THE WORLD, THE FLESH & THE SPIRIT

Ever been treated badly and couldn’t figure out why?    Of course, in this world that we live in, if we act badly we can fully expect trouble in return as spelled out in Proverbs 30: 33  which says,   “Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood:  so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.”    But there are times when, though you are making every effort to conduct yourself in a God-honoring fashion, some people will still dislike you just because you are trying to live righteously in Jesus’ name.   When that happens, though it may be bewildering and disappointing, don’t let it discourage you, but rather let it encourage you because as the Apostle Peter tells us,  “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye;  for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you:   on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.   But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.   Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;  but let him glorify God on this behalf.”   (1 Pet 4: 14-16)

Remember when Jesus was crucified on Calvary in the company of and in between those two thieves?   How disrespectful, insolent and offensive to treat the King of kings and Lord of lords in such a humiliating and degrading fashion.  Throughout history, Christians have been regularly categorized with, judged as and punished alongside common criminals.   To this very day, a huge segment of our society, particularly those with certain ideological, philosophical, political or even theological beliefs subscribe to this doctrine of hostility towards those of us who believe in Jesus.   And why?   I can only surmise that it comes down to what we just read in 1 Peter which is basically saying that the world hates anything that comes from God because of the influences of Satan.   Even Peter's fellow-Apostle John chimes in and says, "Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you." (1 John 3: 13)

Know ye this, that there are many spirits roaming around this planet.   Angelic ones that are obedient to God and demonic ones that rebel against God.   In the Bible, those things of the Holy Spirit with the capital  “S”  that blesses the soul are from God while those things of the devilish spirit with the little  “s”  that manipulates the flesh are of the world.   And both entities, the flesh and the Spirit, are continually, unendingly hostile towards one another.  “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other:  so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”  (Galatians 5: 17) 

In other words, they are not only opposite from one another but staunchly opposed to each other.   And since we can't just discard the flesh like an old t-shirt, we have been relegated to contending with it daily. And it's much more than mere contention, it's all out war. And when you're at war, the objective is to kill your opponent. The question is, which side are you on? If you are on the Lord's side you will resist the urge of your flesh to succumb to its enticements, but instead "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry..." (Col 3: 5)

The flesh desires what the Spirit doesn’t desire, and the Spirit desires what the flesh doesn’t desire.  Therefore, the Spirit with the capital  “S”  will check you when you try to fulfill the lusts of the flesh.   But the flesh doesn’t want to be checked because it’s being stirred up, inflamed and enraged by the spirit with the little  “s.”    So it will fight back ferociously to preserve its autonomy.    And you know it’s true with the fiery trials and the great temptations that we all go through. Just never forget that this ain't no game and "...they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Rom 8: 8)

The only thing that stands in the gap for us against our humanity is our divinity.   That is, our status and relationship with God as provided by the sacrifice of His Son.   And if you choose divinity, that is, if you choose Jesus, it will cost you associations and relations, not only with those of the world, but with family and friends as well.    Jesus, Who is the Prince of Peace, said in Matthew 10: 34-35 and Luke 12: 51 & 53,   “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:  I came not to send peace, but a sword.   Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?    I tell you, Nay;   but rather division:  The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother;  the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.   And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.”     

Contrary to what one might think, this was not a call to violence but a statement of the inevitable separation and conflict between those who believe and obey the Word of God and those who don’t.   And it’s not because we try to push the gospel upon anyone, but the mere fact that because the Lord has put the knowledge of Himself and His relationship requirements in all souls, our very existence reminds them deep in their soul of the unpleasant eternal destiny that awaits them beyond this life.    Those souls that are of the world are without excuse  “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful;  but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”  (Romans 1: 21 )   In the core of their being they are completely cognizant of where they’re going if they don’t get their act together.   And the agony of this awful awareness is what fuels the world’s hatred towards us.  

Here is the truth.   That which is in them who do not serve the Lord hates that which is in us who do serve Him, whether they are aware of it or not.  But we're not concerned about what's in them as we should be too busy focusing on what's in us.   And here’s the good news.   There’s hope for all because Jesus sacrificed His life for all.  “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly ….. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”   (Romans 5: 5 & 8)   The only exception being those rogue spirits in the heavenlies that rebelled against God who are destined to spend eternity in devastating torment.   Everlasting anguish in the place prepared specially for that devil and his angels.   “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”   (Jude 1: 6)   For them there is no hope.   So, at all costs, let us not end up there.

When Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, He began to preach the gospel of peace telling them that their salvation did not rest in the patriarch Abraham of whom they were very proud, but in God through Him.   Remember when Jesus said this? "Before Abraham was, I Am." (John 8: 58) This was too much for them to take. It infuriated the religious establishment who, with the people, came up against Jesus, rejecting His teachings because, being of the world they were influenced by the world’s hatred of the divine and the devil used this to spark their murderous intentions. 

