The Scripture calls on Christians to recognize “evil days” as ripe opportunities for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and living in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible has a lot to say about evil. It was because of our evil, wicked ways that God sent His Son to save us from our sins (Titus 2:11-14). There are evil, demonic forces actively working in the spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12) that oppose the followers of Christ and their work in Christ’s name on earth. The Apostle Paul described our current world system as “this present evil age” (Galatians 1:4).

Certainly as we look around us we can see many manifestations of evil: political corruption, violent terrorism, economic turmoil and family disarray. Nuclear weapons are in the hands of unstable nations. Iran menaces Israel and has threatened to cut off much of the world’s oil supply. Brutal wars are being fought in dozens of countries.

Evil, dark days indeed.

But despite the prevalence of wickedness, the focus of the Gospel is relentlessly on redemption and triumph. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are called to “not be overcome by evil, but (to) overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). In our fight against the spiritual forces of wickedness, we can put on God’s complete armor (Ephesians 6:13-17) and successfully resist the devil and his malicious entourage.

The Scripture calls on Christians to recognize “evil days” as ripe opportunities for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and living in the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s exhortation to the Ephesians is our call to spiritual arms as well: “Make the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Cf. Ephesians 5:16).

Christians should live lives above reproach, obedient to the Lord and dependent on the Holy Spirit. We should be taking advantage of our work, our relationships and our sphere of influence to bear witness to the reality of God’s saving grace through faith in Christ. We should be diligently using our time to serve Christ and make Him known in every way we can.

People need to see that the hope we profess is genuine. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

And despite these dark days, I’m convinced that many are beginning to realize their need for a Savior. They have put their faith in government or other institutions to solve their problems, and they feel betrayed and have become cynical. Unfortunately, many have no relationship with a church, no understanding of the fundamental problem of sin and no one to guide them into the truths of Scripture.

It’s our responsibility—as individual Christians, as churches and as organizations like the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association—to reach them with the truth and power of the Gospel.

This year we will have Crusades in Japan, Hungary and Ghana, and we’ll reach out across the Great Lakes with Rock the Lakes evangelistic Festivals. We’ll also have our Christian Life and Witness Course that will train thousands and thousands of believers to share their faith with family and friends. We are committed to spreading the Gospel through every effective means.

These evil days won’t end until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But in the meantime, we should not be discouraged. Instead, we should be thankful that God has given us this critical hour to tell the people of the world about the Savior’s love.

 

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version.