* Steps to Living this Life to Live Again (2)

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy 

name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many 

wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, 

I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 

Matthew 7:22-23

Recap:

Living this life is the ‘meantime’ until we live again; until our eternal life begins; one way or another – either eternal life with Jesus or eternal damnation with Satan - Heaven or Hell. It’s a sad commentary that people have been deceived, flat-out lied to, or are flat out lying to and deceiving themselves with their man-made religions and righteousness. Because of this very thing, the Bible reveals some people will be cast from the Kingdom. It is for this very reason that it’s important to understand how to gain permanent residency in the Kingdom of God. The bible tells us that not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of God. It is only those who persist in doing the will of our heavenly Father. Jesus said:

 

Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

Living this life to live again demands that we live according to the statutes of God and not the standards of this world.  This is not always an easy task to undertake but there are things that we can do to meet and overcome this challenge; particularly when we want to make heaven our eternal home:

Ø        RECOGNIZE WE ARE IN THE WORLD; no longer of the world:

      As new creatures in Christ, we are in this world, but no longer of this world.  The world loves it’s own and because we are no longer of this world, we no longer fit in it and thus just as the world hated Jesus, the world hates you and I.  This is bible.

 

I have given them thy word: and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.  I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. (John 17:14-16)

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. (John 15:18-19)

So stop trying to fit into something that you’re no longer a part.  Understand that we are peculiar to the world, a treasure to God.

Understand that we will experience tribulation in the world:

These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Realize that gaining the world is not worth losing our soul:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul. (Mark 8:36)

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:

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.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:15-16) 

. . . know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.      (James 4:4)

Recognize the temporal nature of the world:

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. (1 John 2:17)

 . . .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)

Ø  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 the past we were governed by the present world (Ephesians 2:2), we are no longer in this bondage:

Wherein in times past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  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)

Romans 12:1-3 teaches that we no longer should be conformed to the world. We can be transformed (changed). We’re part of a new kingdom now. We’re residents of the Kingdom of God. We are no longer under the power of the world:

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

There is liberty in God.  Read about the liberty that God asssures us of as we move from bondage to sonship (Galatians 4:1-7.)

Ø  GUARD AGAINST THE WORLD:

Now that we are free from the world, we set a guard against its influence in our life. We don’t pattern our life after the rudiments or basic principles of the world:

Beware lest any man spoil you...after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

 Do not love the world:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world... (1 John 2:15)

Do not let ourselves 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 your life will not die a natural death. You must forcibly crucify it.  

Ø  RECOGNIZE WE CAN OVERCOME THE WORLD:

We are not to be overcome by the world. Don’t let the cares of the world destroy the work of the Word in your life (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19). This "wearing away" with the cares of the world is one of the strategies of the antichrist spirit (Daniel 7:25). Jesus said:

. . . but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

We can overcome the world because Jesus dwells within you:

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. (2 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 our testimony.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony... (Revelation 12:11)  

Ø  UNDERSTAND OUR MISSION IN THE WORLD:

We are not to be affected by the world, but we 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:

Ye are the light of the world. . . (Matthew 5:14)

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" (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. They have been instructed:

 

. . . Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.  (Mark 16:15)

 

(Sermonette)  

* Steps to Living this Life to Live Again (1)

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, 

I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Matthew 7:24

 

Living this life is the ‘meantime’ until we live again; until our eternal life begins; one way or another – either eternal life with Jesus or eternal damnation with Satan - Heaven or Hell.  It’s a sad commentary that people have been deceived, flat-out lied to, or are flat out lying to and deceiving themselves with their man-made religions and righteousness.  Because of this very thing, the Bible reveals some people will be cast from the Kingdom. It is for this very reason that it’s important to understand how to gain permanent residency in the Kingdom of God.  The bible tells us that not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of God. It is only those who persist in doing the will of our heavenly Father.  Jesus said:  

 

Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

 

This scripture lets me know that acknowledging Jesus is Lord does not assure entrance or residency in the Kingdom of God. Jesus said such verbal commitment was not enough. We must do the will of the Father.

