Evil does have a life by itself. It cannot be denied that once this life form infects the human being, he becomes its target until he is fully overcome. The devil establishes itself in the believers mind and heart as clearly expounded by Paul, For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Thoughts or imaginations are processed in the mind, once these thought patterns are established, they become the habitation of evil if these thoughts tend towards immorality, debauchery and every other thought patterns that rebel against the obedience of a Christ-like life.

The thoughts we perceive does affect our outlook in life and how our actions are released for good or for evil. The Lord knowing what was in man said, “that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Therefore we are called to seize and put stringent measures to guard what we think and what we put in our minds so that we will not be corrupted by it. Solomon reminds us to “guard our hearts” for out of it are the issues of life. What we process with our minds will eventually get lodged in the long run into our hearts, therefore we have to qualify the things that we read, study, hear, see and feel so that these only tend to impart what is life that tends to purity and holiness.

Distinguishing God’s guidance from the devil

In a parable, Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God and the devil. “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. “But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. “But when the wheat sprang up and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. “And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ “And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ And the slaves  said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ “But he said, ‘No; lest while you are gathering up the tares, you may root up the wheat with them. ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”‘ “(Matthew 13:24-30). Here we find that whenever God sows a seed, the devil always try to pervert or hinder the purposes of God for that seed. He comes in to sabotage the field of the Lord by planting evil seeds, the tares.

In like manner, you may dream dreams or have visions, any dream or vision or goal that does not lead you closer to God but brings you closer to the devil is not from the Lord. For example, God will not lead you to buy and sell drugs. He will not lead you to sell your body or to kill yourself or to kill somebody. Nor will He give you dreams that patronizes evil like curse your parents or curse your uncles; He will not even give you dreams that has anything to do with evil. In short, the dreams, visions, goals and aspirations that will come from the Lord will always have His signature, the fruit of the Tree of Life which is, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another (Galatians 5:22-26). Now to be more specific of the things that God forbids for a believer to do, take note of these, “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21).

Anything that is sensual, demonic and hasty is not from the Lord. But everything that is heavenly, that has love, patience and faith in it, no doubt it comes from the Tree of Life. Now if you are basking underneath this Tree of Life, if you are riding upon its branches and eating its luscious fruits, you will also enjoy and be the same kind of tree as this is. Jesus is that Tree of Life whom Adam and Eve did not choose; always choose to do what is right and shun profane and evil babblings.

Do not go near a friend who only do nothing but engage in flatteries. These people are children of the devil, they gain nothing but wreck havoc on others by hurting them with their words and try to get the attention of the world by their flatteries. Remember, God calls you to be a tree, and a vine of His planting. That means, God will look at what fruit you bear daily and you can check on this by the words coming out from your mouth and by what words you are thinking daily. Now, no sooner is the devil upon a person is, except that person has been infested by his evil words and images. It could have been easier if that person did not engage or came near a fool to hear his words. This the Preacher also says, “Guard your heart for out of it are the wellspring of life.”

How evil is transmitted

Most people do not recognize the devil until he is well entrenched already in their hearts and minds. Just as God can possess a person by filling Him with His Spirit, so the devil can oppress a believer by taking a foothold in his life. The word foothold means legal access, it means it has the right to stay on it because it has an attachment for him.

Like a parasitic fungi that digests away the healthy cells of an infected plant, the devil chokes the life in a person little by little until he has full control of it. The devil is a good lawyer by the way and he defends his turf with all his might. How can you cast out the devil unless you have cleansed your house first? What dust are you hiding from God’s cleansing rays? Do you have any? There can only be real freedom to a person until he has repented of all his sins and forsook them. David cried to the Lord,

“Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:12-14 (NIV)

We have hidden faults and we ought always to ask God to forgive us and convict us of any hidden sins lurking in our hearts which we cannot remember. I for one had remembered many of them but I did not cover them but exposed my heart to His searching lamp and I asked His blood to wash them away and blot away my transgressions. Sin is the legal access of the devil in any person or group or organization or nation and even this world. Because Adam had disobeyed the Lord, all his riches and his right to rule this earth was taken from him and became satan’s rightfully. Why this? It is written that “you are the slave of the one you obey.”

“Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” Romans 6:16

Because he instead followed the voice of the devil, Adam became the slave of satan. Sin therefore quickly enveloped the world and all that were under the dominion of Adam also fell into transgression, not willingly but under torment or anguish. Therefore all animals and plants became defensive amongst each other; the beauty of the original creation was marred because instead of the man ruling them, satan now rules them. He is the god of this world that continually veils the understanding of unbelievers so that they cannot know God. When the ruler is evil, all his domains are under the curse, which is sin.

The fall of Adam was the fall of man; and everyone will also fall away who will not heed the voice of God but listen to the voice of the serpent. Therefore how much more should we follow His wise counsel to us, “buy from Me refined gold,” “abide in Me.” Our only chance to fight against the devil is not on his territory but on the mountains of God, that is, on His terms not ours.

