“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. . . Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. “ (John 17:14-15; 17)
These days as I watch the chaos and violence erupting across our world, particularly here in the USA, I see the devil at work. The Word of God teaches that the mind of man is blinded by the god of this age, Satan (2 Cor. 4:4). Many of those who are taking part in these pro-Palestinian demonstrations think they are advocating freedom and justice for an oppressed people. Nevertheless they show by their actions that they are blind to the truth, blind to the word of God, headed for God’s judgment in Hell because they follow Satan, not Jesus.
Faithful Christians ought never to be involved in such violence and lawlessness. As Jesus says we are not of the world. We do not espouse the causes of the evil one, or of the world, but we advocate for the gospel because we are citizens of the Kingdom of God. We preach the gospel of love in and through Jesus in order to enlighten those blinded by the devil. The mind of man is hopelessly corrupt so what passes for truth these days are the lies of the devil spoken by men and women who think they know better than everyone else what is good and bad, who think they know better than God what is truth and what is a lie. Hence we see the glorification of sinful lifestyles and the denigration of God’s Word which has always maintained that all humans are born sinners, all born in wickedness and corruption. Christ Jesus came to redeem us from that sinful hopeless and helpless condition.
As Jesus prayed His High Priestly prayer the night He was betrayed, He prayed for us, for those He loved. He asked for courage and faith that none us would fall away from faith though we will be sorely tested. Jesus’ prayer can help us to persevere for it is filled with confidence and hope in the face of the unimaginable suffering He was about to endure. Thus when we pray we ought to be confident that God hears us even when we are filled with fear. No matter what happens, the Lord is with us.