Good vs. Evil: Fight With the Heart of Conviction

Preached on August 4, 2024

The battle of good versus evil wages on today. What side are you on? This is a battle where God’s children should be in the fight on the side of good. Join Pastor McCrary this week as a new series of sermons begin! Today, we take a look at Daniel so that we can imitate the heart of conviction that Daniel had standing in his faith.

Introduction

There is a battle taking place today between good and evil, holiness vs. wickedness.  What do you stand for in this battle?  God’s children should be standing on the side of good in this battle.  Sadly, many so-called believers are choosing to stand on the side of wickedness.  So, in today’s sermon I must focus on not conforming and being fully convicted of faith in the Lord.

The Battle of Good Versus Evil

After three months of focusing on returning to believing in the Lord, my hope is that you have chosen to believe.  The question now is what are you going to do with that belief?  You see, faith is more than just believing as believing is simply the starting point to one’s faith.  Faith should move and it should move with conviction.

In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul encouraged believers to not be conformed to this world but be transformed through the Spirit (Rom. 12:2).  This was Paul’s call to believers to move with a heart of conviction rather than a heart that will conform to the world.  

To be clear, conforming is defined as being similar or identical; being obedient or compliant; to act in accordance with prevailing standards or customs.  The believer should not be living in accordance with the way of the world!  The believer should be living with a heart of conviction for God’s way!  To be clear, conviction is having a strong belief or certainty.  Are you full of conviction in your faith?

Where do you stand?

So, why is it that I am focusing on conviction today?  Because there is a huge battle that is taking place today all over the world.  Have you been observant of the battle?  

The battle being waged today is the same battle that has been waged ever since Satan deceived mankind in the garden.  The battle is a battle of good versus evil.  Where do you stand in this battle?  Are you standing on the side of good or the side of evil?  As a child of God, you should be on the side of good!

Some may wonder, what is good?  We have been forever told that “good” is subjective to one’s opinion.  The more and more I live, the more tired I grow of this mindset.  I say that because good is well defined for us by the Lord.  I often feel that those who love to say that good is subjective often use that notion to justify their wicked deeds as being for good.  

When God talks about good, He always points to liberty, justice, and actions done in sincere love.  For example, God points to the giving of His only begotten Son, an act of grace, to free us from the captivity of sin.  We are repeatedly shown through His word that good is caring for and uplifting others.  Scripture shows us repeatedly that good is helping others to be fruitful— to prosper or be blessed (Gal. 5:22-26).

So, if good is love and helping someone to be blessed, then evil is the opposite – bitterness and hatred.  Where Paul said that love does not envy or parade itself, evil envies and parades itself (1 Cor. 13:4).  Where Paul said that love does not behave rudely nor seek its own, evil behaves rudely and moves out of selfishness (1 Cor. 13:5).  Where love does not rejoice in iniquity, evil rejoices in lies, greed, and divisions (1 Cor. 13:6).

Again, I ask:  where do you stand in the ongoing battle of good versus evil?  Something I have observed is that many “Christians” will say they are on the side of good but they walk with those on the side of evil.  Truth be told, there is a hypocrisy problem in “Christianity” today!

How did this happen?  Well, in the battle of good versus evil, the “Christian” has chosen to conform rather than fight against evil.  God created all people to have freedom of choice but such freedom has always been attacked.  Even more today, the attack against freedom is open and blatant by the wicked.  We ought not be on the side of those who would take away the freedoms that God has given, so why are so many so-called Christian happily taking the side to do so?

Evil’s Desire to Control

With this in mind, I want us to take a look at the story of Daniel so that we can see the kind of conviction we must have to stand for what is good. 

Now, if you’re not familiar with Daniel’s story, he was one of over 3,000 Jews that were carried away into captivity by the Babylonians after Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem (Dan. 1:6; 2 Kgs. 24:1-3,12; Jer. 52:28-30).  The exile to Babylon was God’s judgment against Judah and the southern kingdom for forsaking Him and living sinfully.  

Daniel 1:3-4 shows us that Nebuchadnezzar had young men of Israel that descended from kings and nobles taken to be assimilated to Babylonian culture.  The young men were to be taught the Babylonians language and literature.  They were to also consume the Babylonian’s diet and be trained for three years in Babylonian culture (Dan. 1:5).  

Let me make it clear that Nebuchadnezzar desired to force the Jews to conform.  Let me also state that by being gentiles, the Babylonian culture went against the Mosaic Law – it was sinful.  Though many of the Jews had forsook the Lord and sinned, Daniel was not one of those that had done so.  So, for Daniel, the exile in Babylon was one that tested the conviction of his faith.

Daniel 1:7 shows us that the assimilation of these young men began with their names being changed.  We are told that the chief of the eunuchs changed the names of those young men with Daniel’s name being changed to Belteshazzar.  With the changing of their name and their culture, Nebuchadnezzar was executing an attack on their identity.  

I want to note that Satan tried to level this same kind of attack against Jesus when he tempted Him.  In his temptation of Jesus, Satan came to Jesus saying, “if You are the Son of God.”  In attacking Jesus’ identity, Satan questioned whether Jesus had the power of God (Matt. 4:3).  In attacking Jesus’ identity, Satan questioned whether or not the angels would protect Jesus (Matt. 4:6).  

