Why Do Wicked People Succeed? - Soul Choice Ministries

We notice that wicked people seem to be the ones with most of the money and power. Remember in the Bible when Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would bow down and worship him? Of course, Jesus rebuked him saying, Worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shall you serve. Satan gives wealth and power to anyone who will cooperate with his plans. Here are three specific reasons why they prosper.

1) They take bribes

Deuteronomy 16:19, You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

Psalms 26:10, In whose hands is a sinister scheme, And whose right hand is full of bribes.

In Matthew 28:12-13 the religious hypocrites bribed the soldiers with money who guarded the tomb where Jesus body was laid. They told them to lie saying the disciples stole the body. But Jesus’ body has never been found because He rose from the dead.

This is their end of those who take bribes:

Job 15:34, For the company of hypocrites will be barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery.

2) They are greedy for power and money

Psalms 10:3, For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.

Luke 11:39, Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.

They are hypocrites because they act like they are serving the people and doing what is right and yet God sees their heart and calls them full of greed and wickedness.

This is the end for the greedy:

Proverbs 15:27, He who is greedy for gain troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live.

Proverbs 1:19, So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; It takes away the life of its owners.

3) They are liars

God says He hates lying and it is an abomination to Him in Proverbs 6. God hates a lying tongue and a false witness who speaks lies.

Proverbs 29:12, If a ruler pays attention to lies, All his servants become wicked.

Exodus 23:1, You shall not circulate a false report. Do not put your hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

Isaiah 59:4, No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

John 8:44, Jesus said to the wicked hypocrites, “You are of your father the devil…When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

1 Timothy 4:2, Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron

This is the end for liars:

Proverbs 19:9, A false witness will not go unpunished, And he who speaks lies shall perish

Revelation 21:8, All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

Revelation 21:27, They will not enter heaven but there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie.

Jesus was convicted as guilty for the wicked bore false witness against Him and bribes were given to condemn Him and even lied about His body being stolen!

Bible verses to consider for the wicked:

Psalms 94:23, God will turn the sins of evil people back on them. He will destroy them for their sins. The Lord our God will destroy them.

Job 21:30, That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

Psalms 9:17, The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Psalms 11:6, Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

Nahum 1:6, Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger; his fury is poured out like fire.

Zephaniah 1:14-15, The great day of the Lord is near. The mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day ofwrath, trouble, distress, wasteness and desolation.

Just hearing these scriptures should cause evil people to repent but sadly most do not. While you still have breath, you have the opportunity to turn from your sin, turn to Jesus Christ, and receive His forgiveness. Every day that you harden your heart and reject that opportunity – it’s another day closer to an eternity in hell.