When a man fully possesses God, he is His property, and he becomes the stronghold of God to pull down the evil roots in this society. To be the stronghold of God implies an impregnable fortress surrounded by cliffs and unreachable moat. To be one like this is to become clothed with humility. The cloak of humility is the grace of God upon every believer who continually walks to surrounded by His love. Peter says of this, “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Peter 5:5-6). Just as we are told here that we can humble ourselves, the succeeding verse tells us how which is, to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” God calls humility as a necessary dependence on God’s provision and wisdom. None of us can resist the devil firm to the faith except by His abundant grace. The way therefore into the secret place is to be humble enough to draw near to Him in supplications and petitions.

This is why a functioning and Spirit filled church will not only be satisfied hearing the Word of God but also doing it and going into all the world to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Any Kingdom that does not advance will be conquered soon. You are His Kingdom, His temple, His seed, His planting and therefore you must advance in life, in knowledge in wisdom and in all things pertaining to Christ.

To this end, you must have a life that is deeply rooted in Christ growing daily in Him. Avoid therefore persons and places that are suspects of immorality lest you would become infected by them; for no sooner is a fire burning than that it has been allowed a little spark to burn all the woods you have stored. Woods are materials for your building and it will burn down easily if you allow the fire of sin to gobble it up; what will you have then left for God to take? Purity and holiness will not only have use in this life but even in eternity. Therefore discipline yourself and your body that you only present what is holy and just for the use of the Lord.

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.  For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:12-14

How evil is incubated

Now as we have said before, evil could not have been found in you unless you have at first resisted it. Because Adam and Eve did not resist the devil but allowed his words to manipulate them by hearing them, they eventually reaped its fruit—disobedience. Whenever we allow parts of our bodies to be used for evil, we will eventually turn away from God. Think for one moment if Adam and Eve simply run away instead of talking with the devil. They could have been spared the hard life and we could have been enjoying the Garden of Eden, right? Joseph knowing this did not allow satan to fool him. When satan came in the form of a seductive and luscious woman, trying to tempt him daily, he resisted the woman but when she daily approached Joseph and found him in a solace, he could no longer resist her but the only thing left is to run away. There are sins that are better cut off by running away such as immorality.

An immoral person will try to seduce you by anyways he can. Because Samson loved a flattering prostitute, God cannot do anything with him until finally his eyes awakened him to his senses. If a person wilfully disobeys God, He cannot do anything to save such person. We have to runaway from places and people who can force us to do evil. We have to throw away any friends, books, magazines, tapes and videos that do not tend to godliness but instead influences us to do evil. Be warned my child, “if sinners entice you, do not consent” (Proverbs 1:10), “do not walk in the way with them and keep your feet from their path, for their feet run to evil and they hasten to shed blood” Proverbs 1:15-16.”

Note therefore that it would always be easier to drive evil away by resisting it at its very roots. Like a Kingdom, if the invader is allowed inside, then he could easily turn the tides to victory by routing his enemy inside the gates. A poison is fast remedied in the first place by not taking it. Sin must therefore be cut off away from you because of your love for Jesus. Whenever this love is present, you have power within you that no evil can withstand. Love is the conqueror of death.

To overcome therefore, do not allow any parts of your senses to welcome evil by your very doors—resist every evil inclination and do not meditate, think or even do evil. Instead be renewed in your mind by reading and reading the Scriptures and godly books that edify you. Jesus increased in favour with God and men; He did not only read the Scriptures but also the books that are available for Him to read. We have been given many resources including time, money and knowledge for us to expand the Kingdom of God in our lives, in our neighbours and in our communities. Seek to do good.

Abhor what is evil and do not take any grudge on others. Keep your mind pure by sticking it with His Words, think and ponder, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8-9).

Seated in the heavenlies

We are called to sit in the heavenlies. God called us to abide with Him in the heavenlies and not on the earth. Paul wrote, “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-7). The word seated with Him denotes past tense which means that God has already made us to seat with Him in the heavenlies. To seat in the heavenly places is to be where Christ rules, is to be alive and rule with Him where He is.

And that sums up our goal, which is to abide where Christ is and who Christ is to us. Because Peter knew that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, He was able to entrust His fledgling church to his care. It is the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God and his faith in Him that made the Lord to trust Peter, that later he will indeed strengthen the Church. When he was restored after betraying Him, he was the first one to rise up and give a sermon that won the first 3000 harvests of the church.

Because he understood that he was no longer talking to a mere carpenter and leader but the very Son of God, Peter understood that Jesus is indeed their Big Brother who is always available and who came to rescue men from the bondage of sin and death. Our call is to be the same, to realize that Jesus is our Big Brother, that where our Lord is we will also be there. Think about for one moment, if we all are walking with our minds renewed and our spirit connected with God, do you think there will not be an explosion?

There would be explosion of ideas, explosion of creative power, explosion of the miraculous because when the flesh of man receives a revelation from the heavenlies, it brings down to earth to apply that revelation!

Think for one moment about the process of pasteurization. It is because Louis Pasteur delved deeply into what causes the souring of milk and the unpalatability of milk left on the outside for sometime that he wondered what causes it and how it can be remedied. Do you think that man did not read the Scriptures? Or prayed to God for help? He did! He asked for revelation that He would help him understand the problem and God just burst forth the idea into his mind. He once said that “chance favors the prepared mind” and it was so that God also favors those who are prepared for His revelation.