Bible Study #5 - Where did Evil come from?

Two teenage girls selected and talked a New Zealand tourist in Noosa's National Park, Queensland, to carry out a carefully planned "thrill killing". They bashed and stabbed a 59 year old grandmother as she walked the park's track. One of the girls had a long-held desire to kill someone and was surprised and dissapointed went she realised she hasn't succeeded. When she was told by the police that she stabbed the woman more than 22 times, all she could reply with was "cool". She expressed pleasure at watching the blood spurt from the victim. It is alleged they were involved in some sort of Satanic Cult.

These are stories that are becoming so common-place in our media that they don't even raise and eyebrow or make the front page anymore. SO, what kinda of God lets this happen to us? This seems to be the question plaguing the world. If God made only good beings, where did evil come from? If God is who He is, why does he allow such things to happen?

While in this life we'll never be able to fully comprehend the problem of evil, God has told us enough to show that it wasn't because He doesn't love us, or because He wasn't powerful enough to do anything about it. When GOd created this worl it was "very good" (Genesis 1:31) But the serpent (or Satan), tempted Eve, playing on her ability to choose, and caused evil to come into this world. The question is, where did the devil come from?

Rebellion in Heaven:

The only way Lucifer (meaning morning star) could attempt to win the throne of God was by misrepresenting God. This was his strategy in Eden and also in the temptations of Jesus in the desert, offering to people, that which wasn't his to offer.

"Satan" means "adversary" or "enemy" and "Devil" means "slanderer". Instead of putting God frist in his affections, Lucifer centred them on himself. Pride led him to want God's position, and so, Lucifer "morning star" became the Devil or "slanderer"

Satan has already lost the game that he is playing, so instead of playing to win, he's now just trying to take away as many of God's followers as possible, for, as we know, every time we hurt ourselves, or disobey God, we hurt Him. Jesus died on the cross for us, rose from the dead, tasting death and taking the burden of our sins, meaning that we could be forgiven for being tempted by Lucifer.

In giving us freewill, God gave us the choice to obey him, wishing that we would obey him out of love, not out of fear, his angels obviously were given the same freewill. If God chose to detroy Satan, what would be the point in the gift of freewill?

While satan is a defeated foe, many don't know or believe this. The best things Satan ever did for himself was convince us that he didn't exist, and in not believing in him we let him still ahve Influence in this world. We will finally be delivered from Satan and evil will be stripped bear for the lie that it is and Jesus will take us to heaven.

When we resist the devil in Jesus' name and strength, he has no power over us. He is a defeated foe - defeated by Jesus on the cross. Jesus' victory over Satan is our victory when we accept Jesus as our savior.