1Joh 2:15-18 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. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
John 15:19 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.
John 17:14 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.
John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
We are not of the world.
Reve 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and
his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a
lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Reve 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;
and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
The world, not the Church, wondered after the Beast.
John wrote that all that is in the WORLD are summed up in three things.
1. Lust of the flesh
2. Lust of the eyes
3. Pride of Life
You could say these three things are summed up as follows:
1. To Do.... Lust of the flesh
2. To Have.. Lust of the eyes
3. To Be.... Pride of life
It all goes back to the Garden of Eden when Satan managed to urge Adam
and Eve to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.
Since it was KNOWLEDGE, it affected Adams THINKING.
Adams thinking became filled with the concept of good and evil only.
So the first thing after he ate of the fruit, he saw that he was
naked.
He lacked something.
He then felt ashamed.
And when Gods VOICE came, Adam then looked at his nakedness again,
and felt afraid this time.
Gene 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I [was] naked; and I hid myself.
Fear is something that is not of God.
Adam had a lack of something covering.
But why did he fear God? God came to LOVE and HELP.
He was filled with the knowledge of good and evil then.
And he thought it was not GOOD that he be naked, until he became
ashamed and then he became afraid.
Adam did not have a SOUND MIND any longer.
The fruit affected his mind because it was KNOWLEDGE of good and
evil.
2Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of
power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Tim 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed ...
God gives us a sound mind.
But we are born with an ashamed mind and a fearful mind.
That is why the most common statement Jesus ever made was BE NOT
AFRAID.
When we lack something, look at what the Bible says we should do.
Hebr 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Instead of seeing our lack and then running away when God comes, we
ought to boldly come to Him when we have NEED.
NEED is LACK.
But everyone seems to instead run from God in fear rather than come
to Him in boldness.
What does the work of making us bold to be able to come to God instead
of run away from Him in fear?
Read the verses before this last one.
Hebr 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in
his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with
whom we have to do.
Hebr 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that
is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our]
profession.
Hebr 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like
as [we are, yet] without sin.
Hebr 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Everything is naked to Him.
Is the Bible saying we should be afraid, then?
No!
But that is the reaction the WORLD would have when confronted with
the fact that all things are naked to God.
But that is not the tone of the words we are reading.
All things are indeed naked to Him, but we then read WE HAVE a great
High Priest.
WE HAVE one there FOR US to intercede before God FOR US.
Its not something against us, but its for us.
WE HAVE this going for us.
WE HAVE is a positive thing.
And He is touched by the feelings of our weaknesses and lackings.
FOR THAT REASON, we can go boldly.
But the world runs fearfully.
The world has the urge TO DO, TO HAVE and TO BE.
Lust of the flesh is a lust in us to do good in our own power.
To do good to make ourselves better.
Salvation by Works.
But the Gospel is against anything to do with that.
The Gospel says ...
Ephe 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:
Ephe 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Not of YOURSELVES.
You cannot DO.
Jesus rips the carpet out from under any antichrist spirit hat would
try to exalt itself by saying that it is not of works YOU DO that would
cause you to boast of yourself.
Its not that God wants nobody to feel good but Himself.
Its that Satan started this whole thing with SELF exaltation.
Satan is so eaten up with it that He wanted to cancel out anything
to do with having a God to serve, that he went so far as to be EVIL when
he saw that God was good.
He became wicked when he saw God was loving.
He became darkness when he saw God was light.
And once that starts in a persons soul, it eats away until it engulfs
a person like it did Satan.
God does not want that to happen to us.
TO HAVE
Lust of the eyes.
See what you dont have and covet it.
You begin to COVET what your neighbour has.
Adultery sets in.
The fascination with anything you do not have.
Once you have you always want MORE.
Never satisfied.
TO BE
Satan said You will be wise like gods.
To exalt yourself.
Wars are started by leaders who want to be...
Looking out for Number One.
The spirit of antichrist is so rampant today, that you can read slogans
of company products that look for what appeals to people the most to sell
to them.
Their ads reveal what they have found to appeal most to people.
HAVE IT YOUR WAY.
