Thursday, 8th August, 2024
Bible Reading: Romans 12: 14, 17-21
Memory Verse: Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Romans 12:21 (NLT)
Jay Edward Adams (January 30, 1929 – November 14, 2020) is commonly referred to as “The Father of the Modern Biblical Counselling Movement.” In his books titled, “How to Overcome Evil,” he said:
1. Evil is powerful, but good is more powerful. In fact, evil is so powerful that only good has the power to overcome evil. Darkness can be driven away only by light.
2. The Christian is free from all other human beings. He does not have to live over against others, controlled by their actions and responses. Rather, he lives according to Christ’s commands. This is Christian freedom. It is a freedom unknown by others. It is not just when others do the things that we like that we act properly toward them; we are free to do good even when they don’t because our actions are not dependent on their responses. It is the Lord Christ we serve!
3. Love is not first a feeling. Though the feelings come later and grow thick in the basic loam of love, they don’t constitute the sum and substance of love. Love is doing whatever good God says you must do for another, to please God, whether (at first) it pleases you or not. You must do so because He says so; and you don’t wait until you feel like doing so. Love begins with obedience toward God in which one gives to another whatever the other needs. Love is not a gooey, sticky sentimental thing; it is hard to love. Often it hurts to love. Love meant going to the cross through the garden of Gethsemane. Christ did not feel like dying for your sins, Christian, but He did so nonetheless. The Scriptures teach that he endured the cross while focusing on the subsequent joy that it would bring.
4. So then, the command “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good” is a clear witness to the fact that you can be a winner in the battle against evil. No matter where or when it occurs, regardless of its impact or force, there is no attack that can be made that you cannot withstand if you do so by using God’s weapons, according to God’s revealed strategy and are energized by His powerful Spirit.
Jeanette Coron also said:
I. Those who are difficult to love, are difficult to love because they have gone through difficult things which have made them the way they are. What you need to do is to forgive, what they need is your love
II. When people become difficult to love, love them harder and pray for them even more. That’s how you overcome evil with good.
Quote: Love is not first a feeling. Though the feelings come later. Love is doing whatever good God says you must do for another, to please God, whether (at first) it pleases you or not.
Prophetic Decree: Let the river of overwhelming joy flow out of your Spirit, in Jesus name.
Prayer Focus
1. Thank you Father for the power of the Holy Spirit working love in us.
2. Holy Spirit please conquer my flesh. Help me to walk in love especially to those who have offended me.
3. I receive grace to live above my ill-feelings and walk in love, in Jesus name.
4. I receive wisdom of God in order to dispense the love of God according to God’s revealed strategy, in Jesus name.
5. I receive grace not to live over against others, not to be controlled by their actions and responses but to live according to Christ’s commands.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Jeremiah 4-6