Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Denying Worldly Lusts Pt.4

As Mike was praying, this is our hearts' desire just to come before the Word and be transformed. It is the power of God to salvation, and it's the washing of the water of the Word that continually purifies us. It's the mirror, that James speaks of, that we're to look into so that we don't forget what manner of man we are. We just don't want to forget how alive this Word is. When we come together, let's not allow it just be another teaching, but an encounter with the living God. Amen? He's taken His Word, the Scripture says, and He's placed it even above His holy name. So as we take the Word into our hearts this evening, it will change us. You won't be the same if you allow this Word to speak to you tonight. So that's our hearts' desire longing for that.

Let's go ahead and turn back to our text that we've been dealing with out of Titus. Looking at the Word that Father has for us. Titus Chapter 2, verse 12. "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." So we realize then that there is a present age that we're in. It's an age of temptation. It's an age of the prince and power of the air moving in our midst. It's an age where the god of this world is still dominating the world system. In the midst of that, we're in constant conflict with this kingdom of darkness, or the kingdom of this world, or the dominion of the carnal-minded philosophies that come from the age, or from the king, the prince of darkness. So there's a whole other kingdom over there that we're opposing. So when we're talking about "worldliness," it's not just a philosophy, it's a kingdom. It's a force that's in opposition to the kingdom of light. It's not just something that is different from the kingdom of light that you and I are in, but it's in opposition to the kingdom of light.

The wisdom of the world and to be a partaker of it, the Scripture says, causes us to be at enmity with God, James tells us, and in fact makes us what? The enemies of God. So we realize then that it's not just a different path that people are on. It is different, but they're not content; their whole origin, their existence, has come from opposition to and hatred to God. Their existence is to replace God. So we need to understand that. When we talk about worldliness, we have to understand that the spirit behind it is to destroy God. "I will be like the most high God. I will destroy the Almighty. I will ascend above His throne" is the spirit of the world found in Isaiah 14. Now, we need to understand that because when you look at the power, and we've talked it many times, of origins. When you see where something has originated then you understand what it's perpetual reason for existence is. To carry out it's origin, it's original intent and purpose. So then, everything we see that is worldly has that as its main purpose.

Now when the apostle is speaking to us here by the Holy Spirit, he said I want you to understand that the grace of God that's been afforded you, the unmerited favor of God, you don't deserve it. But God has given you this favor; this illumination has come to you. You've realized your depraved condition, you've repented, you've been regenerated, old things have passed away, and all things have become new. You've become, now, a child of light instead of a child of darkness, and because of this great grace, he said, that grace will bring to you this understanding: you are obligated to deny all ungodliness. If you've experienced the grace of God, you will deny all ungodliness. Now notice this word "deny" is a very strong word. It really talks of a once-for-all-decision to oppose darkness. What am I saying? We cannot be content with just trying to stay away from the world so it doesn't hurt us, and serve God. Our job is to destroy the kingdom of darkness. For this purpose was the Son of God manifest to what? To do what? To destroy the? Okay, the works, the world philosophy, the wisdom of the world, of the evil one. So He came for that purpose, and the Spirit of God continues to empower the church for that purpose. The Bible says that the gates of Hell will not prevail. Amen? So we understand, then, that as we're bringing this onslaught to the kingdom of darkness, the gates of Hell cannot prevail against the kingdom of God. There is no way to oppose this gospel of power and this gospel of light. It's capable of infiltrating every part of the world and bringing a remnant out. So the question is, are we doing our part to go into all the world and preach the gospel? That's not just cosmos, geographic. That's cosmos, philosophy, spirit of the world. Too many times as Christians, we think that our main job is just try to maintain. Just try to hang in here and separate ourselves from the world, so that it doesn't hurt us, and just mind our own business, and serve God. When you look at the ministry of Jesus, He did just the opposite. He came in the power of God to bring a gospel message that man didn't have to be bound any longer under satanic power, and in that darkness. That's what God's called us to do.

