I WILL FEAR NO EVIL

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

NOVEMBER 03, 2022

TOPIC:  I WILL FEAR NO EVIL

BY T. O. BANSO

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 New King James Version).

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, among other things, thus, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13 New King James Version).

Luke 11:4 says a similar thing thus: “And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (New King James Version).

I want you to take note of the phrase “But deliver us from the evil one” in the two scriptures. The evil one refers to the devil. In John 17:15, Jesus, in His high priestly prayer, said, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (New King James Version). Here again, we see the phrase “the evil one.”

The evil one is on earth causing evil by working through demons and his human agents. His assignment, as Jesus said, is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a). The Apostle Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 3:3, “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (New King James Version).

The devil causes evil on earth. Many people live in the fear of the evil that he causes. Many are frustrated by this. Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 says, “Again I looked and saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed — and they have no comforter; power was on the side of their oppressors — and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun” (New International Version). Solomon felt that it was better to be dead than to live and see the evil done on earth but it was best not to be born at all! Some people today feel the same way when they see the evil in the world or are overwhelmed by it in their lives. Some have committed suicide because of this.

But God doesn’t want His children to be afraid of the evil on earth or be so overwhelmed by it that they hate living. David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 New King James Version).

In Psalm 3, the psalm David is believed to have written when he fled from Absalom, his son, who deposed him as king, he said in verse 6,  “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around” (New King James Version). He continued in verse 7: “Arise, O LORD; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly” (New King James Version).

Indeed, the LORD arose, broke the teeth of David’s enemy, and put down Absalom’s rebellion. He restored David to the throne. Proverbs 12:21 says, “No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil” (New King James Version).

In Psalm 27:1-3, David said, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me to eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident” (New King James Version).

In this scripture, you can see that David was not afraid of anyone, including his “enemies and foes.” He was not afraid of any army that might encamp against him. Why? Not because of the confidence he had in himself but because of the LORD. You should learn from him also.

Why should you fear no evil, as David said?

1. Because the LORD is your light and salvation and the strength of your life. As I said earlier, David said in Psalm 27, the Lord was his light and his salvation and asked whom he would fear. He also said the LORD was the strength of his life and asked whom he would be afraid of. David didn’t fear anyone because of whom the LORD was to him. Therefore, he said when the wicked, his “enemies and foes”, came against him to eat up his flesh, they stumbled and fell.

If you acknowledge the Lord as your light and salvation and the strength of your life, your testimony can be like that of David. You will be able to say, like David, that although an army may encamp against you, your heart shall not fear, and although war should rise against you, you will be confident.

2. Because the Lord is on your side. The writer of Psalm 118 says, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Verse 6 New King James Version). Evidently, evil is in the world and the evil one is working through demons and his human agents. But you must know that God is on your side. He is not against you. And if God is on your side, you cannot lose. As Romans 8:31b says, “If God is for us, who can be against us? If God is for you, it makes no difference who or what is against you. You will come out victorious. Therefore, you should fear no evil.

3. Because the Lord is with you and will never leave them. God is not just on your side supporting you; He is also with you and will never leave you. He goes with you everywhere and you have no reason to fear any evil. God told Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 New King James Version). In verses  6 and 9, God told him to be strong and of good courage. Also in verse 7, God said nearly the same, telling Joshua to be strong and very courageous. God is with you wherever you go. Have this confidence.

Hear what Moses told the Israelites: “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 New King James Version). Also, Moses told Joshua, his successor, before all the Israelites,  “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (verses 7-8 New King James Version).

The LORD was with the children of Israel as they journeyed in the wilderness.  “And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people” (Exodus 13:21-22 New King James Version). There was no reason for them to fear any evil but they often demonstrated a lack of faith in God despite God’s assurance of His presence and protection. They murmured or complained.

You should fear no evil. God is with you; He goes with you and even before you. Isaiah 43:2 says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you” (New King James Version). God will not abandon even when you are passing through the waters, the rivers, and the fire. He will be with you and go before you always.

David said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 New King James Version). You should not fear any evil because God is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5b).

If you have truly put your trust in God, you will fear no evil. David said in Psalm 56:4, “In God (I will praise His word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” (New King James Version).  He also said in verse 11, “In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (New King James Version). If you, too, put your trust in God, you will not fear. You will not fear the evil that the devil does through demons and his human agents.

Psalm 20:7 says some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Even when you use horses and chariots, don’t trust in them; trust in the Lord. Proverbs 21:31 says the horse is prepared for the day of battle but deliverance is of the LORD. Prepare your horse for the day of battle but don’t put your trust in it; put your trust in the Lord.

Psalm 91:9-10 says, “Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” (New King James Version). Trust in the Lord as your refuge in the midst of evil in the world. He will protect you. “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5 New King James Version). God will hide you from the secret plots of the wicked, from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity (Psalm 64:2).

4. Because the Lord is your helper. Hebrews 13:6 says, “So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (New King James Version). If you acknowledge the Lord as your helper, you won’t need to fear any evil because He will help you. If the Lord is your helper, how can any evil overpower you? David said in Psalm 54:4, “Behold, God is my helper; The Lord is with those who uphold my life” (New King James Version).

5. Because if you pray against the evil one, God will answer you. In Matthew 6:13 and Luke 11:4, Jesus taught us to pray to our Father in heaven to deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (New King James Version).

It is the will of God to deliver us from the evil one. 1 John 5:14 says, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (New King James Version). God cares for us more than we do. Ephesians 3:20 says God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. God will deliver you from evil as you pray. Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:18, “And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” (New King James Version).

6. Because God will defeat all your enemies. Joshua 10:25-26 says, “Joshua said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.’ Then Joshua struck and killed the kings and hung them on five trees, and they were left hanging on the trees until evening” (New International Version).

Don’t be afraid of the enemies threatening evil against you. God will defeat them. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18 New King James Version). They were not afraid of the king or his evil work. And God eventually defeated him; he delivered them.

Luke 12:4 says, “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do” (New King James Version). Even if God allows a child of God to die because of the evil of men, death is not the end. He will rise and have life forever. he will come out to the resurrection of life (John 5:29).

Fear no evil. The Lord is with you and goes before you. No evil shall overcome you in Jesus’ name.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself.  I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, thank You for protection against evil. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Father, establish me and guard me against the evil one. Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked. Father, I pray that You will deliver Your children from every evil work and preserve them for Your heavenly kingdom.

(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org