The reality of evil in the world with all of its accompanying miseries and sufferings staggers the mind of most people including Christians. They cannot understand why an all-powerful, loving God, who completely destroyed the works of the Devil through the death and resurrection of his Son, allows evil to continue to exist in the world. Today there are an increasing number of Christians who are being given a deeper understanding of this mystery. There will continue to exist in the universe an interplay of good and evil until our Lord Jesus Christ in his many-membered body fills all in all.

     A.P. Adams stated: "The Word of God untangles the great mystery of evil and shows us clearly that it is not an interloper in God's economy. It is not a foreign substance in the delicate fabric of God's great plan, obstructing and disarranging its intricate mechanism. It is a necessary part of the plan. It rightly belongs to that marvelous congeries of forces, that under the control and guidance of the one supreme mind, works and interworks steadily, without interruption and delay, to the glorious end of creating a divine and god-like race."�

     Evil does not co-exist with God and will under no circumstances be allowed to exist eternally as a blight upon the creation of God. Evil has boundaries that are set by an all-powerful God and they cannot be broken by Satan and his cohorts. All of Satan's powers are delegated and at no time can he go beyond the limits set of God. See Job, chapters 1 and 2. Satan is our enemy and at no time should we give place to him as a "roaring lion"� or as "an angel of light."� Through Jesus Christ and the power of his Spirit we have all power against the negative forces of darkness. However, we must not be children and fail to understand the purpose of evil in the universe. God uses the divine interplay of good and evil to establish his purposes and to teach us many deep lessons. Evil and our sad association with it was the thing that put us in a position to receive the mercy of God. Had it not been for our carnal minds and the over-indulgence of our flesh God could not have revealed himself to us in his mercy, long-suffering, compassion and forgiving love. "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us and we hereby perceive the love of God because Christ laid down his life for us."�

     Evil and our own association with it has taught us that there is nothing but heartache, misery and woe in it for us. The pleasure it affords is fleeting and leaves one empty and devoid of life, light or love. Well did Jesus say in John 10:10: "The thief comes not but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."� As evil has come against us and at times overwhelmed us we have learned through Jesus Christ and the power of his Spirit to overcome it----thus we see how this negative instrument and servant of God is used to bring us into the positive life and attributes of God. Those who are being brought into full maturity as Sons are learning that under no circumstance are they to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (which almost all Christendom does including full-gospel and charismatic Christians). Whenever you allow your mind to think on evil or the negative realm and the power of Satan and his works you are giving place to him. We must learn in all circumstances to acknowledge God and to seek to understand why he is allowing evil to come against us. This is what it means to eat of the "tree of life."� We recognize that there is only one true power in the universe and under all circumstances we acknowledge him. There is a vital principle here that is absolutely essential if we are to progress on into true Sonship. What we behold we become. "As a man thinks in his heart so is he."� (Proverbs 23:7) Whatever you give your mind to will produce its corresponding emotions in the physical body. Great multitudes of God's people are filled with fear because they continue to fill their minds with the knowledge of good and evil. This births a duality in them and seriously retards spiritual growth. As you eat only from the Lord himself you will find God's love filling your mind and driving out every vestige of fear. Perfect love casts out all fear. The true mark of any ministry is the place it gives to the Lord Jesus Christ; to the power of his Spirit; to the authority of his Word; and to God's love being ministered to heal the whole person. Any ministry that is Satan centered and ministers fear among God's people is missing the mark.

     If you will read such passages as Isa. 45:7; 1 Sam. 15:14; I Kings 22:23 and Job, chapters 1 and 2 and other related passages of scripture you will see how God uses the interplay of good and evil. "The Spirit drove (led) Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil."� Why? Because we are not to be sheltered from exposure to evil, trials and suffering but are to completely overcome all vestiges of evil through our Lord Jesus Christ, who completely overcame evil. It was never God's intention that Adam and Eve remain in an innocent state in the Garden of Eden. Our Lord was not sheltered from evil but was in "all points tempted as we are."� God is raising up a many-membered body of Sons who have completely overcome evil and will be used in the ages to come to rid the universe of evil. Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ!

     Following is a message addressed to evil that was given by the Holy Spirit to Ed Richardson, a Spirit-anointed minister and teacher from Denver. He received this message on the evening before the funeral for Mrs. Pat Sibson. Pat was a dedicated, Spirit-filled Christian and a student at the College of the Rockies at the time of her death. She was found murdered outside the city of Denver. Her death has been used in some amazing ways to exalt our Lord Jesus Christ and to bring further understanding of the absolute triumph of good over evil.