Today’s Test of Conviction

What is with evil and wicked men always questioning people’s identity or trying to force an identity onto them?  There is a hope of controlling what you consume as the truth.  

What’s concerning about this is as Paul said, this battle is being waged everywhere you can imagine (Eph. 6:12).  It’s being fought in our homes and in our workplaces.  It’s even being fought where it’s being determined what should or shouldn’t be taught in schools!  The battle is even being waged over what one does with their own body — this is a fight of control versus freedom.  

Even more concerning is that this battle is also being waged in heavenly places!  Just take a look at Christianity today.  Christianity has suffered greatly in this battle as evil men have taken control of what it means to be a “Christian”!    

Men who have never opened a bible, or won’t open it unless a certain name appears on it, are trying to tell believers what’s right or wrong! Men who unapologetically move out of bitterness and hatred are preaching to believers how they should think, what they should do, and even how to vote!  These evil men have the audacity to say you aren’t a Christian if you don’t do this or do that!

Jesus warned believers to beware of those who come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15).  Sadly the ravenous wolves are in the fold because many believers lacked the conviction to stand in truth!  Rather than having a heart of conviction and standing in truth, many believers sat by silently while wickedness prevailed.  

Scripture makes it very clear that the believer should always be ready to fight the good fight of faith.  Paul said that we should be ready in season and out of season to correct, rebuke, and encourage through the ministering of God’s word (2 Tim. 4:2)!  Nowhere in scripture does the Lord encourage us to bow and worship the calf of God and heed his every word.

Moving With a Conviction of Faith

Do you know who you are?  Are you standing on the side of good?  I share Daniel with you today because Daniel was a man fully convicted of faith.  Daniel was a fighter with the heart of a rebel – he was not going to conform!  If you don’t want to conform in this fight, I encourage you to do as Daniel.  What did Daniel do?

The conviction of Daniel’s faith

In my key verse, we are told that Daniel purposed (planned with intent) in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s diet (Dan. 1:8).  I find it very interesting that when they said his name was Belteshazzar, Daniel didn’t say a thing.  The Babylonians had called him out of his name but there was no change in his heart.

The heart – that is our soul – is where our true identity is.  The enemy may call you outside of your name and try to afflict you but God won’t permit your soul to be harmed.  The devil threw everything he could at Job but the Lord did not permit harm to come upon his soul (Job 1:12).  With this in mind, you should never willingly conform or give your soul to those of wickedness! 

When you willingly give the evil man your heart, then you are lost in the battle of good and evil.  Have you given your heart to evil men today?  

Daniel had no intention of giving up what was in his heart.  Daniel’s heart was for God and His law!  Daniel’s true identity was that of an obedient child of God!  So, Daniel went to the chief of the eunuchs with a request for himself and his friend.  Daniel requested that he and his friends not defile themselves by consuming the king’s diet (Dan. 1:8).  

Now, Daniel is showing us believers how we fight against evil!  I want you to understand that Daniel’s request took courage and conviction – he wasn’t afraid! The eunuch, however, was hesitant because he doubted that Daniel’s diet would be better than the king’s diet  (Dan. 1:10).  You see, those who are wicked or conform to wickedness, believe their way to be the best way.

Yet, Daniel had conviction!  Why?  Daniel’s faith was completely in God and he put all his trust in the Lord.  With this conviction, Daniel suggested to the eunuch to give them ten days on the diet ordained by the Lord for proof (Dan. 1:12-13).  Some would say Daniel was betting on God but it’s not a bet when one puts all of their trust in the Lord.

After ten days Daniel the eunuch viewed the results of Daniel’s faith.  What did he see?  The health of Daniel and his friends was better than that of those who ate the king’s diet (Dan. 1:15).  The eunuch was able to see the blessing of God because of the conviction in Daniel’s faith!  The eunuch quickly had the food of the Babylonians put away and let Daniel and his friends continue in the way of the law.

The conviction of Daniel’s faith was rewarded and he and his friends were blessed.  Scripture tells us that the Lord blessed them with knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom (Dan. 1:17).  Daniel was also given understanding in all visions and dreams.

Stand and Fight for Good

Let’s understand today that evil men will fight with conviction for their wicked causes.  We who choose to stand on the side of good and fight for good must also fight with conviction.  When you are fighting the good fight of faith you must be fully convicted in the fight for good!

To be convicted of faith, you must align yourself with God in both word and in deed.  So, your thoughts and your actions must be aligned with God to produce fruit that is of love.  Daniel’s heart and actions were fully aligned with the Lord and look at the results good was fought for and won!  Daniel saw a blessing not just for himself but his friends were also uplifted.  Even the eunuch was able to see the blessing of the Lord!

We who are fully convicted in faith are needed in today’s battle of good versus evil.  When we see our brothers fighting to uplift others, we must join them!  When we see our sisters fighting the good fight of faith we must not sit on the sideline!  It is time for true Christians today to take back the name of what it means to be a child of Christ! 

I will never bow to another nor will I bow down to wickedness!  So, like Daniel, let us purpose in our heart today to stand by the conviction to fight for good.  We must stand by the conviction of love – loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.  

So, let us put on the whole armor of God and do battle today.  Make sure your feet are standing in the gospel shoes of peace!  Make sure you carry with you the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one!  Lastly, make sure that you are carrying with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God, to correct and rebuke all evil.