When Evil Takes Hold

For the leader. Of the servant of the LORD, of David.
I know what Transgression says to the wicked; he has no sense of the dread of God,
because its speech is seductive to him till his iniquity be found out and he be hated.
His words are evil and deceitful; he will not consider doing good.
In bed he plots mischief; he is set on a path of no good, he does not reject evil.
Psalm 36:1-5

We are God’s Children. All His children are born of Adam and Eve so we have a bit of the Holy Spirit in each one of us. Because of this we live in a world of free will and choices which decide our eternal fate. There is no way possible that anyone can make only good choices or only bad choices so we need to find the best way to balance ourselves out and be pleasing to God. 

For some people, the evil inclination known as temptation becomes too strong which takes them down a dark path. The good in the person is still there but it becomes hidden away leaving nothing but choices that harm others and eventually the self. 

A servant of David, more than likely a scribe wrote Psalm 36 when they spoke about the temptations that overtook his family. The very first verse covers a great many things.

I know what Transgression says to the wicked; he has no sense of the dread of God,
because its speech is seductive to him till his iniquity be found out and he be hated.

The evil inclination, or temptation, can grab hold of anyone. The most easily swayed are those who are questioning whether God is real. Temptation can seep into the mind in many ways. Jealousy, desires of the flesh, anger, and hate can cause a person’s evil inclinations to grow which lead to temptation and if not controlled, sin.  

His words are evil and deceitful; he will not consider doing good.

The person who cannot control temptation because of putting God away completely can fall into a situation where all they know is what scholars would know as the Seven Deadly Sins. The person’s free will is taken over by choosing to fall into sinfulness from which the only escape is either death or turning back to God completely. This person who falls no longer can remember what good is.   
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In bed he plots mischief; he is set on a path of no good, he does not reject evil.

When evil takes hold, it is the only thing that person can think about. They think about ruining lives to make theirs better. They think about removing people and getting rid of those who stand in their way. You see, one small act of sin can turn a person. When evil enters the heart and removes God, there is little chance of turning back. 

Blessing or a Curse
Evil intentions live in each one of us due to the choices made by our earthly parents, Adam and Eve. Scripture tells us that God really does want a return to the relationship we had at the beginning so He made it possible by setting down the law while giving us the opportunity to succeed or fail. Let no one tell you we cannot follow God’s Law; it is a choice each one of us has to personally make. We might not be fully successful all the time but it can be done.

God sends prophets, messengers (angels), guides, and mentors to us to help us along the way but the choice of doing right or wrong is ultimately our own. Here is where it gets complicated. God, being God, already knows the choices we do or do not make. Because of this there are some from Him who work overtime to get us back on track. Sometimes with poor results. Even then, our poor result may be just what was needed to put someone else back on track so we are forgiven. 

The danger is that we do not know what this life will bring and how we are going to be used. Our blessings could lead to curses which could lead to someone else’s blessing. 

Evil Intentions Can be Reversed  
Although there is no going back on the original choice made by Adam and Eve, we have to live with it and the consequences. Sometimes the consequences can lead to redemption, especially if it hits home. When eyes are opened and the truth of evil is revealed people can be forgiven. Will they spend time in repentance and in the fire of renewal? Yes. Can it be done completely while they still walk the earth? Highly unlikely. But if those who were wronged by the person forgives, redemption is easier because God reenters the heart that was lost. 

We are our Brother’s Keepers because of what God commanded our ancestors to do long ago. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 

I must reiterate that He says, “Every Living Thing”. This excludes no one. 

All it takes is the Love, Compassion, Grace, and Mercy that we learn from the Word of God by following, believing and living a life of faith in Him. It really isn’t as hard as it sounds as long as the right choices are made and vows kept. 

In His Love
Rob, Servant of God

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