During my communion time with the Holy Spirit, I was shown a deeper and less obvious way of viewing Scripture, one that revealed how limited human understanding still is, even after years of walking with the Lord and being taught by Him. This encounter produced a fresh awe at the vastness of the Lord’s might, ultimate authority, and unlimited ability, and a renewed awareness that there is always more to learn and understand about Him concerning all things.

I am continually amazed at how the Holy Spirit faithfully guides us as the followers of Jesus into new, greater dimensions of the truth each day,by expanding our capacity to experience all that the Father has prepared, by revealing realities that transcend human knowledge and understanding. 1 Corinthians.2:9-12.

The Holy Spirit then directed my attention to Proverbs 17:13, which states that the one who returns evil for good can expect evil in return for the rest of his life. While this truth is straightforward, the Holy Spirit posed a deeper question: What about the person who returns good for evil and yet still receives evil in response. What is that person’s reward? This perspective I had never previously considered and it immediately drew my attention to want to understand this spiritual reality.

In other words, it pointed out to me that when someone is kind, faithful, and good, yet receives mistreatment, rejection, or hostility in return, does that negative outcome define their future?

The Holy Spirit clarified that as followers of Jesus we must not be overcome by evil, but must overcome evil with good, and emphasized the importance of asking the opposite question when Scripture highlights only one side of an issue. I realized that without doing so, we as followers of Jesus can develop a skewed understanding of truth and become vulnerable through ignorance.

Jesus Himself is presented in the word of God which He is as the ultimate example. According to Acts 10:38, Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil because God was with Him. Even though this is the truth not every oppressed person was healed, because not everyone responded correctly to His goodness.

This being the case, Jesus still never responded to evil with evil, nor did He ever allow people’s actions to alter His nature or character. He never stopped doing good, because goodness is who He is. Despite being hated without cause and suffering unjust treatment, Jesus never failed from responding in love in anything He did.

We, as the followers of Jesus,  are likewise anointed by the Holy Spirit to do good, and not evil. So the evil actions of others must never move us to step outside our God-given nature of goodness to adopt the ways of satan by responding in kind. Yielding to evil in order to fight evil always results in taking on the enemy’s nature rather than remaining aligned with God which results in us fighting for satan’s evil to succeed. 

The Holy Spirit highlighted that the apostle Paul was one who learnt and understood this lesson deeply. Therefore in the face of threats, persecution, and human evil, Paul could boldly declare that none of these things moved him. He understood his identity in Christ so as a man of God and refused to compromise his divine nature by submitting to lies manifested through the evil actions of men.

This clearer understanding of truth clearly exhorts us as followers of Jesus to never allow the evil of the day to rob them of the best the Lord has prepared for them.

Instead, we are called to faithfully remain in the goodness of God and through it overcome every form of evil by allowing the goodness of the Lord to work faithfully within them. As followers of Jesus we are greater than every scheme designed by satan to pull us away from the Lord’s hand and protection. 1 John.4:4.

Choosing to remain in the posture of doing good is not weakness but it is our connection point to the Lord’s presence and protection and nothing can separate us from the unfailing love of God, unless they choose to yield to evil in an attempt to fight evil.

Therefore, as followers of Jesus, this word is sent to cause you to draw strength from the grace released through it, to allow all the goodness of God to flow  freely from their lives so that our actions confounds our enemies and lifts them into higher dimensions of spiritual glory.

In conclusion I urge you to live out this truth daily by doing good, which causes you to remain anointed, to destroy yokes of bondage, and remove burdens from those oppressed by the devil, thus resulting in greater advancement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

I declare that in the Name of Jesus Christ you will not be overcome by evil, but you will overcome evil with good. I decree that your nature in Christ will remain unshaken, unchanged, and uncompromised because the goodness of God within you will confound your enemies, and will keep you connected to divine protection.

In the name of Jesus you will be lifted up into higher realms of glory in the Spirit so you will walk daily in the anointing of Jesus, by destroying yokes, removing burdens, and advancing Jesus’s Kingdom with power, grace, and authority to bring glory to the Father in Jesus’ Name. Amen.