Halloween Facebook Wars: Overcoming Evil with Good

Last year around this time, I wrote a blog post on the controversial topic of Halloween. Soon after, the attacks began from an unexpected source — a few of my Christian Facebook brethren.The first indication of conflict came through a vicious e-mail from one of my blog followers who was appalled over my “Bring the light into the darkness” stance to the holiday, and not condemning it altogether. Before I knew it, I logged in to find another sister who had even claimed to be a fellow ex-witch, defriended me from her online friendship without any explanation.To this day, I’m not sure if it was done just to impress her controlling boyfriend or the online conversation she had with my manager over my refusal to harbor “hate” in my heart for those who would greet the kiddos at the door.What’s most disturbing about these defriending’s on Facebook, is witnessing Christian brethren blinded by self-righteousness, falling prey to the enemy’s tactic to cause division within the body of Christ and seeing it come to fruition. So often, the enemy ensnares Christians into believing they are taking a firm stand for Christ when in actuality he has deceived them into thwarting their focus away from the real battle. We would be wise in learning to love one another despite our differences and recognize who our enemy really is.“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” — Romans 12:21This approach is rather humbling and goes against our natural “fleshly” way of thinking but then our ways are not… God’s ways.What evil have you taken a stand against today? Perhaps it’s the psychic hotline you saw advertised on TV or that “Witches’ Ball” being held in your own town. I couldn’t possibly be suggesting you do good for these people... or could I? After all, doesn’t scripture also say to hate evil and cling to what is good?It is true that God hates evil and desires us to avoid participating in evil practices, but in Luke 6:35-36, Jesus tells us: “For he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”If our heavenly Father who hates evil is kind and merciful to the ungrateful and the evil, wouldn’t it seem we should follow His example and do the same? How then can we put “overcome evil with good” to practice? Rather than standing outside the building hurling insults in the name of Jesus at the psychics on the hotline, we could pray for them to receive a better job that would be more financially rewarding and pray for the truth to be revealed.In a world where evil lurks around every corner and hate is prevalent it’s easy to fall prey to its seduction. We so easily find ourselves responding to our adversaries with hatred rather than loving them despite our shortcomings.We become a manifestation of evil when we lash out with tongues flaring, and eyes glaring with revenge… all at what we presume is our stand against the very evil that we unknowingly have succumbed to. In this place, we can no longer be used by God as our emotions erupt in an outburst of the hatred harbored in our hearts.Scripture tells us we are to love our enemies, do good to those who persecute us and overcome evil… with good. A Godly response in an evil environment can only be achieved by humility, compassion, and love. By doing good we reap coals on the heads of evildoers and bring the light of Jesus’ love into the darkness.Ultimately, we look to see what Jesus’ response was to this dark and imperfect world. He could have destroyed it in an instant but rather He lay down and died on the cross offering His sacrificial love. While He walked this earth He spoke the truth to evildoers but He did so by His example of Love… not with hatred. Love is stronger than the grave… and mercy triumphs over judgment. More importantly, “He who does not love does not know God, for God… is love.” (1 John 4:8)Sometimes, we forget the evil of our own ways, before coming to Christ, and take up a judgmental attitude as if the lost are walking in darkness just to provoke you to anger. We seem to confuse our goal as destroying our enemies and are all too quick to forget that God desires all to be saved. We actually hinder those who don’t know God rather than welcome them with the love of Jesus. “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2)Just some spiritual food for thought! Not just for Halloween, but for a lifetime.Selah Ally Tower is the author of “A Witch’s Encounter with God” and “From The Craft to Christ.”‘A Witch’s Encounter With God’ A True Story About Escaping Darkness

Who Really Sponsored the Las Vegas Shooter?

