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Living in the Face of Evil
October 14, 2023

During the Feast of Tabernacles we celebrated the Kingdom of God. While we know we are now to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, we also know that at the present time, we seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness living in the face of evil. For the people of God that is how it has been, how it is, and how it will be up until the return of Jesus Christ. While we live in the face of evil, we need to remember that God will keep the evil from us. It’s like being inside your house while a storm is raging outside. Just like your house protects you from the raging storm, God protects us from evil, even when we live in the face of evil.

One of the early examples of evil that we see in the Bible takes us to a meeting between Abraham and the Lord on the plains of Mamre. Abraham was in his tent mid-afternoon when it was really hot, when he noticed three men at the tent door. He welcomed them as guests to his tent, and quickly had a banquet prepared for them, which they ate underneath a nearby tree. The Lord told Abraham that He would return to him and his wife Sarah would have a son, which caused Sarah to laugh because by this time she was well beyond child-bearing age.

It was then that the Lord and the men with him stood up and looked toward Sodom, debating whether or not to share with Abraham His intentions for the city because the sins of Sodom were very grievous and Abraham and his family were righteous in the eyes of God. God then shared His decision with Abraham telling him that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was very grievous and He intended to see if what He had heard was indeed true. As the Lord and the men got up to leave, Abraham stood before the Lord.

Abraham wanted to know if God would destroy the righteous with the wicked, and then began to negotiate with God. He first asked if God would spare the city for the sake of fifty righteous people, and God assured him He would. Abraham then began to lower the count of righteous people, to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and ten, and God left. Abraham knew his nephew Lot lived there.

Genesis 18:1-33
And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

Next, we see two angels who came to Sodom in the early evening. These might have been the two who were traveling with God, and they met up with Lot who was at the city gate as he welcomed them. Lot invited the angels to spend the night at his house where he wined and dined them into the evening. Before they were ready to turn in for the night, the men of the city came to Lot’s house because they wanted to know the men who had come earlier in the day. When Lot heard these words he shut the door to the house behind him and told them to not do so wickedly. The men who wanted to know these angels were interested in sex, and wanting to appease them, Lot instead offered to them his virgin daughters. That offer fell flat on the men who wanted these angels, and became aggressive in handling Lot, to the point where Lot was rescued from the mob, when the two angels quickly opened the door, and pulled him back inside, shutting the door. To protect everyone, they caused the crowd to become blind.

These angels, having seen for themselves the very evil that came to the attention of God, knew Sodom and Gomorrah would need to be destroyed, and they wanted to spare Lot and Lot’s family, extending the offer to his sons-in-law. While we know Lot had two daughters still living with him at the family residence, we don’t know how many were already married off. Because Lot had sons-in-law, plural, Lot likely had at least two other daughters who lived with their husbands. When Lot approached them with the need to flee, they thought he was joking and took no action on his information. The next morning the angels hurried Lot and his family to leave, possibly to get out of the city before the city became busy with the sin of the people. Lot was taking a bit longer than the angels were expecting and physically helped Lot, his wife, and the two daughters still living at the family home, and got them out of the city. Once outside of the city the angels told them to escape for their lives, to flee to the mountain, and to not look behind lest they die. In the face of death and the urgency of angels, Lot negotiated with them to instead go to a nearby city. Abraham negotiated with God to get the count of the righteous to ten to spare the city, and here was Lot negotiating with the angels. Negotiating must have run in the family.

The angels told Lot to get to the city of Zoar, because until he was there, they could do nothing against Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his family arrived there after the sun was up, at which time brimstone and fire fell on the two cities. Lot’s wife decided to look back, and she became a pillar of salt. From his residence, Abraham got up that morning and saw the smoke arising from the two cities, as if it were a furnace, and then we see why Lot and his family was rescued, because God remembered Abraham.

Genesis 19:1-29
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came into thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came into sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, is it not a little one? and my soul shall live. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

God remembered Abraham, who negotiated with God to spare the cities if ten righteous people could be found. God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the city when ten righteous people couldn’t be found. God spared Lot, who Peter called a just and righteous person who lived in the face of evil.

2 Peter 2:7-9
And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds; The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

When Lot lived in the face of evil, what he saw day in and day out bothered him, and yet God delivered Lot from that evil and brought punishment to those who were evil. And Lot was not the only one who lived in the face of evil. Much later the children of Israel would find themselves in captivity in Egypt, and when there were efforts to escape that captivity, the captors resisted with God eventually bringing ever increasing plagues against them up to the death of the first born on the night of the Passover. Part of what the children of Israel were to do that night was to take the blood of the lamb and mark the side and top door jams of the entrance to their house. That blood would mark them as the people of God to be protected from the evil that would befall the Egyptians on a night where the firstborn both of man and beast died through the hand of the destroyer sent by God.

Exodus 12:1-13
And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Survival that night was as simple as doing what God told them to do. The children of Israel lived, and the Egyptians died. The Children of Israel lived in the face of evil at the hand of the Egyptians, and the Egyptians died as a result of their evil. In the future, for those living in Judea, their survival will depend upon fleeing into the mountains when they see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place.