 

Sadly, there are many who profess to be part of God's Kingdom who are not actually Kingdom residents. The Bible speaks of the Kingdom being filled with good seed and also tares resulting from bad seed:  

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.  As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.  The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:38-43)

 

At the present time, there are those who claim to be Kingdom citizens who still live in sin and denial of God’s truth. But, there will come a future day of judgment when God will separate these people from the true residents of the Kingdom. Those who refuse to walk out God’s word; His will and His ways will be cast from the Kingdom of God.

 

The Bible also compares the present Kingdom to a big net thrown into the sea which gathers many kinds of fish:  

 

The bible tells us that God’s kingdom is like fishermen who cast their net into the lake, catching a wide assortment of fish.   When the net was filled, the fishermen hauled it up on the shore, and they all sat down to sort out their catch. They collected the good in baskets and threw the bad away.  And this is how it will be at the end of this dispensation.  The angels are going to separate the evil from among the godly and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be nothing but great sorrow and anguish. 

 

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:47-50)

 

The Bible tells of a day in the future when: 

 

. . . Many shall come from the east, and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven.  (Matthew 8:11)

 

That sounds wonderful to sit with these awesome men of God, but Jesus warns that . . . 

 

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. (Luke 13:28)

 

These are the ones that had a form of godliness; that followed after the rudiments of men but did not fully, wholly submit to God’s word, His will and His way. 

 

Before the final establishment of the Kingdom, God will judge all men, those alive at the return of Jesus and those who previously died:  

 

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick [alive] and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:1)

 

At the time of that judgment, there’ll be division made between all men. Some will enter the Kingdom and some will be cast out:  

 

When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory:  And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and He shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:  And He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, Come ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 25:31-34)

 

How do we make sure that we are on the right side of God?  It is God's will that we repent of our ungodly ways and receive Jesus Christ as Savior.  God does not want any to perish but all to come to repentance.

 

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  (2 Peter 3:9)

 

After accepting Jesus as Savior, we must continue to do the will of God. We must live by the principles of the new Kingdom into which we have entered.

 

Becoming a resident of the Kingdom of God requires more than a verbal commitment. It involves a change in thought and action patterns. We must develop a new lifestyle consistent with the patterns and principles of God's Kingdom.

Our areas of vulnerability will change as the seasons of our life change, but the truth is that we’ll always be tempted/tried in some way, shape or form. But the good news is that we can be tempted and still come out triumphant. Jesus showed us how to do it. When He faced Satan in the wilderness, He stood on God’s Word. The word of God is full of knowledge and examples on how we come out victorious.  It tells us that:

Ø  The Lord knows how to rescue us from our trials.’ (2 Peter 2:9)

Ø  Jesus understands our weaknesses, He faced the same tests we do, yet He did not sin. We can come boldly to the throne of our heavenly father. It’s there we receive His mercy, and find grace to help us when we need it most.’  (Hebrews 4:15–16

Ø  We are to ‘Put on every piece of God’s armor so we’ll be able to resist the enemy. Then after the battle we’ll find ourself still standing firm.’ (Ephesians 6:13

Ø  God has given us the power… to defeat the power of our enemy Satan.’ (Luke 10:19)

Ø  ‘The temptations in our life are no different from what others experience. But God is faithful. He won’t allow the temptation to be more than we can bare. When we’re tempted, He will show us a way out so that we can endure.’ (1 Corinthians 10:13

It's all recorded in God’s word and yet we often find ourselves defeated, out of sorts, struggling to do right when it seems we only want to do what is wrong, struggling against the can’t help its.  So, what do we do; how can we get to that place where we are living to live again on the right side of God, where our living is not in vain, where we are sold-out and wholly committed to God.  The very first thing we need to do is

 

Ø  GET A NEW PERSPECTIVE

Think of your sufferings as a weaning away from old habits and living according to the standards of the world, learning new godly habits, replacing the unwholesome for the wholesomeness of God.  Then you can begin living your days free to pursue God’s will rather than being browbeat by those old, unwholesome habits.

. . . Arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  (1 Peter 4:1)

 - Continued

(Sermonette)