Staring Evil in the Face

So last night I stared evil in the face. Every year I join my fellow profs from Trinity Law School at a retreat in Huntington Beach. Part of the annual tradition is sitting by an outdoor fireplace and talking theology late into the night. About midnight a young man we’ll call Mr. C wandered into our conversation, me and two brilliant Christian apologists Mike Schutt and Craig Hawkins. When he found out we were taking about Jesus Mr. C immediately began spewing profanity.

He cursed Jesus, claimed allegiance to Satan, called me and my friends every name in the book and then some, threatened to beat us all up, fists clenched and taunting. His every insult was met with “we love you man. Jesus loves you even more.” At one point staring me down with rage he said “why the f are you sooo, so …. Kind.” We prayed for him, picked him up when he collapsed, prayed some more, got threatened some more, watched him shatter glasses, kick furniture at us. So yeah it was intense.

He got in my face, staring me down with deep all black eyes, like looking into the void. Total darkness in him. I honestly felt no fear. I declared to him that all the forces of darkness were defeated by the death and resurrection of Jesus. That they have been rendered powerless and made a mockery of by Christ, the snake crusher. Mr. C seethed, squirmed, growled, and cursed, sneering, brandishing his canines, ready to pounce every time I mentioned Jesus. He tried to throw me against the wall. I held him by the shoulders and he began throwing haymakers. None landed (thanks to the king fu training of my dad Russ Williams). I just kept preaching the gospel to Mr. C inviting him out of darkness and bondage into the light and freedom of Jesus. He began screaming, waking up hotel guests. Finally security came and took him off to his room.

Four morals to the story. Number one. Spiritual warfare is not a myth. There are real forces of darkness hell bent on destroying precious image bearers of God.

Number two. Dear Christian brothers and sisters. Have no fear of the forces of darkness. You can stare it in the face and because of Christ laugh at a defeated foe while loving those in the destructive grip of evil. The devil is no match for the crucified, risen, and ascended Lord.

Number three. Be unoffendable. When your deepest identity is Christ, you can laugh off any insult. We must be counterculturally unoffendable.

Four. And most urgently. Please take a second and pray for Mr. C. He is a tormented soul. He heard the gospel. He encountered real love. Pray for the liberation and salvation of his soul.

Thanks friends. Thaddeus Williams

Associate Professor of Theology/Tenured at Biola University

Affiliate Faculty of Jurisprudence at Trinity Law School