“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. ” – Romans 12:20-21

From his book “Overcomer,” Dr. David Jeremiah writes this in regard to evil: “Here’s some of the best advice I ever received about responding to evil: when someone strikes out at you to hurt you with an evil act or accusation, don’t curse it; don’t rehearse it, don’t nurse it – but do reverse it.”

That is modern language, but biblically based, for sure. As hard as it may be to admit, we have allowed ourselves to get caught in a vicious circle of evil breeding more evil because of our insistence on cursing, rehearsing, and nursing instead of reversing! When something bad happens to us and we do not lash out immediately, we react by condemning it outwardly or inwardly – probably both – and then playing it over and over again in our mind.

We feed on “me” thoughts, which just gives the devil an opportunity to convince us that the only way to resolve the situation is to get even. Evil breeding more evil. Re-read Romans 12:20-21 above. The emphasis is not on the specific act of evil but on overcoming evil…with good. The next time evil strikes, and it will, try to react according to the Word and not the world.

~ Mark Knapp – Beck’s Chaplain