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| Evil Forces Work In Human Hearts |
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7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Forces of evil abound in this world. The New Testament calls them demons. They are actually more than forces. They are invisible beings. What else could motivate someone to randomly kill innocent men, women, and children by blowing himself up with a bomb? Most human beings can easily recognize the evil of a suicide bombing, even when it is cloaked with the smoke screen of a “religious” or political cause.
We easily discern the working of demons and their evil forces in the thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors of others. But as human beings we often fail to see the working of forces of evil within our own thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors.
As a chaplain/counselor in a rehab I interviewed more than 1600 men who habitually abused alcohol and drugs. As these guys would tell me their stories of destruction, I was always amazed at how much evil their behavior has caused — lies and deception; broken hearts of loved ones; drunk driving injuries and deaths; stealing from friends, employers, and even close family members; the sexual disrespect of women; fraud and hypocrisy; various crimes committed; random acts of violence; the abandonment and/or abuse of their children; and on and on.
After hearing their stories of the misery that they have personally caused, I would them this question: “So, what kind of person are you?” Almost all of them would answer: “I am a good person.”
Like most human beings, the men I worked with refused to admit and acknowledge the evil of their own hearts and minds. However, we can never win a long-term victory over the forces of evil in the world until we begin to recognize and defeat those forces of evil that are working in our own thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors.
“Even if we transport all bombs to the moon, the roots of war and the roots of bombs are still here, in our hearts and minds, and sooner or later we will make more bombs. To work for peace is to uproot war from ourselves and from the hearts of men and women.” –Thich Nhat Hanh
It takes much courage to recognize, face, admit, and strive to overcome the evil within ourselves. We are so inclined to justify ourselves. However, one man who faced the evil within his own heart and spent his life trying to overcome it was Paul of Tarsus, who wrote much of the New Testament. He never claimed to be a good person. Instead Paul said: “O wretched man that I am.”  |
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| To add a comment to "Evil Forces Work In Human Hearts" |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| All Humans fight evil , with out Jesus there is no chance to defeat evil |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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I will echo Paul....O wretched man that I am! Yet I am filled with gratitude for the One who put a Spirit of beauty inside me! |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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I am a wretched woman who is stuggling daily to figure out all the things that go on within this heart of mine! Now if I can only do as Paul and not become distracted from the goal to " keep my heart clean and in the hands of Jesus" and to love like He loved and still loves... I fall so often- but every fall just brings me closer to where I need to be on my knees!
Great Post! |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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Wow, I know for a fact that I am not a good person. For there is none good, no not one..I really love that quote you put in here by Thich Nhat Hanh..so very true. Each of our hearts is naturally bent on death and destruction..its only by Gods saving grace performing loving heart surgery that we can put that behind us. This was a brilliant post! Thank you for sharing it. =) |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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There are evil powers and forces at work in the world today and they are even working very hard within the church today.
"Where do they work and how does it happen?" you ask.
Well thanks for asking, I will show you.
Look within every relationship. Look at what is transferred one to another when we are together. When you look at what others are actually saying and doing to each other, you can see what they are giving, you can see one of two things. Either they are giving fruit of the Spirit, or fruit from the enemy. Think about what the Fruit of the Spirit is. Gal. 5:22. It is all spiritual (nonphysical or something you cannot touch) power.
Think about this, please pick up love in your hand and show it to me. We cannot do that. But we know for sure that love is real. And we see it passed from one to another. Maybe now someone is saying, " I see what you are talking about now." I will write more about this subject later, but for now, thank you for the blog on spiritual things. God be in you, oneredeemerlives |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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It takes much courage to recognize, face, admit, and strive to overcome the evil within ourselves. We are so inclined to justify ourselves.
May God teach us how to humble ourselves and admit to the wickness in our hearts. |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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We as children of the Light must recognize evil when we see it and bind that spirit up in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then loose the sweet virtue of the fruit of the spirit into that person life. This is a holy war againt the enemy and he is after us (first) . Everyone of us that call on the Name of Jesus. We must not give any room to the enemy. Especially if it's a chance for us to witness to someone who does not know Christ. There are many of our brother or sister lost and we must help them find their way back. . God said that He does not want to see a one of us lost. Good Blog.
Thanks Steve |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| Thank you all for these great comments. |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| printing for reading when feeling rested. thanks |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| Good blog...........I need to print this out and pass it out at work to the demons I work around. |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| Hmm! Yah, what a difference in what Paul felt about himself (wretched), and what those interviewed felt about themselves (good ). |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| Wow, Denise. I am impressed that you would print this to read later. Thank you for your interest in what I write! |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| Lynne: Maybe they will leave the people and make your work place better. |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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AMEN |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| Christ in us is the hope of glory. |
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| September 17, 2008 |
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| Great post! There is none no not one good! Praise Him for saving a wretched sinner such as I!!!!!! This def. gets the best blog I've read all day award!!!! Infinity stars to you! |
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| September 18, 2008 |
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Awesome |
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| September 18, 2008 |
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| Wow. The best blog all day. Thank you Angela for the compliment and for all those stars. |
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| September 18, 2008 |
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| And thank you Sheree! |
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| September 19, 2008 |
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It only takes the infilling of the Holy Spirit to help humanity. We are all born in sin. But we can be born-again and not continue in sin.
Good blog my friend
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| September 19, 2008 |
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Amen, ihsallthet...
Although we have a sin nature, we can receive a new heart, a godly nature. Then we must choose whteter to obey the lust of our flesh or the Spirit. It is a battle, but we will win if we endure to the end. |
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