LOOK OUT FOR NUMBER ONE.
CONVENIENCE.
BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE.
BE YOUR OWN BOSS.
Billboards show tough men smoking cigarettes to cause people to think
they will be like that if they smoke them, too.
Cars with beautiful women aside them, causing people to subconsciously
think they will be attractive to such women if they get that car.
Self-esteem programs tell you to do nothing anybody else wants you to
do.
Do what YOU want to do.
Be yourself.
This reaches into christianity by way of a prosperity gospel..
Be rich and wealthy.
Drive a Rolls-Royce.
Wear expensive clothing.
1Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
Filling your head with good and evil, without Gods grace will slay
you.
Good and evil without grace is dangerous.
It makes you see what is good and see what is evil and MAKE YOURSELF
AVOID EVIL AND BECOME GOOD.
Become judgmental of everyone else who does not tow the line.
Self-righteous.
BUT WITHOUT Jesus Christ WE CAN DO NOTHING.
Some have testified to me of having fear when hearing the Word of God
and becoming condemned, but gaining victory over such fear the more GRACE
is understood.
The unrenewed mind is the mind that still lives off knowledge of
good and evil.
And everything filters through it.
That is why you can be fearful when the good word of God goes forth.
You twist it and re-interpret it into a legalism that condemns you.
And it makes you think YOURE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
It makes you run from God in fear because you LACK.
But we may lack.
However, when we RENEW our minds and wean ourselves off the knowledge
of good and evil and begin to live on LIFE, we realize in our lack that
God wants to help us more than do anything else in the universe.
Grace slays condemnation when you realize that in our lack, God is
there to lovingly COMPLETE us.
We are complete in Jesus Christ.
That means without Him we lack.
Does the Gospel tell us we are incomplete when we are born into this
world?
Yes!
But does it condemn us for it?
No, it encourages us to run to Jesus and be made complete.
Gods Spirit moves in Church service
The Word goes forth and people feel God calling their name.
They become afraid.
Why did I come?
That is the unrenewed mind.
The knowledge of good and evil is too strong in such people.
The Pharisees were so twisted by the infatuation with knowledge of good
and evil, until all they thought about was Law of Moses and sin.
And they became raging, jealous, self-centred, deceitful hypocrites.
They were so far gone they would NEVER receive the words of Life.
Their minds were so possessed by the knowledge of good and evil that
they were even blinded to Jesus parables.
God will only anoint us if we do things HIS WAY.
They took Gods word and forced it to fit their agenda to exalt themselves.
They began to pray loooong prayers to be heard.
Lust of the flesh... TO DO.
To be seen of men pride of Life TO BE.
They were covetous. TO HAVE. Lust of the eyes.
Such a spirit causes you to defend yourself and never admit you are
wrong.
Be willing and ready to admit you are wrong.
Be as far from the antichrist spirit as possible.
Be teachable and not a know-it-all.
Be more ready to listen to others than to present yourself as someone
who does all the talking.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Free of bondage.
Acts 4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as
many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices
of the things that were sold,
Acts 4:35 And laid [them] down at the apostles' feet: and distribution
was made unto every man according as he had need.
Acts 4:36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas,
(which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, [and]
of the country of Cyprus,
Acts 4:37 Having land, sold [it], and brought the money, and
laid [it] at the apostles' feet.
Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife,
sold a possession,
Acts 5:2 And kept back [part] of the price, his wife also being
privy [to it], and brought a certain part, and laid [it] at the apostles'
feet.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine
heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back [part] of the price of
the land?
Satan filled his heart.
Why would a Christian want to PRETEND he gave everything he had,
when in actuality he did not.
PRIDE OF LIFE.
Wanted a reputation of being spiritual.
Wanted TO BE admired and respected.
So Peter said SATAN filled his heart.
Same thinking as Satan.
Satan did not want ot be LUCIFER light-bearer bear Gods light
and glory, but rather BE EVERYTHING HIMSELF.
In Matthew 16, Jesus said the Pharisees and Sadduccees were so blinded
they were missing the fact that THE MESSIAH WAS THERE.