Jesus knew this full well as He had already told them,   “…ye seek to kill me, because My Word hath no place in you.”   (John 8: 37)   Jesus then went on to explain to them,  “If God were your Father, ye would love Me:  for I proceeded forth and came from God;  neither came I of Myself, but He sent Me.”  (John 8: 42)    They claimed that Abraham was their father, but Jesus delivered a disturbing depiction that, though traumatic was true, when He told them exactly who they were and who their real father was.    “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.   He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.   When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:  for he is a liar, and the father of it.”   (John 8: 44)    This ultimately led to what you might expect, “Then took they up stones to cast at Him…”  (John 8: 59)    

Of course their response was predictable.   And that is the daily struggle we all are engaged in and confronted with ….. our war with the world.   But it’s not the war that we might envision because this war not only involves the demon-inspired and hate-filled people that come at us, but even more so against the sinful flesh that we ourselves occupy.  In other words, we are at war with ourselves.   And it is a fight to the finish against spiritual wickedness in the heavenly realm which extends down to this earthly arena and is designed to entrap, entangle, imprison and even addict us to the things of this world that defile us.   “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)    

And for more on this flesh,  Galatians 5: 19-21 exposes it’s filth:   “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery (unfaithfuness of married persons), fornication (sexual immorality of any kind or of unmarried persons),  uncleanness (impurity, moral filthiness, particularly sexual),  lasciviousness (sensuality, seductive, obscene, lewd, salacious, arousing sexual desire),  Idolatry (reverence and worship of idols),  witchcraft (use of or trust in supernatural powers other than God),  hatred (hostility, antagonism),  variance (quarrel, discord),  emulations (ill will, jealousy, envy, rage),  wrath (fury, intense displeasure based on real or perceived wrong),  strife (selfish ambition, pride, angry discord),  seditions (divisions, dissension),  heresies (sect, faction, religious opinion contrary to church doctrine),  Envyings (grudging desire for or discontent at the sight of another’s excellence or advantages),  murders (unlawful killing, to deprive of life),  drunkenness (intoxication),  revellings (orgy, unrestrained indulgence, revelry, wild party or celebration, carousing, drunken revelry),  and such like:  of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Ever heard the phrase  “cleanliness is next to godliness?”     People love to quote this saying, but it’s not in the Bible.   The same with the phrase  “we are in the world but not of the world.”      This also is not a direct quote from the Bible, however, we know that it is consistent with the intent and principles contained in the Bible.   Jesus Himself specifically said,  “And now I am no more in the world, but these are  in the world  ….. 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 27: 11 & 14)   

So, even Jesus confirms the validity of the that statement, and the testimony of Jesus is true.   But the best thing is that we get to utilize the power of God’s Word to neutralize the assault of Satan.   And as Ephesians 6: 17  tells us, the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God.     And that Word, Who is Jesus, has already defeated the Devil, conquered death and declawed sin.    So rejoice!   Jesus said, “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)   He assures us of our victory through Him by declaring,  “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)

And who is it that is in the world?   It is that demonic deceiver, including everyone and everything under his spell, that goes against everything of God.   It is that unholy, sinful and depraved spirit that denies Jesus is the Christ, denies Christ is the Son of God, denies God is all-powerful and denies that this power has been given to us to overcome him.   

Also known as the Devil, Satan and Lucifer, he is the ultimate personification of wickedness from whom springs what is called the spirit of antichrist.   He is the source which animates a bodily manifestation of evil that has been prophesied to come.   But as  1 John 2: 18 ,  1 John  2: 22  and  2 John 1: 7   tells us, that spirit ain’t on its way, it’s already here.   All those scriptures are summed up in  1 John 4: 3  –  “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:  and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come;  and even now already is it in the world.”     And it is against this immoral armada of spirits that we battle.   So don't be fooled. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits whether they are of God:   because many false prophets are gone out into the world”   (1 John 4: 1)

But thankfully for us, being in this world but not of this world, we are not subject to the rudiments and ordinances of this world but we are under the direct authority, leadership, guidance and glory of God Almighty, Who is also a Spirit.   But He is not just any spirit, but the One and Only Holy Spirit.   Jesus said,  “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”   (John 9: 33)   But before He left, He promised us that He would be with us always by sending us that Spirit, the Holy Ghost, to infuse us with His presence and give us the power to be the vessels of His heavenly illumination.   Why? “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.”  (Phil 2: 15)   Glory to God that the light of the world ain’t us.   The light of the world is Jesus Who shines through us.

So never forget that the world will act like your friend only as long as you satisfy its lustful demands on you.    But once you stop, you become an enemy combatant and will be treated as such.   You can’t be a friend of the world and a friend of God at the same time.    “…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)    But Jesus taught us to love our enemies, and though the world is His enemy, it still belongs to God and He'd rather clean it up than burn it up. "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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3: 16-17) Praise God that our focus is on heaven and we can look beyond this current and continuous carnal craziness to a blessed time of love, joy and peace eternal.  

So believe with your whole heart that we can live honestly in this evil world because we belong to Christ and by His blood we have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.   He has taught us and empowered us and encouraged us “that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”  (Titus 2: 12-14)

So let us serve the Lord with all that is within us, worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth, “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  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 Pet 1: 3-4)

So fight on, Brethren! And to that, let the church say, Amen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kcn3UGgW9E