A CO emailed me: “Officers on each shift notice something going on with cell 2W. Each detainee placed inside it, reports hearing voices…hoping you can say a prayer…”

I’m a volunteer chaplain, exclusively for correctional staff. In response, I went.

Staff had repeatedly transferred each terrified detainee to another cell. They now kept 2W empty. To ensure it wasn’t used, they’d blocked its door with furniture.

I requested entry. Officers pulled the furniture away and unlocked the door. I walked inside. The door closed behind me.

Everyday Evil

I’m guessing that we’ve all seen news reports of criminals’ evil acts, and watched evil portrayed in movies. We’ve read about historical evil such as the Holocaust, and annually see death-glorifying Halloween decorations.

Yet, in that cell—for the first time in my life—I truly feltevil. It was a real, foreboding, horrifying presence.

I wanted to leave. Yet, I’d come for a purpose and knew that God is always available and in charge, so immediately I prayed aloud to Him:

“Jesus, you are God. Remove this evil. Send it out of here to where it can never harm anyone, ever again. Protect this place and all in it. Thank You, Lord. Amen.”

Then I left

That was December 11, 2018. Jesus removed that demonic force from the cell, as only He can: “the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b). Ever since, cell 2W has been in use.

Jesus defeated mankind’s evil enemy—Satan—when He died on the cross to pay for all sin, was buried, and rose again, overcoming death. He appeared to hundreds, proving that He is God. As Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me, has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

Yet, until Jesus returns to Earth (as the Bible promises), evil exists.

What Should We Do About Evil?

You, serving in corrections, interact daily with detainees who chose to obey evil promptings. Inside, you see attacks, hear wicked words, and witness sin’s effects. What should you do about evil—dismiss it as inconsequential, fantasy, or fun? Dabble in psychics, auras, or astrology?

A CO announced that he’s a “ghost-hunter,” sharing with me a disturbing video shot from our jail’s camera footage, of just legs walking down a hallway. God warns against pursuing occult things, because they open the door to Satan and evil, so I encouraged the CO to stop his dangerous “hobby.”

The devil wants people to believe that he and hell don’t exist and aren’t something to worry about. We should take his existence seriously—yet, we need not fear, if we obey God’s solution against evil: “Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:7-8a).

How do we “submit” and “come near” to God for protection?

First, by realizing that Satan doesn’t have God’s power. God created everything, including the angel Lucifer, who pridefully rebelled against God, becoming Satan. Satan—the “Great Deceiver”—even lies to himself! He thinks he can be as great as God, and thwart God’s plans! (Satan was free to rebel since God gives every angel and human being free-will to choose to love and trust or to reject Him. God’s opposite isn’t the devil; Satan’s opposite is the powerful, God-created archangel Michael.)

Second, God specifies how to resist Satan: “Humble yourself under God’s hand…Cast all anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be alert…the devil prowls…looking to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.” (1st Peter 5: 6-9a). This instructs us not to rely on self, but to humbly trust God to battle evil—as when I, inside cell 2W, relied on Him to do so. God’s wisdom and strength are available to all who trust Him, “God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9), freeing us to be alert to danger and to respond with His guidance.

Third, the last word: “faith”—upon which God tells us to stand—is belief that He loves you, so much that He left heaven to came to earth to be unfairly executed to pay for our sin (a gift we each accept or reject): “The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus,” (Romans 6:23).

How Do We “Come Near to God?”

God makes it simple; we admit to Him that we sin and agree that our sin was paid for by Jesus and not something which we can erase through some self-created standard of being “good enough.” We accept Jesus’s gift of sacrifice, as He said, “No one comes to the Father except through me”(John 14:6b).

Good deeds, religious rituals, and traditions don’t provide eternal salvation, as false religions wrongly assure. Jesus rebuked religious leaders for imposing their man-made traditions, rather than solely accept God’s loving guidance: “You’ve let go of God’s commands and hold to human traditions” (Mark 7:8).

A Question

At our jail, I was asked, “Who decides who goes to heaven—God or the devil?” As mentioned above, Jesus provides the way to heaven, if we accept His gift of dying for us—having faith solely in Him. If I don’t have faith, scripture says I can ask for faith to believe: “Help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24b).

In contrast, the devil lies and manipulates people in government, schools, universities, and media to foolishly ban or belittle God’s word, labeling it as untrue, foolish, or dangerous.

The only way the devil “decides” who goes to heaven, is when a person chooses to not read and trust God’s word, and instead believes worldly lies.

Unlike God, Satan Isn’t Creative

Satan uses the same lies today that he used in the garden: that God withholds good from humans, humans can be their own god, and disobeying God won’t have bad consequences but will be fun, interesting, or satisfying. All lies.

As a result, many people ignorantly believe, “I’m good enough to get into heaven,” “There’s nothing to worry about,” or “I can think about God and eternity later.”

This is dangerous.

Don’t postpone accepting Christ’s “free gift of eternal life,” because we never know when we’ll die: daily, 150,000+ people die, unexpectedly.

Don’t believe that you’ll be alive tomorrow, or that there’s some purgatory where you can work off sin and later safely enter heaven. Don’t believe that when your body dies, your soul dissipates, too. No; you’re an eternal being, destined for heaven or hell, based on the choice that only you can make while alive. To assist your decision, read about Satan’s coming punishment, in Revelation 20:10, and about all who reject Jesus as the only way to paradise, in 2nd Thessalonians 1:9.

Evil’s Limits

The Bible reports how Joseph’s jealous brothers sold him into slavery. Years later, Joseph protected them and others from starvation, saying, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it to save many” (Genesis 50:20). God allows evil but can create good from it. “God has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked.” (Proverbs 16:4). God’s sovereignty was most evident by His allowing the jealous religious leaders to orchestrate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, to pay for our sin.

God can use wicked people, like Joseph’s brothers, to accomplish good and even more so through those who trust Him, like Joseph. Similarly, if you step out in belief and faith, God will prepare you for the work He has for you: “we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10). It’s a choice to accept His offered gift of salvation, and the path designed just for you.

Then, trusting God, we need not fear demonic harm, even if it comes: “whoever listens to Me will live in safety…without fear of harm” (Proverbs 1:33). Harm may come, but we won’t live in fear of it. Instead, we’ll use that mental energy to stay alert against Satan and focus on God’s good gifts: “Whatever is true…noble…right…praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).

Don’t dabble in occult things, thinking they’re safe. Avoid “dark” music, games, movies, and sexually immoral relationships—Satan’s way to draw us from God toward disease, unwanted pregnancies, abuse, and shattered relationships: “He who commits adultery lacks sense and destroys himself.”(Proverbs 6:32). The human sex drive is powerful, because God created it to be a beautiful, strong bond solely between a committed man and woman, to keep them uniquely united for life.

In prayer, ask God to help you to read His word, seek Him, and resist the enemy. If I can help, contact me; it’d be my privilege to try to answer any question, and to pray for you.

Thank you for your service.

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Chaplain Linda Ahrens Chaplain American Jail Association