. 8).
Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked (v. 15).
I felt spiritually attacked in that village. All that I believe, the core of my faith, and in a larger perspective, the Bible, and the practices of all followers of Jesus were challenged.
What do we do? Isaiah 59 says . . .
He wondered that there was no one to intercede (v. 16).
Also . . .
Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear (v. 1).
Okay, I admit to a bit of discouragement. Things are never as bad as they seem. I also know our ultimate victory begins with interceding prayer.