Three UNHOLY Agents Against the Christian
1 John 2:15-17 (KJV) 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. 16 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. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) 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. 2 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.
There are three unholy agents that is against every Christian.
That is the world, the flesh and the devil.
I believe your flesh is the worse of the three.
The reason is that it is simply attached to you and it is always so near.
It is easy to go the way of the flesh -because it is so natural to do so.
the devil gets far more credit than he deserves.
He is blamed for lots of things that is the fault of our flesh.
The devil did not make you do it.
You sinned against God because you wanted to.
First, let’s look to some verses to encourage you in this walk of faith:
1 John 4:4 (KJV) 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 5:4-5 (KJV) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
Isaiah 41:10 (KJV) Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Joshua 1:9 (KJV) Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Matthew 28:20 (KJV) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Hebrews 13:5-6 (KJV) Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
In some ways, it is more difficult to defeat the world than the devil.
No one really wants people to dislike them.
It is a basic human desire to be liked.
This world did not like Jesus!
Think of all the good that He did.
Anyone who came to Him in childlike faith was healed of disease
whether it was physical, emotional, or spiritual.
Jesus said in John 6:37 "him that cometh unto me, I will in wise cast out."
What a precious promise given to us today!
But Jesus knew the realities of this world.
He warns His disciples of this truth in several places in the garden just before his arrest.
John 15:18-20 (KJV) If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 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. 20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
John 16:33 (KJV) 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.
Even John reminded us of this in his epistle.
1 John 3:13 (KJV) Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
What happens when the world defeats you?
You turn worldly.
When you are worldly, you are not godly.
Worldliness is manifested in what we say,
the things we do or don't do,
the places you go or don't go -and other ways…
You will either defeat the world in your life
or this world will defeat you.
There is no middle ground.
There are no gray areas.
This, is a plain black and white issue;
black ink on white pages- your Bible!
God’s commanded us to separate from the world,
This does not mean that the Christian should isolate himself from society.
Christians are to be the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13).
We are responsible to evangelize the world; Acts 1:8 (KJV) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Separation from the world by no means should discourage your efforts to win the world for Christ.
God Himself desires the salvation of the world; John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Separation from the world does not forbid association with worldly people in the course of legitimate daily work.
Remember the PTL debacle?
Paul tells the Corinthians that he does not expect them to leave the world in order to avoid contamination with sinners; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 (KJV) I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
This is in harmony with the prayer Jesus prayed that believers be kept from the evil of the world, not removed from it; John 17:15 (KJV) I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
As Christians, we should cooperate with unsaved people in beneficial community projects, election of worthy leaders,
or efforts to promote morality.
Although the Christian must be careful not to give Christian recognition to efforts or to promote any organization using political efforts to further evil tendencies (i.e., abortion, sexual deviancy and the like).
Old Testament leaders such as Joseph, Daniel, and Nehemiah are examples of men who worked in pagan environments while remaining true to God.
I. THE DEFINITIONS
Let’s look at two separate definitions.
What is the world?
And what is worldliness?
A. The World
The Greek word is "kosmos". The Greek has eight separate definitions.
It is one word defined in eight aspects.
We will just look at just three.
1. The planet in which we live;
2. The inhabitants of the planet in which we live;
3. World affairs or the world circle of earthly goods, talents, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc…
which although hollow, frail, and fleeting,
stir desire, seduce away from God,
and are obstacles to the cause of Christ.
Let me illustrate how the two of the definitions are the same word "world" in the Greek.
John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1 John 2:15 (KJV) 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.
B. Worldly or worldliness
I heard someone say, I Can’t remember who said, that "Worldliness is what any particular culture does to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange."
Bob Jones University, in an article called "Separate from the World." Said, "Worldliness is an attitude of friendship toward, a desire for, and a wish to be recognized by the world system. This attitude will lead to indulgence in acts which may not be wrong in themselves, but which will identify one with the world system and thus hinder his love for God, his spiritual growth and his Christian testimony."
II. THE DISTINCTIONS OF WORLDLINESS
We need to ask ourselves.
Is your time primarily concerned with the pursuit of worldly goals, pleasures, or things?
Mark 8:36 (KJV) For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Can you honestly say like the Psalmist
Psalms 73:25 (KJV) Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Are your thoughts and affections set on things above rather than things on earth?
Colossians 3:1-3 (KJV) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Do you seek the approval of the world and worldly people?
As servants the Lord, do you seek for the praise of men or the praise of God?
John 5:44 (KJV) How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
John 12:43 (KJV) For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 (KJV) But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Is there anything in your life that God would look at as friendship with
the world?
James 4:4 (KJV) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, 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.
Do you neglect private devotional time in the Word of God and prayer?
Do you love the Word of God more than gold or silver?
Psalms 119:72, 97, 127 (KJV) The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.
97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
Maybe these probing questions can show the distinctions of worldliness in our lives!
* Am I hesitant to obey God when it requires deviating from what my family, friends and neighbors think?
* Am I willing to sacrifice time and availability to the family to provide material pleasures?
* Does my sense of self-worth depend on where I live, what I drive, how I'm dressed or the job I hold?
* Do I justify wrong decisions (i.e., purchases, children's friends, activities, entertainment) by minimizing their negative effect and say, "Everyone else is doing it"?
DEFEATING WORLDLINESS
There is a defeating of this enemy, the enemy of your soul.
It is imperative that you understand this in order to go further in your walk with the Lord.
Recognize that Jesus overcame the world!
John 16:33
"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."
These are some of the last words that Christ uttered to His disciples!
Jesus’ example of overcoming the world is seen in the Gospels over and over again.
Christ overcame the religious world.
He overcame the political world partially by never becoming involved in it.
Rekindle that loving relationship with the Lord.
James 4:7 (KJV) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
You MUST maintain your quiet time with the Lord in order to defeat the world.
I understand, sometimes that is tough.
You get busy.
You seem to have more tasks than time.
Here is a little poem about quiet time:
QUIET TIME
The dog wants in, the cat wants out,
There's someone at the door;
I thought it was my quiet time-
It's really more like war.
I study hard, but other things
For my attention vie:
The reasons they weren't there before,
I really don't know why.
Yet now my Bible pages turn:
Isaiah twenty-six;
Perhaps within the prophet's words
My soul can find a fix.
The first two verses struggle by,
But then I read verse three:
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on Thee."
-Robert Barrell
Here are a few suggestions about quiet time.
1. Try to prevent your Quiet Time from becoming mechanical.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Avoid ruts and ridiculous changes, though.
2. Have your Quiet Time at the same time every day if possible.
3. Aim at a systemic plan, try to spend as much prayer time as reading time.
4. Don't be rigid.
If the Spirit of prayer descends, continue in prayer.
If the Word shines with new light,
read on! And be filled!
5. Start with a brief prayer, Bible reading and then prayer.
This prevents the prayer time from being the same every day.
Learn to pray out the Scriptures passage that you had just read.
6. Use the Word of God as a basis for praise and petition.
Reject all things that conform you unto worldliness.
Romans 12:1-2 (KJV) 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. 2 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.
This means to ask the Lord to help in your fight against worldliness.
He will reveal to you what you need to do.
Conclusion: As we travel through this life as a believer, we will have to fight our flesh, the devil and the world. Don’t give up!