He says, "I want you to realize something: grace will cause you to deny or to oppose ungodliness." Then, also, once we've opposed that, the worldly lusts, all that is the fruit of that ungodly spirit. So how do we then know how we're doing in our task? How are we going to be able to grade ourselves in this fulfilling the great commandment that was given to us to go into all the world and preach the gospel? Well, 1 John speaks toward this and also John in his gospel. Turn over to 1 John for just a second and a passage that some of us are familiar with. Chapter 4 of 1 John. We all remember why he had written this epistle primarily dealing with the Gnostics, and those that were professing to be believers, and saying that there is a distinction. "However, there's a spirit man within me that wants to do the will of God, and loves God, but my flesh is out of control. So with my heart I'm serving God, but with my flesh I'm serving the devil. Sure, I'm involved in fornication, and lasciviousness, and yeah I'm a drunk, and I steal, and I'm a drug addict, but I love Jesus." Those people are en masse today in our society. Well, not in mass--as far as we know--but that's probably true. We realize that we're just surrounded by that philosophy. It may not be that blatant, but it exists.

So John's writing to oppose that spirit and he's saying, "No it doesn't work that way. You can't love God with your heart while you're serving the devil, and the world in your flesh. You can't," he says in this epistle, "say that you love God and not love your brothers." You can't be living for yourself, stealing from the body of Christ. How do you do that? "Well, I steal from the body because I'm a workaholic. I'm caught up trying to get to the top of the business ladder, whatever it is. I'm out here and I'm involved in some other activity, and I'm not a part of the community. I'm not out preaching the gospel. I'm not the head of my home. I'm not fulfilling these godly roles, but you know I really love the Lord." No you don't, because you love yourself more than you love the brethren. John hammers on that in this epistle.

Now in the midst of those different aspects, we find in 1 John, Chapter 4, verse 1 he said, "Beloved, believe not every spirit..." Don't believe every prophet that stands up and prophesies. Don't believe all of these mystics that are coming into your midst, and these Gnostics that are talking about some type of experience that's extra biblical. They've had a revelation from God that these things are so. He said, here's how you find out who's of the world and who's of the kingdom of God. I'd say that this is a pretty important passage, wouldn't you? Look what he goes on to say. "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God." Interesting. We've given some exposition on this in the past, in years past. It's not just a verbal where you ask somebody, "Do you believe that Jesus has come in the flesh." Or if you think some guy's demon possessed, you say, "Do you believe Jesus has come in the flesh," and the guy goes, "Yeah." Oh, okay. I really thought he was demon possessed, but he said he believes Jesus has come in the flesh. What does it mean "Jesus has come in the flesh"? Does it mean just that we believe that there was a man named Jesus who lived on the earth historically? Most people believe in a historical Jesus. Most who believe in a historical Jesus don't believe in the incarnation. They believe in a historical Jesus, but they don't believe in a divine Jesus.

You see the line of demarcation comes with understanding His divinity, His holiness, His majesty. So those that believe Jesus, God, has come in the flesh, the obvious conclusion to that if Jesus was God, then Jesus is Lord. Amen? If Jesus is Lord (Guess what?), you're not. That's what it all boils down to. If Jesus is Lord, you're not. We're talking about your life, how you behave, think, where you're drawing your wisdom, and where you're drawing your strength. So when John's writing here, he's dealing with that spirit of Gnosticism that wants to accept Jesus as Savior, and remain lord of their own lives. He says it can't happen. He says here's how you know: Every man that believes that Jesus is incarnate, God come in the flesh, the visible representative of the divine eternal Godhead. Everybody that believes that He is the Son of God. Everybody that believes that He is the Son of Light, the Savior of the world, the spotless Lamb, as the prophet John spoke, that's come to remit the sins of the world. That belief is what makes us separate and distinct. So John goes on and he says this. Watch, "...Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God..." Now this gets to be very, very, as we've shared before, blatant or subtle, but it is anti-Christ. Not just other than Christ, but opposed to Christ, the anointed of God, the Savior, the redemptive plan.

