When It Seems That Evil Is Winning

Rev Gideon Lee

Sometimes we look at the world around us and we think life is unfair. Our finances and our health, we seem to be less prosperous than the wicked. It's like we do right yet we are less well off when compared to the wicked. Sometimes when we look at all these things, we get discouraged. I am here to encourage you from the word of God. 

Psalms 73

BOOK III Psalms 73-89 Psalm 73 A psalm of Asaph. ​1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. 2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. 8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?” 12 This is what the wicked are like– always carefree, they increase in wealth. 13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. 15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

This passage started well but it then changed to a situation similar to what I mentioned. It looks hopeless and we are discouraged. It's as if God is blind to our situation. Has God taken a holiday? God where are you? When we look at our health or our finance. My colleague who bad stab and cheat, they get a promotion. What about me? 

Turn to your neighbour and said God has good news for you. Don't look so gloomy. Because the psalmist changes his tone from verses 18. He switches his tone. 

How does walking on slippery ground feels like? You fall and you find it hard to change direction. 

I used to run. Not for the school but for my school house. I'm Rumah Putih. I like to run bare footed. I felt I would be faster. How many of you played football without your shoes. I like it. On that day it drizzled and the ground was wet. I ran without my shoes and it was so hard. I had to concentrate to keep my balance. While my competitors has shoes with spikes. You could see they ran with ease. 

The psalmist says he put the wicked on slippery ground. No weapon formed against us will prosper. They are on slippery ground. 

How many of you remember the tsunami that hit Penang? It came suddenly without warning. It swept everything in its path. Things were destroyed. Ships were swept inland. It's like that with the wicked. They will be swept away without warning. 

What we are going through is a nightmare. We need to be prepared. We are seeing the signs. It may one day be illegal for us to come to church. Don't say persecution will not come. It's at our doorsteps. It's like a nightmare but all nightmares end when we wake up. This bad dream will cease when he arises. 

What we see today is not the final episode. You all watch Korean or Taiwanese dramas right? The wicked are really wicked but in the end the good guys win. At the last episode everything is made right and the good guys win. 

Anyone of you watched Transformers. I'm free Monday. Joking ya. Good endings. It's not the last episode. He will arise and everything will be made right. Never say you waste your life living righteously. 

What else did the psalmist learnt? From v23 to 26. 

God is with the psalmist and held his right hand and guide him with his counsel. How many of you know this is a song. Worship leaders? God is the strength of my heart. 

When we think God is not there, we got it wrong. God is there with you always. He didn't say sometimes or maybe he is with you but always. Whether it is your health, your finance or relationship, he is with you. When you have God you have everything. It makes a difference when you have him. 

The psalmist started in a negative way and it seems that God is not doing anything in his situation. But then he changes and say that God is with him always. God is the strength of my heart and portion forever. 

What caused the change? From being negative to positive. 

Psa 73:17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

He spent time with God. He did not focus on his problems but he spent time with God. He put on his glasses of faith. That at the end of the day God will turn it for good. He came out of God's presence feeling victorious. Don't worry God is with us. We have to spend time in God's presence. Until we enter his sanctuary we will not see his outcome. 

On Wednesday our attendance has been increasing at our prayer meeting. And that is good. In your devotion are you spending time in God's presence. The people are coming consistently. If I did not spend time with God I will feel discouraged looking at the news around us. 

I bought Koay Kak. How much can you get Koay Kak? It used to be RM2.00. Another place RM2.20 with egg. Another place RM3.00 with duck egg. I bought at another place and I gave him RM3.00. I was waiting for my change, he looked at me and I looked at him. And he said boss, no more RM2.50. It's now RM3.00. 

Yesterday I went to school to get the report card for my child. As I went I heard a parent scolding her child. She said you embarrass me. You call yourself my children. That ticked me off. That child is only standard one or the most standard three. Our worth. God sees us differently and we can only see that in his presence. Spend time with God and you will come out different. He is your portion and strength. 

We will see the final destiny of our church as we spend time with him. Let's spend time in God's presence and we will see the right picture.