IGNITE LA MEN'S CONFERENCEFor registration and more information go to the conference website: ignitela.net.There is nearly 100 percent agreement from all political sides and viewpoints that the horrific tragedy that transpired in Las Vegas was an act of evil. So, why does so much of the reactionary movement since that event drift away from the root of the problem to focusing energy instead on gun control or racial perspective or other issues?The vast majority of the reactions that took place after the mass shooting in Vegas are normal. After something like this happens we tend to deal with it from the outside in, but when we do that we miss dealing with the root issue.Let’s bring the discussion of how and why into the level at which it actually exists, which is the nature of evil. At the root of the issue: beliefs drive behaviors. If beliefs drive behaviors, who is sponsoring the beliefs?Kenny Luck VLOG#2 from Every Man Ministries on Vimeo.Somewhere along the way Stephen Paddock believed a lie, a justification, a rationalization, an evil belief that resulted in the loss of many lives. The devil sponsored that lie because he is a liar and a murderer seeking to control the flesh of men to produce what he wants, which is murder. Jesus talked with perfect clarity and perfect authority when he talked about the devil. In fact, he gave the devil two names: he is the father of lies and murderer from the beginning.In the Bible, God says very simple things about the mind:1) Your mind is made for God2) Your mind is evil’s target3) Your mind is going to make the differenceWe have to win the battle of the mind, which will ultimately bring behaviors that bring life and bless others.

READ MORE FROM KENNY LUCK VLOG: Could Today’s Activism Be Going in the Wrong Direction?

New ‘Stand Up and Fight’ Video Reveals Benghazi Hero’s Spiritual Battle

After defending lives at the Battle of Benghazi, former special operative contractor Mark “Oz” Geist, not only had to deal with physical recovery from severe wounds, but had to fight to recover from emotional and spiritual wounds as well.

In a new program video, Stand Up and Fight, by Every Man Ministries and produced by One Ten Pictures, released on Friday, Geist talks with founder Kenny Luck and co-host Anthony Dever about how he battled the spiritual war confronting him during and after his assignment in the Middle East.

Geist, who was contracted by the U.S. to help protect diplomatic personnel inside Libya, not only gave the program hosts a detailed account of the Battle of Benghazi in which he was hit and wounded by three different IEDs landing within 15 feet of him, but shares how his survival and that of others could only be described as divine intervention by God.

Known by his fellow warriors as “Oz,” he gave remarkable details during the exclusive interview of the battle from his perspective, one that includes being part of the Global Response Staff (GRS) that was told to “stand down.” While Oz and the team were unable to save the lives of U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and three others, many lives were saved on the night members of Ansar al-Sharia attacked the American diplomatic compound and CIA annex in Benghazi.

Every Man Ministries Offers FIGHT Book Resources and PROMO Discount Code

Pastor and author, Kenny Luck, said he is excited for listeners to hear from Geist, firsthand through the Stand Up and Fight program video, something more meaningful than sound bites often driven by political spin.

“What differentiates this interview from most coverage the public has seen or heard reported about The Battle of Benghazi is the discussion of the transcendent ‘meta-themes’ of freedom, sacrifice, and the high cost of liberty in any form,” Luck said. “In today's culture, events such as Benghazi get chopped up and parsed out to the media hyenas which, in turn, gets over-politicized and sound-bited.”

Luck said the interview with Geist, who co-authored the book 13 Hours: The Inside Account Of What Really Happened In Benghazi which later became the premise of a movie, goes even deeper towards revealing “transcendent philosophical and spiritual themes that are allowed to  burst through in a truthful and refreshing way.”

In conjunction with the release of the Stand Up and Fight video, Every Man Ministries is offering a special promotional discount of 15% off resources that utilize Kenny Luck’s book, FIGHT.

“Many men ignore the dangerous spiritual war surrounding them. And that willing surrender ensures the total destruction of all they hold dear. This eight-session study can help men respond to the fight with boldness and duty. The DVD Leader Kit will equip men—in a devotional setting, accountability partner setting, and in group-to do spiritual battle with the enemy. This includes recognizing the deceptions about doing true spiritual battle, realizing the roles men play at the front lines, and rescuing the captives from the enemy's stronghold,” Luck states.

To watch the captivating interview with Mark Geist in Stand Up and Fight simply go to the homepage of Every Man Ministries ( http://www.everymanministries.com/ ). To take advantage of the discount (ends July 5, 2017) on the FIGHT book and curriculum, go to EMM’s class resources page, and use the promo code “fight15”.

“Stand Up and Fight” was produced by Every Man Ministries in association with One Ten Pictures, Executive Producer Jeremy Gant. Press and media contact, Anthony Dever, anthony@everymanministries.com.