They could discern the sky but not the times.
Jesus told his disciples to beware of the spreading posion and leaven
of the Pharisees.
The doctrine and twisting and self-exaltation that blinds people
from understanding the way God does things.
We all need our minds renewed when we come to Jesus, but at least we
have the capacity of finally GETTING the message after a while if we are
sincere.
But to be infested with the doctrine of the Pharisees and be so self-centred
that we are beyond help is a scary thing.
And right after He said this, He asked the disciples....
Matt 16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi,
he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
Matt 16:14 And they said, Some [say that thou art] John the Baptist:
some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
Sincere people who are not as blinded as the Pharisees by severe and extreme self-centredness have hopes of perceiving in the Spirit, and Jesus is wondering how they are coming along with His teachings. Are they getting any sensitivty to the Fathers voice, or are they beyond help like the Pharisees?
Matt 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Matt 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God.
Matt 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art
thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee,
but my Father which is in heaven.
Peter receives a revelation.
Peter heard from Gods Spirit!
But did you know that you can receive revelation and still have enough
unrenewed mind to still think self-centredly?
Matt 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples,
how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders
and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third
day.
Matt 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying,
Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. {Be...: Gr. Pity
thyself}
Matt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind
me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things
that be of God, but those that be of men.
Peter tried to urge Jesus to not deny Himself but SAVE Himself.
To THAT DEGREE of how much he still thought like this, Peter was
still unrenewed in his mind and that much like the Pharisees.
So self-preserving and self-centred that he told Jesus to Look out
for Number One.
Do what YOU want TO DO.
Dont suffer.
Stay alive, because you want TO HAVE all these people around here
follow you and exalt you as King.
You want TO BE King right now, without suffering.
Satan said the same thing.
Matt 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high
mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory
of them;
Matt 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee,
if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
And Jesus told the devil....
Matt 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
The same thing he told Peter, because Peter was in the same frame of
mind.
Peter was not possessed, but was in the same frame of mind as the
devil was.
That unrenewed part of Peters mind.
Minding the things of the flesh instead of the things of the Spirit.
So, back in Matthew 16, Jesus then said
Matt 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind
me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things
that be of God, but those that be of men. [mind the things of the flesh
and not the things of the spirit]
Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow
me.
Matt 16:25 For whosoever will save his life [exalt self and not
let anything cause self to suffer] shall lose it: and whosoever will lose
his life [ deny self for will of God] for my sake shall find it.
Matt 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for
his soul?
GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD.
Satan offered this very thing to Jesus!!
Matthew 4:8ff ...sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the
glory of them;
Matt 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee,
if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
What good would it do Jesus to lose his soul by bowing down to the devil and thereby gaining the whole world?
Jesus could get the kingdoms of the world without the cross.
But if Jesus would go to Jerusalem, and suffer, He would resurrect and
be alive forevermore and return one day.
That is why we read:
Matt 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
And if we deny ourselves and stand with Him and be anti-antichrist, then this will occur with us....
Matt 16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
We will not taste of death, and will still be alive forevermore to see the Son of Man Return in His kingdom.
Reve 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become [the kingdoms] of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
The world has an aversion against the Gospel.
People try to describe their feelings like they arent ready, etc.
But whether they know it or not, the actual reason they repel it
is because SELF is dethroned and we no longer run our own show any more.
We were not created to run our own shows.
Look at how man has run this world.
They can pick any reason they want to, but the real reason is they refuse to DENY THEMSELVES.
John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
To be what God created you to be is to require you to be set free from
that damnable thinking.
To be free of the knowledge of good and evil.
To be free of the antichrist spirit.
To be free of the poison of the pharisees.
God is revealing the poison that is sending souls to hell.
Rip it out of your heart.
Take up your cross and deny yourself.
DIE TO YOUR old man and be buried with Christ.
Rise again into newness of life.
That is a general attitude to have.
Be dedicated to exalt Him, and decrease as He increases.
Fight the urge to remain doing your will and not yielding.
Cry out to God and recognize the fear to let go and let God have
His way as that damnable antichrist spirit that it is.