"HEAR, 0 EVIL"�

     "Evil, we have something to say to you. And as we speak we do not deny your present power among men, nor the pain your intrusion has brought to each of us. You have raised your ugly head in our midst. You have pierced our side. Without mercy you have mortally wounded. You mock You scoff. You gape at us, your bleeding victims. You laugh with derision and hideous howl as a fiendish victor.

     Yet, we have something to say to you. Know this, O Evil, we have learned what you have not, though your days have been long and ours quite short. We speak of your delusion--your defeat. For three things abide; only three realities remain. Under these all else shall be subdued; by these all else finally conquered. Not hate! Not lust! Not fear! None of these! Rather: Faith, and Hope, and Love.

     FAITH in Jesus Christ, who gave Himself up for us all.

     HOPE in Jesus Christ, who shall make all things new.

     LOVE, The Love of God, the final and consummating reality, to which everything and everyone else shall bow.

     Hear our words, O Evil; they are sure. God has spoken. God has acted. This is your hour--your day. You show yourself plain. You foolishly boast of triumph and gain. There soon comes an hour--a day--an age--when your laughing shall be turned to wailing, your confidence to terror. Every victim bloodied by your ruthless hand shall rise up over you in that day. You see, while you were scheming in hate, we were living in love. While you were murdering in fear, we were dying in faith. While you were destroying in lust, we were enduring in hope. While you have been mocking and scowling, we have been praying,

     "Our Father, which art in heaven; hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven

     Our Father is God. Our Father hears us. His kingdom shall come!

     Every evil plan of yours on earth is countered with the loving purpose of Almighty God in heaven. Every vile act of yours shall be swallowed up by the holy love of Jesus. Every thrust of spear and sword and knife is muted by forgiveness. Every man and woman and child you have ever deceived and used, to execute your deeds shall be embraced and liberated by their victims, and subdued by the loving judgment of God.

     Then you will be naked.

     You will be alone.

     You will be stripped--your power shattered; you reign broken; your life gone.

     No place shall remain for you.

     Jesus is Lord! Not evil! Jesus is Lord! Remember him? One of your victims. Remember that day? Scandalous betrayal.....infamous trial.....cruel mockery.....ruthless beating. A hill.....a cross.....nails.....a spear. Meaningless piercing of the Son of God's side. The earth trembled; the sun hid its face. But that gaping wound spells your doom. His death is your death!

     Death could not hold him. Look at that empty tomb! He whom you slaughtered is alive for evermore! Add more blood if you will; kill if you must kill. Death can not hold us! He lives---we live.

     Our FAITH is in Him!

     Our HOPE is in Him!

     Our LOVE is towards Him!

     JESUS IS LORD!

     You attack our faith with senseless brutality. You challenge our hope with death and distress. You threaten our love with vile deeds.

     But hear this, O Evil, Jesus Christ Himself strengthens our faith. Jesus Christ enlarges our Hope. Jesus Christ deepens our Love. Even our death at your hand increases our triumph over you. You have bruised our heel; we shall crush your head!

     Everything is ours! The world.....the present.....the future.....life.....death. All things are ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's. Jesus is Lord."� Amen.

     The morning after Mrs. Margaret Fritsche of Denver heard of this tragic news she was in travail for Pat and her loved ones and the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to her:

     "They meant it for evil, but I meant it for good."�

     Then she sat down at the piano and received this beautiful song:

"THAT WONDERFUL STORY"�

THAT WONDERFUL STORY, HOW CHRIST LEFT HIS GLORY, TO SUFFER FOR YOU AND FOR ME, IS STILL BEING WRITTEN, IN VESSELS THAT ARE SMITTEN. PREPARED BEFORE, THAT ALL MAY SEE--- HIS MERCY EXTENDETH, TO ALL HIS CREATION, FOR, FATHER, THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO, THOUGH THEY MEANT IT FOR EVIL, YOU MEANT IT FOR GOOD. SO THEY COULD KNOW YOU, TOO, THO' THE CUP BE POURED OUT, GOD'S GREAT PLAN IS NOT IN DOUBT, FOR TO YOU IT IS MADE VISIBLE, THAT FROM DEATH COMETH LIFE, EPISTLES NOT WRITTEN BY PEN OR BY MAN ARE CONSTANTLY MAKING IT PLAIN---- THAT WONDERFUL STORY, HOW CHRIST LEFT HIS GLORY, IS WRITTEN FOR YOU AND FOR ME.

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