Harm vs. Hope
Which path are you following?
Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
My studies this week led me to a fork in the road for my Enemy Attack series. We need to know how to identify the ways the enemy works against us — so we can fight back victoriously.
Other posts in this series:
Enemy Attack: Running vs. Repose
We always follow a path in life. The road never stops, but it only goes in two opposite directions. We’re either walking toward God or away from Him. There is no in-between.
We can see how far people get from God, as evidenced by their treacherous deeds.
We all have a sin nature that pulls us toward the path of harm. It may not be intentional, but it is inevitable if we don’t continually correct our direction.
Slight changes in direction today lead to enormous distances in where we end up.
Like a navigator on a journey across the world, if you mess up by just one degree every 100 miles, you would end up in a completely different hemisphere than your original destination. You are actually steering away from the place you want to go.
Ships and aircraft update their courses constantly to get to their intended destinations.
Just like them, we must be aware of the enemy’s tactics, so we can make course corrections and stay on the right path.
The Path of Harm
A Roaring Lion
The enemy rebelled against God, and God punished him for it, so he wants to hurt God. He knows that hurting God’s children hurts Him, and he works hard to tear us down.
He does all he can to take us off the path toward God. He knows God created people special in His own image, and He desires our love.
So he attacks the innocent and the weak, just like a roaring lion.
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:6-8 NASB1995
The enemy uses our own desires against us. No person desires to feel weak or insecure. But if we aren’t on the right path and seeking God for our strength, we can easily allow our insecurities to take over in trying to feel better about ourselves.
In our own selfishness, we follow the wrong path completely, and in doing so, we cause harm to others.
How We Do Harm
To do harm to someone else, you would first deem them unimportant. You deny their being made in the image of God. You degrade them to the lowest of comparisons.
You elevate yourself so much that you believe yourself to be the god over them and that whatever you wish, they should serve you, because they are beneath you.
It can be subtle and not even direct thoughts. Most of us would not think we are even doing this.
But it happens with those who manipulate others to do their will. Instead of viewing them as equals and valuing their opinions, they entice with lies so they get what they want regardless of how it may hurt the other person.
It happens with lust. The one looking lustfully only sees an object of their desire, instead of a person with a soul who deserves to be loved and not used.
It happens with hatred. The one who hates is a murderer in their own heart. They justify spewing vitriol because they disagree with someone, instead of accepting that we may not all think alike and it’s up to God to change hearts and minds.
It happens with racism. The racist devalues someone based on the color of their skin or their difference in culture, instead of seeing the beauty and uniqueness we each carry as children of God.
It happens with sexism. It is looking down on others because we may have different roles, instead of seeing the perfect balance that each of our strengths provides. Male and female are equal and made in the image of God.
It happens with child abuse. The abuser looks down on the child as less than themselves, instead of seeing innocence that should be protected.
In all of these circumstances, self must be elevated above others. And the person doing the harm continues to deny they are harming anyone, because they remove value from what God calls valuable.
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:30-31 NASB1995
“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Psalms 139:13-14 NASB1995
This grieves God’s heart, and in the end, mistreating other image bearers causes harm not only to them but to ourselves as well. The more we follow that path, the more the enemy wins.
But there is another path.
The Path of Hope
As the scourge of this earth tries to cause harm to us and others, and steal our peace, we must choose the path of hope.
The path to hope is in a Person.
The God of all, Creator of the universe, humbled Himself and came to us as Jesus. He didn’t come to use, abuse, or condemn.
He came to save.
He came to serve.
He came to love.
And He set the example for us to follow in how we treat our fellow human beings.
We can’t let the enemy’s deception rule our hearts. We must let relationship with the Lord sculpt our hearts and minds.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 NASB1995
We must look at others as better than ourselves. Seek their good above our own.
“Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 NASB1995
That includes those with whom we disagree politically or even morally.
Do we have to accept what they say as truth? Absolutely not. Only God’s Word is Truth.
But if our response to someone is to join empty arguments, look down on them, or condemn them, then we’ve missed the point.
Our response should be to love like Jesus loves. How do we show love like Christ did? By sacrifice. Take care of the hurting. Stand by them and pray for their healing. Fight for justice, but know that vengeance is the Lord’s.
A Call to Prayer
We’ve seen so much wickedness in the news. But what is our reaction to it?
Is it anger? Righteously so.
Is it sadness? Absolutely.
But if our reaction to reading the news is feeling defeated because the evil in the world is worse than we could have ever imagined, then we aren’t seeing how big our God is.
“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4 NASB1995
We must ask God to encounter those who offend so egregiously. May He meet them in such a mighty way that they repent and confess their sins.
Like Saul on the road to Damascus, ready to kill more Christians in Acts chapter nine.
And yet…
Jesus miraculously confronted him.
Jesus changed his heart forever. And he became one of the greatest apostles of Christ and carried the Gospel so far, leading to countless receiving God’s saving grace.
We have all sinned. But God is faithful to a repentant heart. People must still face earthly consequences, but God doesn’t wish for anyone to perish for all eternity.
“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9 NASB1995
So let us turn to prayer.
Let us pray fervently for those who are hurting.
Let our hearts break so much that we pray continuously for God to change the hearts of people and heal their minds.
Let us pray that God will do away with the injustice that runs rampant in this world once and for all.
Because He will.
Because He is.
There is hope. Let us course-correct our own lives to stay on the path of hope. He is our Anchor and the Source of our strength.
Even when it’s hard. Even when justice doesn’t seem to be done. We must put our hope in Jesus, the One who perfects our faith.
Because He is coming soon!
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20 ESV
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