Fight evil with good

MANCHESTER:

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay', says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink ;For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Romans 12:17-20.

THE SCOURGE of crime and violence perpetuated by corruption and other social ills in the country has caused many hearts to become devoid of emotion and several individuals to cower in fear for their lives.

But, according to Church of Christ pastor and constable attached to the Porus Police Station, Lidge Faulknor, for criminal elements to be eliminated from the face of the earth, people will have to work together to use good to trump evil.

“Every single one of us wants a safer Manchester. There are so many of us who are unwilling to do the work that it requires. But, if ever we are going to have a safer Manchester, then we are going to have to do some work and it comes in the form of partnership,” he said.

Faulknor, who was preaching at the Faith Claim Ministries in Greenvale, Manchester, said we must look to God for guidance, and our fellow men for collaboration.

“There are several things that are happening within the parish and we don’t like it. There are several things that are happening within our country and we don’t like it. Partnership between the citizens and police is going to allow us to reclaim our parish.”

The preaching policeman said the devil will stop at nothing to ensure that evil triumphs, but good will always win when practised.

“Everything that is good, the devil wants to mash it up. If your church is operating good, the devil wants to operate in your space, because he wants to mash up the church. If the police are going on fine, the devil wants to step in it, because he wants the police to be blamed for crime and corruption.”

He continued: “The devil came into Manchester in different ways and forms and created havoc in the nice parish, but I bring you a word that we are going to reclaim our territory. We have got to stop pretending that we don’t see. We think, once we aren’t affected, we are okay, but that is not true.”

He enforced the teachings of God by acknowledging the need for persons to be their brothers' keepers.

“It is time for us to push the devil out of our space. We have to be quick to give up some people, some things and some hideout spots. Many us pretend like we don’t know the hideout spots, and we don’t see when the stolen goods are going into some people’s houses. If we continue to close our eyes, we will never be able to reclaim the territory which continues to be plundered by evil forces.”

Faulknor said, too often, people allow themselves to be consumed with evil to the point where they have left no space for God.

“You have to give up what God will refuse. Too often, the things that God is refusing, we are taking them. Everything that God doesn’t want, we are taking them. God doesn’t want the M16 that is illegal. We are keeping them and we may not have them in our house, but we know who does or who is helping them to keep it.”

“God wants good to be reclaimed, but, if we sit back and do nothing, nothing will be done. If we refuse to put Jesus where He belongs, the devil is not afraid to occupy the space. We need to re-establish the parish with Jesus being at the centre, for it to be stronger.”

He said the efforts of the devil should not be taken lightly, but a commitment to ensuring that God is at the helm of our plans is enough to drive away the forces of darkness.

“If Jesus is not going to be at the centre and you reclaim the borders and allow the devil to still occupy the centre, he will infiltrate the entire space and we will be in the struggle that we are in today. We will be fighting the monster called crime with even greater strength and greater abilities, and we will not be able to conquer, because Jesus is not at the centre,” he added.