Overcoming Evil (how to handle it when others wrong you)
1. Seek to communicate privately with the person who has wronged you.
Matt. 18:15. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”
2. If you can’t get the matter settled, take one or two with you.
Matt. 18:16. “But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ ”
3. If that doesn’t work, tell it to the church; seek help there.
Matt. 18:17. “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.”
4. Bless those who persecute you.
Rom. 12:14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
5. Paul tells how to overcome evil and how to react when someone wrongs you.
Rom. 12:17–21.
6. Do not seek revenge.
Rom. 12:17. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
Rom. 12:19. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Prov. 20:22. Do not say, “I will recompense evil”; Wait for the Lord, and He will save you.
7. Pursue peace with everyone.
Rom. 12:18. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
8. Overcome evil with good.
Rom. 12:21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
9. Imitate Jesus by suffering wrongfully, if need be; in no way should you try to get even.
1 Peter 2:18–23.
1 Peter 2:21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
1 Peter 3:8–9. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
10. Love your enemies and do good to them.
Matt. 5:43–47.
Rom. 12:20. Therefore “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.”
11. Turn the other cheek; be kind to the person who has wronged you.
Matt. 5:38–42.
1 Thess. 5:15. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
12. Do not testify against your neighbor, nor seek revenge.
Prov. 24:28–29. Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, For would you deceive with your lips? Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work.”
13. Moses gives a practical example of what to do after someone has wronged you.
Exod. 23:4–5. “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.”
Overcoming Sin
See also Change; and Obedience.
1. The truth sets us free.
John 8:32. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
2. By nature we are all slaves to sin, but Jesus sets us free.
John 8:34–36. Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
3. A believer can overcome sin because he is a new creature.
2 Cor. 5:17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
4. God has given us all we need for life and godliness.
2 Peter 1:3. As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.
5. God requires you to work out your salvation in every area of life.
Phil. 2:12. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
6. God enables you to do so; you need not go it on your own.
Phil. 2:13. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
7. God is able to make all grace abound to you, to enable you to overcome any specific sin.
2 Cor. 9:8. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
8. We are being transformed more and more into the likeness of Jesus.
2 Cor. 3:18. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
9. You must keep working at breaking sinful habits and developing new and godly ways.
Eph. 4:22–24. That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Col. 3:9–10. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
10. Like a runner in a race, keep pressing on until you have gained the victory.
Phil. 3:12–14.
11. Don’t keep dwelling on past failures; nor should you get discouraged and give up after you have failed. Hang in there!
Phil. 3:13–14. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
12. Get rid of everything which might hinder you. Persevere!
Heb. 12:1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
13. One who is saved by grace must no longer serve sin. Keep working at overcoming it, using your body to serve only the Lord.
Rom. 6:11–22. (Romans 6 contains much good instruction concerning how a Christian must and can overcome sin through the grace and power of God.)
14. Don’t be mastered by any sin.
1 Cor. 6:12. All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
15. Christ, dwelling in us, enables us to overcome sin.
Gal. 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
16. Drunkards, homosexuals, idolaters, and others caught up in wickedness can overcome sin by God’s power and grace.
1 Cor. 6:11. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.
17. Paul, Titus, and others were set free from the power of sin. God gave them victory through the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:3–7.
Titus 3:5–6. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
18. Use the infallible Word of God.
2 Tim. 3:16–17. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
19. A true Christian will not live in sin.
1 John 3:6. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
1 John 3:9. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
20. Jude mentions three things that are necessary to remain faithful to God.
Jude 20–21. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.[1]
[1] Kruis, J. G. (1994). Quick scripture reference for counseling (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
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