The word “evil” appears 613 times in the Bible. Every motivation or action opposite to God’s nature rises from our fallen nature and results in acts of evil. Evil is not simply people like Adolph Hitler, it is us as well.
“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” James 1:13-15
The good news is that those of us who are in Jesus Christ, can find growing victory over the evil that surrounds us and has invaded us.
This book is for those of us who are in Jesus Christ. For us, over the extent of our lifetimes, we can experience much more healing of our deformities than we have too often realized. But the reality that God’s people have often looked to wrong sources for our healing must be understood, admitted, and rejected even as we turn to embrace dependency upon God, His Word, and His Spirit.
A rising tide of Christian leaders is confessing to significant immoral sexual thoughts and actions. Multitudes of believers are broken and fractured, missing out on the wholeness God intends for His people. Why? Many Christians today reject the truth that evil decisions and actions are a result of fleshly desires. We believe instead, “I am wounded”; “It’s not my fault”; “My parents made mistakes in raising me”; “The culture defrauded me.” We are not willing to admit, “I made the decision that resulted in this negative consequence.” Instead we look to experts for health and happiness. But experts do not heal us; they simply teach us to manage our pain and engage in safer, healthier alternatives.
God is the only One who can make broken people whole again. As we reject wrong sources for our healing and instead die to self and embrace the life of God for which each of us was created, the Holy Spirit through God’s Word will bring about in us joy, spiritual maturity, and victory over the flesh.
