Fortune favors the wicked?

If fortune favors the wicked, does that mean the innocent is doing something wrong?

By Josephine Olakanye

Being a youth comes with lots of peer pressure and ‘oppression and for those who can’t stand firmly on their feet, it comes with lots of uncertainties based on what’s trending.

It’s pretty much obvious that the Leaders are not helping issues and society is on the verge of giving up, society is tired.

Tired of what they believe to be true being non-beneficial, tired of what they don’t stand for being used against them.

Fortune favors the wicked?

I read a post on Facebook; a student who is into frauds came to school in his car, (the latest edition), and parked beside one of his lecturers walking-in from the school gate with his oversized trousers and long shoes.

He gave the lecturer a lift to his destination and later when the man came to their class to lecture and was speaking along the lines of the course being beneficial to them and helping them in the future, the student that helped him earlier and his friends burst out laughing.

One of them asked the lecturer how many years he has been teaching, and he answered 15 years and counting, then he was asked what he has achieved all this while!

The Lecturer was dumbfounded. Most of the class student also burst out laughing at the irony of the situation. Fortune favors the wicked?

In reality, you will see a person involved in fraudulent acts popularly referred to as ‘yahoo yahoo’ cashing out real quick between years or even months of fraudulent acts, while someone who is into something legitimate will take years to achieve half of their illegitimate wealth. Fortune favors the wicked?

Although society and even the bible frowns on such dirty acts, majority of the public are already accepting this as another harsh reality.

But honestly at this point does society and the church have worthwhile opinion about this matter in general and cautionary message to the youths in particular?

We now listen to songs and podcasts low-key glorifying fraud, killing, violence, and so on.

Movies glorifying ritual acts as if it’s animal blood that is being shed and what people are slow to realize is that “the evil we condone today will be regarded as normal by our children tomorrow.” Fortune favors the wicked?

Back to the main issue, why do the wicked prosper at a faster rate than the righteous do? Fortune favors the wicked?

Perhaps, this is true!

Through worldly possessions like cars, houses, wigs, fans / followers, amongst others: the wicked may be richer than we are, and should this make us happy, sad, or of mixed feelings? I guess that’s up to you to judge.

(Psalm 73:3-9)

“For I was envious of the arrogant

As I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For there are no pains in their death,

And their body is fat.

They are not in trouble as other men.

Nor are they plagued like mankind.”

Fortune favors the wicked?

Does the wicked prospering mean they’re doing something right? And the righteous are doing something wrong?

Do you even know that the devil opens doors too?

I mean the way we give testimonies in church about God making ways, the devil can also make way for his folks!

Did you know that not all prayers are answered by God? Some are answered by the devil.

And do you know that although the earth is the lord and the fullness thereof, God himself also referred to the devil as the prince of this world?

Also, do you know that the devil is not a cheerful giver? He wants something in return.

Do you even realize that the devil himself sees to the prosperity of his children especially those gathering his souls?

Also, hope you know that giving the lord some of your illegitimate wealth as offerings, etc at church events does not cleanse your wealth?

Do you know that not all fame and wealth is ‘grace’ as y’all now term it?

Also spending such money and not taking part in the main activities does not make you innocent?

What’s the difference between politician’s embezzled funds and yahoo-yahoo money?

God performs miracles but do you know that the devil can also perform magic in the name of signs and wonders? Be careful!

Now how do you know which is right?

This is where the spirit of discernment comes in.

Let’s work on these questions and clarify some unverified assumptions. Fortune favors the wicked?

First off, the wicked prospering does not make them the ultimate winner.

The Bible even hints to us that although the wicked may appear to prosper, it is only for a short time, and it emphasizes that we should not envy or be envious of their wealth cause it’s only temporary.

(job 20:5, That the triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the godless momentary)

Secondly, the righteous are not doing anything wrong, but when the time is due the lord himself will make it happen.

We’re not the first to be curious or the first to notice the wicked being fortunate in things of the world and the righteous being less so.

Fortune favors the wicked?

Prophets in the bible have been recorded asking God this same question. Jeremiah had to ask God directly, “Why does the way of the wicked succeed?  

David also noted in Psalm 73:12-14.

“Behold, such are the wicked; they are always at peace, and they increase their riches. Surely in vain have I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocence because all day long I have been plagued and I am chastised every morning.”

Now, there is no specific response to these Questions, but there are applicable verses in the bible.

Does the devil open doors? Yes. how?

God performs wonders for specific reasons, and the devil opens the door for ulterior motives that can be obvious from the onset or exposed as time goes by.

But note one thing, no matter the deal between you and the devil, you can’t have the upper hand. he always tries to be the one at an advantage no matter the circumstance and you should never have a deal with the devil.

I mean deal or no deal you can’t scam the devil, don’t think about it. Some think they can play smart with the devil by dining with him in secret and denying him openly, this is deception, anything with the devil is for the devil!

Devil opens doors that will only benefit him.

Some celebrities have allegedly sold their souls to the devil including that of those who are obsessed with them, and what’s not to be obsessed with?

Fame dwells in the devil’s palm! Whether they’re worth the popularity or not you will just notice the majority being obsessed with whatever that person does either wrong or bad.

It will be like an urge that can’t be suppressed, the magnet will probably keep pulling them to the source because they already belong to him.

Some people will receive the devil’s agreed end of their deal and claim it’s ‘God’s blessings, social media people will believe it’s the individual’s excess ‘Grace’. But they know it’s not grace but a result of their sacrifices and an end of a deal.

Does the devil answer prayers?

I will say yes. prayers addressed to him or not. If it mostly aligns with his plan/goals.

However, you might not realize it immediately but with the way things turn out, you will eventually realize that your prayer was not answered by God.

For instance, the downfall of another person, prayer for worldly success, materialistic riches, and pride; a romantic relationship that fosters sin and distracts us from God, job opportunities that stress and feed on time we are supposed to spend with God.

Was the Devil referred to as the prince of this world?

John 12:31(KJV)- Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Corinthians 4:4 – in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not…

Ephesians 2:2 – in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

These three verses are some verses related to the devil being referred to as the prince of the world, although it’s in the bible according to Psalm 24:1 ‘The earth is the lord’s and the fullness thereof.

In summary, we should have it at the back of our mind that standing with God does not equal foolishness and that there is a way that seemed right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Yes, we will all die at the end but death with the assurance of an eternal life with God and death with eternity in anguish, which offer will you opt for?

This is also why we should understand fully as Christians that there is no in-between, it’s either you follow Christ and obey his words, or you go with the flow of the prince of this world.

You not obeying God’s word means you belong to the opposing side and whether you take part in every tiny evil detail or not, you still belong to him, so why not just dedicate your whole life to God, it’s not as if there is any hope for us outside God!

Revelations 3:15-16

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm -neither hot nor cold- I am going to spit you out of my mouth.

Fortune favors the wicked?

…..To be continued….