Do you see it and feel it? Everything is upside down. What’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is right. If you have any discernment at all, you cannot deny it. If you can’t see it or feel it, you may not be paying attention. Perhaps you just don’t want to see or hear it? Either way, chaos and confusion are prevalent in every aspect of life. People say, “where is God in all of this?” The truth is the world’s going crazy but it’s not God’s fault.
Where is God?
Let’s start with the simple question first. Where is God in all this chaos and confusion? With everything that’s
happening around the world, it may seem like God is nowhere to be found; however, that could not be further from the truth. God is where He has always been – on His throne in Heaven. God hasn’t moved. He’s not on vacation. And most importantly, He hasn’t forgotten us. Psalm 11:4 confirms: “The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.”
Another point of importance is that God is not surprised or shocked by what is going on. He’s known forever what would be happening at this particular time in history. What’s even more important is that God is aware of every single detail of every single occurrence. The Apostle John writes in 1 John 3:20 that “[God] knows all things.”
So, God is on His throne, He is aware and knows everything that’s going on. We can rest peacefully in these facts because if you know anything about the Bible, you know that God wins in the end. Before we get into the discussion about the craziness of the world, let’s look at some solid facts about God that are backed up by scripture.
God is in Control
It’s important to point out that regardless of how crazy the world has become, God is in control and what He says will stand no matter what. The following verses confirm God’s sovereignty over everything:
- Job 12:10 – “In [God’s] hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?”
- Psalm 103:19 – “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”
- Psalm 24:1 – “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”
- Isaiah 14:24 – “The Lord of hosts has sworn, saying, “Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand.”
- Ephesians 1:11 – “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”
This is just a sampling of scriptures that validate the fact that God is in control and that He is on the throne, aware of everything happening in the world. Don’t forget, God ALWAYS has the final say.
God Has Plans
No matter how crazy things may seem, God has a plan and a purpose for everything that occurs. Remember, God is infinite, He sees the big picture and He has His reasons for why things happen the way they happen. Let’s look at verses that prove this point:
- Job 42:2 – “I know that [God] can do everything, and that no purpose of [God’s] can be withheld from You.”
- Psalm 115:3 – “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.”
- Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
- Colossians 1:16 – “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
The thing is, because God knows everything, His plans are most likely going to be hard for us to understand and are even incomprehensible at times. In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
We cannot possibly know everything God is doing. In fact, we usually won’t know until much later, if at all. This is what makes Him GOD. Honestly, I’d rather trust in God who knows everything – past, present and future – than trust in myself or others. God is always the best bet. He never fails.
God is Orderly
We’ve established that God is in control and that He has a plan for everything. The final fact that needs to be emphasized is that God is orderly. There is no chaos or confusion coming from the throne of God. God lays out every detail of every issue perfectly with nothing left to chance.
To see God’s order, just look at how He created the world. God made everything in a precise and orderly manner over a six-day period. There was nothing chaotic about the creation of the world. But it’s not just creation that’s methodical, everything that God does is orchestrated down to the most miniscule detail. If you want more proof of God’s attention to detail, look at the description of the Millennial Temple in Ezekiel 40-43 and you’ll see just how very detailed God is.
First Corinthians 14:33 tells us “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” and in 1 Corinthians 14:40 we read “Let all things be done decently and in order.” All of this is very important to understand. If God is not the author of confusion or chaos, then who is? What is causing all this madness? Why does it seem like the world is going crazy?
Who’s At Fault?
Well, first understand that it’s NOT God’s fault. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it must be said: The world is going crazy and it’s all OUR fault!
Allow me to explain…
God created mankind in His image and then, “God blessed them, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). It was God’s plan to live in peace with us – mankind – His finest creation. But one day in the Garden of Eden, it all went wrong.
Adam and Eve used their God-given free will to make a devastating choice. When they did, sin entered the world. (Click here to read how sin entered the world). At that point, the relationship that God wanted to have with humanity was gone and replaced with separation between Him and us.
Along with that separation, mankind also became subject to the power of Satan. Today, people are aligning more with the prince of darkness (Satan) than the Prince of Peace (Jesus). How do we know this? Well, along with all the chaos and confusion, the world is filled with sin and perversion. God has been kicked out of almost every area of our lives and people are doing whatever THEY want to do rather than what GOD says they MUST do.
Because society has gone off the rails and chosen darkness over light, God is giving us what we’ve chosen. It’s sad that more people don’t see it. It could also be that God is judging us and allowing us to go through the consequences of our sins. (Click here to read “6 Signs that God is Judging a Nation)
But…I Thought God Was in Control???
Yes, God is sovereign over everything, but because mankind sinned, Satan does have some control. Jesus says that Satan is the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31) and Paul describes him as the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). What exactly does that mean?
