When evil comes your way, you may not recognize it. Evil most often comes disguised to deceive you. It wears a mask to hide its identity. Evil comes pretending to help you. It seeks to befriend you. Yet, evil will always betray you in the end. Evil comes to satisfy your favorite fantasy. It offers you the bait in a very attractive package. Evil lures its victims with deception.
Evil never works alone. It brings covetousness, lust, and pride. Each one is a specialist in different forms of deception. Evil carefully studies its victims to discover the vulnerable points of weakness. Then it develops a plan for each individual. Evil often works slowly but surely to deliver its victim to bondage.
Evil always works in darkness, not to be discovered until its work is done. Evil then mocks its prey with other friends such as shame, despair, and helplessness. Evil is a cruel taskmaster, going public with those it has carefully deceived.
Here is the good news. Evil can be defeated. Its darkness can be exposed. Its deception can be recognized. God can conquer every evil in your life. Knowing God's presence and power in your life is the sure way to victory over every evil. Pray to God your Father, saying, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13). Then you can say to God, "I will fear no evil; for You are with me" (Psalm 23:4).
