Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People
Many people ponder the question, ‘why do bad things happen to good people?’ Even in church circles where people ought to know better this question is asked. In many cases the implied question is, ‘God, why did You do this or why did You allow that to happen to such a beautiful person?’ That is NOT the right question to ask. Every and any theological explanation arising from the premise that God either did or allowed evil will leave you in a place of vulnerability and weakness. If you ask the wrong question you will get the wrong answer.
The Prayer of Ephesians 3
If you find yourself in a position of defeat, loss, or tragedy, be quick to run to God, your loving Father, and tell Him that you do not hold Him responsible. Do not beat yourself up either. Get close to your heavenly Dad and pray that ever so important prayer in Ephesians 3:15 to 23. I want to quote that prayer. Observe how many answers are available in it: “Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.”
God Is For Us, Not Against Us
If only Job had realized from the beginning that God’s power was for him, not against him. Paul uses the word ‘usward’ when talking about the exceeding greatness of God’s power. We would probably say ‘toward us’ instead of ‘usward’ these days. This is the revelation the Body of Christ needs right now. Clearly God is not against us! And do not let religious folks talk you into believing that God teaches us through suffering. God teaches us by His Word and through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, not the dis-comforter. He is the One who brings us into ease, not disease.
Many people say things like, ‘if I hadn’t had the accident than I would not have learned what I did.’ Yes you would have. The proper way to learn is through the Word of God, and by the Holy Spirit. He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men, and one of those gifts was the teacher. God sent teachers to teach, but He did not send accidents to teach. Where in the world did this sort of thinking get into the church?
Pray the Ephesians prayer over your life, over your family and loved ones. Start to meditate on the goodness of God, the God of love, and the great power of God, which is for you and towards you. Stop worrying about receiving evil from God. It will never happen.
We Need Not Perish
It is true that Christians often do not live up to the benefits that are available to them. Thank God this is changing. Let us not have a lack of vision. Pro 29:18 tells us, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” Young’s Concordance tells us that vision means sight, dream, or revelation. Without a sight, a dream, and a revelation of the love of God, and the goodness of God, people perish. Hosea 4:6 further explains the problem: “My people are destroyed (perish) for lack of knowledge…” Some have never been taught about the goodness of God.
The Queen’s Letter
There was a report of a woman who once worked for the Queen of England. For many years she served Her Majesty faithfully and when she retired the Queen gave her a letter. The letter was one of the woman’s most prized possessions. She treasured it and hung it on her wall. As she got older she struggled physically and financially. Her home was just a little cottage and each day was a tremendous challenge. Eventually she found she could not survive without assistance.
One of her friends came to help and noticed the framed document on the wall. She stopped to read the embossed gold-lettered document. She asked her elderly friend if she had ever read the document herself. She replied that she had not because she had never been taught to read. That document was an offer from the Queen for this woman to live in a beautiful home until the day she died with all her needs met. The Queen had arranged for people to help her and assist her in every aspect of her life. Many Christians will get to heaven and be amazed to find out what Father God had provided for them on this earth. Do not be one of them. Pray for revelation, wisdom, and knowledge.
We Are ‘In Christ’
Satan is defeated. Paul makes a point of mentioning this in his prayer. Jesus our Savior was crucified but raised from the dead by the power of God to a position where all things are under His feet. In God’s mind when Jesus was raised from the dead, we were raised from the dead. When Jesus was seated at the Fathers right hand in the position of highest authority, we too were seated at the right hand of the Father. We are ‘in Christ’.
Jesus is the head of the Body. We are the Body of Christ. If the head has authority so has the body. You and I are the ones who enforce that defeat on Satan. Dominion has been returned to man.
Be Twice As Blessed
Right now you can stop being a worrier and become a warrior. Fear never need be your companion. From this moment on you can walk in dominion speaking victory and blessing over you and your family. What you see and what you feel need not dictate the course of events. You can choose to rest in the God of Love. Job repented quickly. He admitted he had said many silly things. Almost immediately God’s blessing rolled all over him and he was twice as blessed as before. He did not need to go through all the agony to get twice as blessed. No, God would have done that anyway but Job’s lack of knowledge and understanding got in the way.
More Than Conquerors
You are more than a conqueror. Have you ever stopped and wondered what that means. I used to wonder how you could be MORE than a conqueror. Surely there is no greater position than to be a conqueror. Well obviously there is or the Bible would not have said there was. One day my Pastor in South Africa, Ray McCauley, explained this verse and I have never forgotten it. He told a story.
He took us back to the days when Cassius Clay started to fight. I remember his twentieth fight well. It was his first well known fight and it was against Sonny Liston. Cassius was a conqueror. Later he called himself Mohammed Ali and went on to fight and win against Frazier, Foreman, and Spinks. He was a conqueror.
After the fight he would pick up his cheque for millions and head home. As he entered the front door his little wife would say, ‘where’s the cheque?’ ‘Hand it over, I’m going shopping!’ Sheepishly big Muhammad would reach into his wallet and hand over the cheque. His little wife was more than a conqueror. She took all the winnings without having to fight. Now this is just a story based on a little bit of fact, but in our case it is wholly true. Jesus fought and won, and we get all the spoils.
Now that you understand God’s heart for you release Him from any blame for bad circumstances you may have experienced and take up your position in the earth as a child of God. Rise up and exercise dominion in your jurisdiction. Walk on from here a new person with a new relationship with God in heaven. Sleep well at night, travel well during the day, and watch the blessing double all around you.
Some Final Scriptures
I would like to end these thoughts by once again looking at what the Holy Written Word of God has to say about the goodness of God. Here is some good food to meditate on.
- John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
- John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
- James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted (tested) of God: for God cannot be tempted (tested) with evil, neither tempteth (tests) he any man:
- James 1:16,17 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.
- Mathew 13:39 …the enemy that sowed them is the devil…
- 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
- Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. (Healing is good, God is good! Sickness is not good, sickness is not from God).
- Luke 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
Our Father is a good God. He loves us so much he has given us authority to rule over demons, the devil, and evil spirits. Let us not sit back and let a defeated devil walk all over our lives. Now that we know it is God’s intention for us to experience His blessing every day of our lives let us do our part to make God’s plan to come to pass by exercising the authority He has given us. We have dominion and authority over every hindrance and every manifestation of evil in our lives in Jesus Name.
Our latter end will be more blessed than our beginning.