Well, the Bible uses the term “the/this world” to refer to the system of evil that is currently alive and well today. This evil system is in direct opposition to the Lord. Now, the Bible doesn’t teach that Satan “rules” over the world, Jesus does. However, Satan does rule over the sinful, wicked system on earth that opposes God in everything it does. In other words, Satan is leading the rebellion against God.
Although Satan rules the world’s system of evil, he can only do what God allows him to do (see Job chapters 1&2). His power is limited, and it’s not going to last forever. Until his rule comes to an end, Satan is NOT going to stop his wicked tactics.
What is Satan’s Goal?
Satan’s goal is simple – take as many souls as he can to hell with him. The truth is, he hates us. He doesn’t want us to realize how much God loves us and everything He does for us. If Satan can turn us away from God, it is a win for him – another soul to take.
Lucifer (Satan’s original name) was an angel of Lord, and in fact, was one of God’s most beautiful angels. He fell from his place in Heaven because he was overwhelmed with pride and arrogance. Isaiah 14:12-15 tells us the story of his fall:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation
On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’”
You see, Lucifer (Satan) wanted to be higher and greater than the Lord. When he fell from grace, all bets were off. Since that time, he has been “walking about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8) and that includes YOU. He will not stop until he has collected as many souls as he can and as bad as it is now, it will only get worse.
What are Satan’s Tactics?
To understand Satan’s tactics, we must understand who he is. In John 8:44 we get a glimpse of the devil’s character. Jesus tells us that “…[Satan] does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” Also, in Revelation 12:9 we learn that Satan “deceives the whole world.”
Confusion & Chaos
As mentioned earlier, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33), which means Satan is. His greatest tactic is using deception and lies to cause confusion and chaos. He started in the Garden of Eden and has only ramped it up since then. Everything that is occurring in the world that doesn’t make sense, is hard to understand or seems just plain wrong is coming straight from the pit of hell.
Fear
So, what is the result of confusion and chaos? The answer is simple: it’s fear and anxiety. If we are fearful and anxious, we are more easily controlled. Look at the stories in the media. EVERYTHING we see and hear is structured to cause fear and anxiety. No one can deny that every story on the news is meant to do this. Next time you watch, keep track of every story that could evoke fear, and you’ll see this tactic at work.
One last point to make is that if all these things cause fear or anxiety within you, it is NOT coming from the Lord, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear and anxiety come from one source, the enemy whose name is Satan. (Click here to read Tactics of Satan: Fear & Doubt)
Lies
The truth is, Satan wants you blind to what’s going on in the world. He doesn’t want you to see the truth. If you did, you would understand that an evil and sinister agenda is being played out right before our eyes. Even more than that, he wants you to believe that it is Almighty God who is behind all these crazy things. Although God may allow these things to happen, He is definitely NOT behind them.
All of these lies are coming from the enemy, and if you are not careful, you will fall prey. After all, Satan is described as “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). If something doesn’t add up or just doesn’t seem right, it’s coming from the enemy.
So, What Do We Do?
The first thing we must do is acknowledge that the world is indeed in a confused and chaotic mess. Again, this is not by chance. First John 5:19 tells us that “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” If you are not a Christian, this is really bad news. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ are protected, but if you are not a believer, you are at risk of falling into the enemy’s traps. As the verse from First John says: “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” and this should not be taken lightly.
God wants all of us to see that He loves us and wants us to choose HIM, not choose the world. If you haven’t chosen the Lord, I pray that you would consider doing so. God offers so much more than the world does and if you haven’t chosen Him, unfortunately you are on the devil’s side by default. (Click here to read 4 Uplifting Facts About Christianity)
Like I said, it comes down to making a choice. The devil has been granted permission to roam the earth. He is in constant battle with God (and with us) and will not stop pushing his evil agenda. It is Satan who is the master of lies, deceit, chaos, and confusion that all lead to fear and anxiety and when you are sucked into this state of fear, you are more vulnerable to the devil’s tactics than you may believe.
Choose Jesus
The cold hard fact is this: If you do not choose Jesus, you’re on the side of the devil. It is Jesus who laid down His life to save us. It is Jesus who paid our sin debt in full. It is Jesus who LOVES us and wants the best for us.
With Jesus, you have hope, peace and joy in this dark, chaotic world. With Jesus, it doesn’t matter what’s going on, He is there to see you through it all.
(If you want to know more about Jesus, click here)
Final Thoughts
This article is not meant to cause fear (no pun intended) it’s meant to open your eyes to the devil and his tactics. Once your eyes are open, you will never see things in the world the same way. Despite all the craziness and chaos that’s out there, a life in Jesus makes it all okay. When you know how the journey ends, the ride gets more interesting and the destination more desirable.
In the midst of all that’s going on, I see the Lord at work. I have no fear of what may come. When you have Jesus, you have rest in the midst of the storm. Jesus tells us all, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28).
Blessings,
Amy
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to share your insights, experiences or questions in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
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