Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1 Peter 4:1
Beloved, we deceive ourselves when we try to justify living a lifestyle that is not in accordance with the word of God. More often than not, we're not deceiving others, we most certainly are not fooling God and prayerfully, we are not fooling our self. We cannot say we are of God, living for God, serving God, etc. and still be in the habits, conducts and activities of the world.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
Apostle Paul gave some excellent advice to those in Rome who had decided to make Jesus their Lord and Savior. He began by telling them:
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1
It is a truth, we cannot live as the world lives and call it a healthy balance between the natural and spiritual life. That's not balance, it is carnality and not moving beyond the permissive will of God. We should all not only desire but strive to live in God's good, acceptable and perfect (divine) will.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2
Truths for overcoming the world:
→ DEVELOP A PROPER ATTITUDE TOWARD THE
WORLD:
* Recognize we are not of the world:
* Understand that we will experience
tribulation in the world:
* Realize that gaining the world is
not worth losing our soul:
For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? Luke 9:25
* Realize that if we love the world, we are an enemy of God:
* Recognize the temporal nature of the world:
And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. 1 Corinthians 7:31
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. 2 Peter 3:11
→ RECOGNIZE WE ARE NOT IN BONDAGE TO
THE WORLD:
As a believer, we do not have to be
in bondage to the world system. Although in our past life, we were governed by the
present world, we are no longer in this bondage:
Among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind: and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. Ephesians 2:2-3,13,19
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God. 1 Corinthians 2:12
Apostle Paul teaches that we no
longer need be conformed to the world. We can be transformed (changed). We are part of a different kingdom now. We are residents of the Kingdom of God. We are no longer under the power of the world:
The liberty that
God ensures us of is found in
→ GUARD YOURSELF AGAINST THE WORLD:
Now that we are free from the
world, we set a guard against its influence in our life. We do not pattern our life
after the rudiments or basic principles of the world:
For in him [God] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:9-10)* Do not love the world:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15
* Do not let yourself be spoiled by the philosophies of the world:
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Colossians 2:8
* Deny worldly lusts:
Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. Titus 2:12
* Keep yourself unspotted from the world:
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this...to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:27
* Crucify the power of the world:
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world. Galatians 6:14
Crucifixion is an unnatural death.
Like the flesh, the power of the world in our life will not die a natural
death. We must forcibly crucify it.
→ RECOGNIZE WE CAN OVERCOME THE WORLD:
We are not to be overcome by the
world. We cannot let the cares of the world destroy the work of the Word in our
life (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19). This "wearing away" with the cares
of the world is one of the strategies of the enemy.
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Daniel 7:25
Jesus said:
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Daniel 7:25
Jesus said:
* We can overcome the world because Jesus dwells within us:
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than He that is in the world. 1 John 4:4
* We can escape the corruption of the world:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 1 Peter 1:4
* We overcome the world by the new birth and our faith:
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 1 John 5:4
* We overcome the world by the blood of Jesus and your testimony:
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11
→ UNDERSTAND YOUR MISSION IN THE WORLD:
* You are not to be affected by the world, but you are to affect the world.
The believer should be a light in a world of
darkness,
reflecting the glory of God and sharing the good news of the Gospel:
The impact of the early believers on
the world was so great that it was said of them that they "turned the
world upside down"
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Acts 17:6
And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Acts 17:6
As soldiers in an army sent on a
mission in a foreign nation, believers are on a special mission of God in the
world. We have been instructed:
Biblical Studies
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