The Beautiful Side of Evil is a 1982 Christian narrative of Johanna Michaelsen. It is a very interesting and worth reading testimony depicting the evils of the Occult. This composition is not about that book. I only use its title as a theme for this paper.
The power behind Evil is in its subtleness. Evil can be extremely beautiful and attractive. It literally lures you into its hold. Beware this beautiful side of evil. This is where mankind is often entrapped.
Christians should know better but often we do not. We still think that if we do good, and feel good; we are Okay. We forget that only He is Good. Much of our life is based on feeling. The World, and some Christians, still say, “If it feels good, do it.”
No one is good—except God alone. (Luke 18:19)
Think of this scripture above. If we could be “Good” why would we need the Cross? Why would we need this Jesus thing at all? We can do it by ourselves (here is where the “Self” lifts its head). Many feel that the power of Satan is within the Occult, Witchcraft, Demons with red tails and pitchforks, etc. They are Fools. The real power of Satan is within us. It appears as what “Feels Good”. Here-in can exist our downfall.
Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (Goodness and good feelings). (2 Corinthians11:14)
How is this done? The book of Ephesians lays the foundation.
Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. (Ephesians 6:12)
These forces that are outside of us, raise havoc inside of us. They may cause wars, famine, diseases, illness, family feuds, marital problems and all kinds of mayhem. Big, obvious things. Then we want some kind of relief (and we all do), we search for a break (a vacation from the normal hum drum), often doing “what feels good; looking for something “Beautiful” that you can control, and perhaps, loosing our perspective and maybe our soul while doing so. Is this not the power of Darkness? Does Satan not want our Souls? Wake up World and Christians. We often see the obvious and miss the obscure. These “little things” can kill you. Examples The Self is the most excellent example of the Beautiful Side of Evil I can give. The Self, as I define it is; Mankind, “Me”, made in the image and likeness of God. We, Mankind, are God’s crowning achievement for which all creation was conceived. But as the World defines Self, it represents the fall of Mankind, from Eden to present. It is often called Humanism. Where-by, “We can do it ourselves”.
Lets take this lesson from Galatians 5:22, about; l, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
- Love becomes: lust, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, pornography and all types of sexual sin.
- Joy and Peace become: “Feel Good” Fun (no matter where it comes from), Transcendental (other worldly) sensations.
- Patience becomes: Laziness and Procrastination.
- Goodness, Gentleness and Kindness become: Envy, Extortion, idolatry, Entitlement and more.
- Meekness becomes: Wrath, Revilers, Hate Mongers, All types of prejudice.
- Faithfulness becomes: Mistrust, Suspicion, Doubt7. Even “Fear of the Lord” (not one of the 9 attributes) becomes: Pride, Self Actualization, Humanism.
The antithesis of “The Fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians makes us “Feel Good” even if only for a moment. Even Anger and Wrath make us feel good because we get to express our “feelings” in an attempt to gain control. Control is a “Self” thing.
How Do We Fight It? We fight it with knowledge. “Knowledge is power.” This phrase is often attributed to Francis Bacon, from his Meditationes Sacrae 1597). However, God’s Knowledge is Absolute Power. God’s divine power has granted all things that pertain to life and Godliness, through the knowledge
of him who called us to His own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 2:3)
This actually means all the power available from God to live and be Godly comes through knowledge! Wow! This, of course, implies knowledge and instruction through scripture.
Why would we therefore not want to be knowledgeable of the scriptures? The obvious for Christians is read in Ephesians 6:11-18)
Put on the whole Armour of God,…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God….
You can look up Ephesians 6:11-18, if you wish and have not already memorized it. For this exercise I want to concentrate on, “The Sword of the Spirit which is The Word of God”. With the Word you are able to fight the “Little Things”, but, you must know what the “Little Things” are. We do this by knowing The Word of God, from the Bible. For most people, and for many Christians like myself, parts of the Bible can be the most boring read you can think of. Look at Leviticus 8.
Also he took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. Then he brought Aaron’s sons. And Moses put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears,…Then he took the fat and the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, the two kidneys….
Really?? I’m sorry Lord, I think I can live without that. I don’t think I can apply any of that to my life. How about the book of Numbers?
…These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the divisions of Israel. Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation together. They registered themselves in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upwards, individually, as the Lord commanded Moses. So he enrolled them in the wilderness of Sinai….
Help me Lord!!! However (you know there’s always a However), I have found that when you glean these fields of boredom you often come across nuggets of pure Gold. Nuggets that get you through “The Little Things”.
The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes…The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” (Psalm 19:7-11)
Affirmation – So how do we, Christians, get relief. Does God want us to be so enamored with Him that we can’t do anything?
Answer: Yes and No. Our lives are totally His, but He does bring comfort, rest and relief. You know this (I hope)! It can be all summed up in one Bible scripture (although there are many). Read this again – for the first time.
The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd. I always have more than enough. He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss. That’s where he restores and revives my life. He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness so that I can bring honor to his name. Lord, even when your path takes me through the valley of deepest darkness, fear will never conquer me, for you already have! You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way. Your authority is my strength and my peace. The comfort of your love takes away my fear. I’ll never be lonely, for you are near. You become my delicious feast even when my enemies dare to fight. You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit; you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows. So why would I fear the future? For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life. Then afterward, when my life is through, I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you! (Psalms 23 TPT)
Conclusion
I can honestly say that when it comes to the Bible, I agree with Machiavelli. The end (The Word of God) does justify the means (the way you become an Overcomer). The Word, the Word, the Word, always has an answer.
Picture this; Drive a stake in the ground, call it “The Word of God” and chain yourself to it. You will never go wrong. You will see and understand “The Beautiful Side of Evil” and resist it, scripturally and physically.
Enough Said
Thy Words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)
