Unhanding Evil

S
(Acts 12:1, 24) “About that time, Herod the King laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church...But the Word of God increased and multiplied.”

O
As King, Herod put a army’s multiplied, trained, and violent hands into action to do the works of his evil heart. He strategically went after the church’s leaders, but we don’t know how he chose which ones to violate. Herod, with his hate-filled fear of godliness, became a type of anti-Christs.

A
Though evil has some freedom to do its violent work, I don’t need to acquiesce, even for a moment, to its claim to ultimate victory. In the end, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11:9).

P Lord, You came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). As your servant, help me to understand and fulfill the part you would like me to play in this. Evil is something I want to flee from because of its power to torment, train, and tempt. Yes, deliver us from evil...and show me how to resist it and thereby cut off its hands.