Matthew 24:15-22
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, whoso readeth, let him understand: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

Later in the same chapter of Matthew Jesus shows how the end time will be like the time of Noah, and that at the end time about half will be spared.

Matthew 24:36-41
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Revelation gives us prophetic imagery of the dragon being cast to earth who then persecutes the woman who brought forth the man child. While it was historically Mary who gave birth to Jesus, because we are told the dragon goes to make war with the remnant of her seed after she is nourished for three and a half years in a place prepared for her in the wilderness, we know that the woman symbolizes the church, and even the remnant have the commandments of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:13-17
And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Time and time again, we are shown how the people of God live in the face of evil, and that God delivers the people from evil. Lot was spared from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah because he was righteous and was able to bring his family, though only his two unmarried daughters were alive when all was said and done. The children of Israel observed the Passover as God told them and painted the side and top door jams with the lamb’s blood and were spared the death of the first born. In the future, those who are in Judea who see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, who also flee to the mountains will be spared the evil of their time, and in Revelation we see that the church is given a place in the wilderness where she is fed for three and a half years. We can look to these examples and know we have nothing to fear in the face of evil because we seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. David, King of Israel, and a man after God’s own heart knew he had nothing to fear and nobody of whom to be afraid. He trusted God as the strength of his life and knew in times of trouble, God would hide him even when surrounded by his enemies. Today, God will hide us, even when we are surrounded by our enemies. He knew God would hear his cries just like God heard the cries ascend to him about the grievous sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, and he sought God knowing even when his own family gave up on him, God was always there. He knew God would not hand him over to his enemies and David confidently waited on God with good courage.

Psalm 27:1-14
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

The historic and prophetic events we looked at today remind us that God and Jesus Christ will deliver us from evil today as much as God historically delivered the righteous and prophetically will deliver the righteous because God and Jesus Christ do not change. Because of that constant unchanging nature of their spiritual character, we cannot change and be carried about by what some might call new truth, knowing our opportunity of eternal life comes through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:8-9
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

God does not change and the calling we have been given does not give us any type of permission to change from what God expects us to be. We can look at Malachi to see how God does not change and how thousands of years ago what was important to God is still important to God. What we do needs to be based in righteousness and not religious ceremony. We need to avoid sorcery, adultery, lies, and never oppress employees, widows, orphans, and strangers.

Malachi 3:1-6
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts. For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

James tell us that every good and perfect gift comes from God our Father with Whom there is no variableness or shadow of turning. In other words, God does not change and we were created and called through the word of truth so that we are like the first fruits of His creation.

James 1:16-18
Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

No matter how challenging our situation may be in the face of evil, we know God will fight for us just like he fought for the children of Israel when they left Egypt, and like the children of Israel we need to hold our peace and let God fight for us today.

Exodus 14:13-14
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more forever. The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

We are not to use the calling we have as an excuse to ever repay evil for evil. What we are being given by God is based in righteousness and will lead to holiness, and we cannot use evil to gain righteousness and holiness. Vengeance is never ours and always belongs to God. When we are wronged by a person instead of seeking to get revenge or just to get even, we seek to overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:17-21
Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Peter reminds us that we never repay evil for evil but repay evil with a blessing, overcoming evil with good, knowing that the eyes of God are on the righteous while God is against all who are evil. Even if we suffer harm for the faith that we have, we are not to be afraid or troubled by what happens to us knowing it is much better for us to suffer for doing good than to just go and do evil.

1 Peter 3:8-17
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

The times we live in are perilous times. We find ourselves living in the face of evil where people love themselves, are greedy, like to brag, are proud, demean God and the Holy Spirit, disregard the love of their parents, are unthankful, unholy, have no natural affection, unforgiving, slanderers, lack self-control, brutal, despise people who are good, traitors, stubborn, and loving the pleasures of this life more than God, and they might even appear to be religious, but these people aren’t. All they have is a thin veneer of religious devotion covering all that is bad.

2 Timothy 3:1-5
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Living in the face of evil, we can take comfort knowing that Jesus never intended for us to be removed from this world, but that the evil we see around us does not bring us harm.

John 17:13-15
And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Living in the face of evil, we know we will be delivered from unreasonable and wicked people knowing that not all are called at this time, because God is faithful and will keep us from evil.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Living in the face of evil, we can take comfort knowing that all things work together for good to them that love God who are called according to his purpose. Living in the face of evil, we can take comfort knowing that if God be for us, nobody can really be against us.

Romans 8:28-39
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Living in the face of evil, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God which in Christ Jesus our Lord. We can look to the example of Abraham who negotiated with God to spare the righteous from the punishment of the evil, and see how God spared righteous Lot. We can recall how God spared the children of Israel from the death of the firstborn because they did what God told them to do by painting their top and bottom door jams with blood. Prophetically we know the people living in Judea will be spared who flee to the mountains when they see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, and that the church will be given a place in the wilderness to be spared the wrath of the dragon.

From David we know that even when we are surrounded by our enemies, God delivers us and can even hide us from our enemies. Like David we need to patiently wait for God. We live in the face of evil, and we are called to righteousness, and so we live a life of righteousness overcoming evil with good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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