Resist Evil!   By James L. Lantz

Perhaps your first thought in hearing the words resist evil, is that Jesus said we are not to resist evil.  Mt. 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.  Jesus is introducing us into the ways of the kingdom of God. Our walk in the Spirit is to supersede that which was accomplished through the law of sin and death. We who are born of God are empowered to walk even as the Master walked. No man could kill Him until He laid His life down for us. When Jesus declared in His hometown synagogue that the scriptures were fulfilled this very day through Him they refused to believe it.  Luke 4:24  And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.  Jesus then proceeded to explain that they were responding exactly like their forefathers who refused to receive from the anointing that was on Elijah and Elisha.  Luke 4:27  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.   After hearing these things they were filled with wrath, and rising up, thrust Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might cast him down head first. They couldn’t kill Jesus because God delivered Him from their wrath. We should expect to be delivered from our captors as well, so that we can fulfill our assignment.  Psalms 91:16  With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.  If we were to

We Are To Resist Evil Through The Power Of The Spirit!

become a martyr like Stephen, we still win because to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord!  Rev. 12:11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.  We are to resist evil through the power of the Spirit just like Jesus, Paul, and all of God’s saints. Jesus would just walk away or speak the wisdom of God so that His would be captors would say, no man ever spoke like this man. Soon after Jesus had appeared to Saul of Tarsus, Saul (who became Paul) confounded the Jews by boldly preaching that Jesus is the Son of God and has been resurrected from the dead. The Jews purposed to kill Saul and were laying wait for him at the city gate. In this case the disciples took Saul by night and let him down over the wall in a basket. Later, when he returned to Jerusalem the Lord Jesus appeared to him in a trance, saying, Hurry, get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony about Me. This second deliverance was much more spectacular but each time the Lord delivered him from certain death. Another time, Paul invoked the law to prevent himself from getting beaten by soldiers.  Acts 22:25  And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?  Our enemy is not flesh and blood so we are not to be hurtful to people whom Jesus died for. Our enemy is the devil whose only purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. We, like our Lord, are to be passionate about saving lives, not destroying them.

The word of the Lord teaches us that we must resist evil but we are not to do it by the works of the flesh.  Galatians 5:19-21  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.  Everything that is evil is of the devil, in fact, his name is made up of evil!

Mark says that believers will cast out devils in the name of Jesus and see people recover from sickness when they lay their hands on them! Paul said that we are not to give the devil any place! This would include resisting evil from our thought life, our words, our actions, our families, as well as our communities. Peter said that we are to resist the devil’s onslaught against us by being firm in our faith!  1 Peter 5:9 AMPC  Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.  James writes that we are to submit ourselves to God and then resist the devil and he will flee from us!

Some Ways That We Are To Resist Evil!

1. Refuse to comply!

–  Refuse to meditate on that which is evil and keep your conscience pure!    Phil. 4:8, Acts 24:16

–  Cast down all rebellious thoughts and reasonings that are contrary to God’s word!    2 Cor. 10:5

–  Don’t allow any fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, or foolish talk among you!  Eph. 5:3&4

–  Refuse to bow to any idol, and covetousness is idolatry!     Mt. 4:10     Esther 3:2     1 Cor. 5:11

–  I will not take the mark of the beast even if it means that we can’t do business!   Rev. 13:16-18

2. Walk Away!

–  Receive the Lord Jesus and leave the Kingdom of darkness!               John 1:12   Col. 1:13

–  Abraham said, let there be no strife between me and you .   .   .                 Genesis 13:8&9

 –  A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.               Proverbs 15:1

 –  Put your sword away, for those who live by the sword shall die by the sword!         Mt. 26:52

–  When some were hardened in unbelief Paul separated the disciples.                    Acts 19:9

        –  Come out from among them and be ye separate!                        2 Cor. 6:17      1 Cor. 15:33

3. Take up the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God!

–  Pray or speak God’s word (which is His will) in faith!     Ephesians 6:17&18    Hebrews 4:12

–  Bind the evil spirits and command that they cease in their activity!        Mt. 16:19    Mt. 18:18

 –  Loose the angels by saying, Go ministering spirits and bring the .  .  .  Ps. 103:20   Heb. 1:14

–  If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you would say to the sycamine .  .  .   Luke 17:6

4. Speak up and stand for the truth!

–  Actively assist in the preaching of the gospel for it is the power of God!  Mt. 28:19, Rom. 1:16

–  When pressed by the High Priest to answer if He was the Christ, Jesus said, I Am!   Mk. 14:62

–  Nathan to David, you are the rich man who took the poor man’s lamb!             2 Samuel 12:7

5. By your good works!

–  Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify God!   Mt. 5:16

–  Have compassion on your neighbor and help him in his time of need!  Luke 10:33  Rom. 12:21

–  The Lord empowers, delivers, protects, and heals those who are kind to the poor!    Ps. 41:1-3

Don’t kid yourself, if you are not helping to build God’s church, the ark of safety

of our day, the coming destruction will sweep you away like those in Noah’s day!

Prophecy Delivered By Kenneth Copeland on December 30, 2021

2022 is the year of correction, direction, protection and perfection

—in spirit, soul and body, in finances, churches and government.

 In 2022, it ALL belongs to you!

In 2022, you WILL know what to do!

“Surely the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets.” –Amos 3:7 (AMPC)