What Should Christians Do When Surrounded by Evil?

What did Jesus do when surrounded by evil?  In his home town they tried to throw him off a cliff because he said he was the Messiah. What happened? God made him disappear because his hour to die had not come.

In Jerusalem, they picked up stones to kill Jesus. What happened? God again intervened and Jesus disappeared. His time had not come.

They sent solders to arrest him. The soldiers came back empty-handed and said, "No man has ever spoken as this man has."

But at the end, when his time had come, he went with the soldiers, he stood trial and didn't say a word except to Pilate, who didn't really know what was going on.

"When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."   1 Peter 2:23

"He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished."  Isaiah 53:7,8

"Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil."  Psalm 37:7,8

If we worry, fret and become angry, the Bible says it will lead to evil. It will lead to violence, and violence is something we should have nothing to do with.

In Jesus day there were groups of Jews called, Zealots. They hated Romans and they're government. They would plot, riot and kill. This is not God's way. His way is for us to wait on him. If we are thrown into jail or persecuted, we have to accept this and if possible Jesus said to run away to another place.

Are You Free?

I am reading a book called, "Eugenia Price Trilogy," and it is a wonderful book.  Her enthusiasm for God is overflowing and infectious. I was reading a chapter called, "Are You Free?" when I came upon this quote.

"What are some of the things which rob Christians of their freedom? Surely, as we mention elsewhere in this book, worry is one of our most constant jailers! I believe that during the time we are worrying, we are actually atheistic. Either we believe Jesus Christ or we do not. He said, "I have overcome the world." Did he? Or is he playing a fiendish cosmic prank on us?

"I have, for a year or more, permitted myself the luxury of worry for five minutes at a time and no more, At the end of five minutes, if I am still worried, I go to the nearest mirror, look myself right in the eye and say, "This tremendous thing which worries you is beyond solution. Especially, it is too hard for Jesus Christ to handle." Usually, I am restraining a laugh by that time, and when I let it go, the tears of gratitude come with the laugh, and I turn my eyes gladly back upon the face of Him who gave me a foolproof  "worry-tree" in his own cross."

I used to be a champion worrier, especially when it came to my children or grandchildren. I would pray for them, and sometimes I could leave them with God for awhile; but sooner or later I would be fretting and worrying once again. The Lord has conquered my worry, but I am still tempted to worry. The thoughts come, but I immediately pray or quote scripture and go on with my day.

Paul wrote, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."  Philippeans 4:6

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:25-34

A lot of people worry about the state of the world (ISIS) and the state of America. I have learned through the Old Testament that it is wrong to do this. 

"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land."  Psalm 37:8,9 

"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"  Psalm 37:7

"Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out."  Proverbs 24:19, 20

Even if the foundation of our government is destroyed, we need not worry. 

"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? But the LORD is in his holy Temple; the LORD still rules from heaven. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth."  Psalm 11:3,4

God says that if there is chaos, confusion, war, persecution or death in our lands, we are not to worry because God still rules in the heavens. We must trust him.