“A poor man’s field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.” Proverbs 13:23 NIV
A friend told me about something that happened to her last year. She and her husband were running a business they had bought from another individual, and the bank where they had their business account often mixed up transactions on the former owner’s account with theirs. One day before the July 4 weekend, the former owner went into the bank, cleaned out their account, and left the state. In the space of an hour they were bankrupt.
“Didn’t the bank make good on the money?” I asked. “No,” she said. “They refused.” “Have you contacted the oversight authority for banks?” I asked. “Have you talked to a lawyer?” “You know,” she answered, “we’ve been so busy just trying to survive that we haven’t.” Her tone was resigned. The injustice was so extreme that I couldn’t help wondering if my friend and her husband had inadvertently given the thief access to their account.
Did you know that’s just what happens to Christians too many times?
Now, I don’t have anything against banks—they’re wonderful—but I had a problem myself once years ago. The bank said they had not received my electronically deposited federal paycheck and started bouncing checks like mad. Fortunately, I had heard about a government rule that requires banks to honor those paychecks whether they receive them or not. It’s part of their contract with the government. I cited the rule (which I’m certain they already knew) and they reluctantly agreed to start paying the checks I had written. Still, they continued to show an ever-increasing negative balance in my account. “Hey!” I protested, but they weren’t too worried about making me happy, at least not until I contacted my payroll office. The federal government tapped the bank lightly on the shoulder, and the check was magically, immediately found. It had been their error all the time.
The Bible says God has given the honorable job to every believer—His saints—to execute the written judgment against the evil powers in this world (Psalm 149:6-9 and Ephesians 6:12). You see the devil doesn’t play by the rules unless we insist. As a matter of fact, a big portion of his every day is spent convincing people, especially Christians, that he has a right to their blessings, their peace, their children, their marriages, their health, and their finances. But he is never the final authority on any situation because he lies like a dog and the truth is not in him. He’s the last one to consult about how things will turn out. “I would never consult the devil!” we exclaim. Well, guess what. When we anxiously watch a situation to see how it will turn out, instead of going immediately to the Word and to the Lord in prayer for guidance, that’s exactly what we’re doing. And too many times we’re whipped without even throwing a punch.
The Bible says Jesus spoiled principalities and powers at the cross, and made an open show of their defeat (Colossians 2:15). Isn’t it time we executed that judgment? Isn’t it time we cited the Word of truth when injustice strikes? Isn’t it time we trusted that when we call on Jesus’ name, He’ll tap Satan on the shoulder and say, “It’s time to play by the rules. My rules”?
Don’t roll over. You don’t have to.