John goes on and he says, "Look, let me tell you, these guys are in your midst; they're here in your church. Now, who are they that deny that Jesus is come in the flesh? Those that are living in the flesh. Those that are still bound by the flesh. Those that are still pursuing the things of the flesh or the things of the world." The carnal mindedness of Romans 8 that the Scripture says brings death. "... this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children..." (verses 3 and 4). And have what? Say it with me and have what? Okay there's a war going on. The world's trying to get you, and the children of God have? Say it. Okay I have a question, are you an overcomer? Are you overcoming the world? Is the spirit that's in you causing you to overcome all that you used to be and used to do? Do those appetites still control your life? Now they'll never leave your members; we all understand that very clearly. The sin that's in our members, the appetites, the temptations, the tendencies, the nature is still there, but the depravity isn't. We're no longer bound by it. It's no longer how God sees us, which is the good news. But the grace that Titus is speaking of makes it very clear that we're to come to this illumination that we are overcomers, that sin no longer has dominion over us, Romans 6 says. So here we are. John's speaking and he says, now look, this is the spirit of Antichrist, but 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." Greater is He that is the Lord of your kingdom, than the god of the world's kingdom. Yes, there are demonic powers. Yes, there is a diabolical plan that has the genius of satanic whiles behind it, but our kingdom is governed by the omniscience of God. Amen? He's smart. God's omniscient. He's powerful. God is omnipotent.

We begin to realize the greater one in us leaves no place for defeat. So why are we being defeated? One of the main reasons that many of us are being defeated is because we are not opposing the kingdom of darkness. We're playing a defensive game. We've been doing a good job. Everything that our offense has being doing has worked, and we've gone into a "prevent". How many of you know what the prevent defense is? I hate it. Any of you that know anything about football, it's the stupidest thing I've ever seen. "We've held them, we've held them, we've held them all game. It's getting late, let's go into the prevent." And they just start eating up yardage, man. Many of us have taken that type of a look on life and we've gone into the "prevent", and we need to turn up our offense. I guarantee you, man, some teams say, "Well, you just want a great defense. A great defense will always win." No. If you have two of the greatest defenses of all time play, I'm talking about you're playing football, and the defenses are so great that neither team can make a yard. Guess what? You tie. You've got to have offense. It's very important in the kingdom of God to be offensive. The whole armor of God that has been given to us, Ephesians says, that we might what? Set out against these principalities and these powers. We've become too passive as it concerns the world and it's philosophy. So we're going to talk about how to be offensive here. Offensiveness in the kingdom of light becomes offensive, or an offense to the world. Look what he goes on to say, "...greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore [What?] speak they of the world." The people that are of the world, they talk about the world all the time. That's what they talk about, they talk about the world. Now, when we talk about this, when we say they're "talking about the world", we're not just talking about--As we've shared here recently. We're not just talking about the things that are offensive to us in the world, lasciviousness. When we talk about "talking of the world," it's not talking about all of the garbage that's coming out of Hollywood. We're not talking about the homosexual movement and all of the perverts, and liberals that are embracing that. We saw that "talking about the world" could be very subtle. It can be talking about your portfolio. Let me ask you something. Just to be practical, how many of you have spent more time talking among yourselves about that than you have about the faith that it's going to take to stand when all of that goes down? How many of you have spent more time giving good Bible tips instead of stock tips to your brothers and sisters?

You see they that are of the world, he says, they speak of the world. And the world, what's it go on to say? The world what? Hears them. "Yeah, I agree with that." Let me ask you something. How much does the world agree with you on? "Well, I don't think very much, but I wouldn't really know, because I've never told them what I really believe. I used to, but I got in trouble and people didn't like me, and my job was threatened." When I'm talking about "talking about the world," I'm not talking about spending some time at work talking about the Redskins. That's part of the world system. It could be considered amoral. A lot of people in it are immoral, but I'm talking the game. The way they play sometimes looked pretty immoral. When we're looking at this thing, I'm talking about the spirit of the age that exalts man, exalts self will, that exalts this temporal kingdom that the Scripture says we're not a part of. We are in the world, but we are not of the world.

So in this world, now you've got to remember the world from the cosmos perspective, is twofold. It has the natural part of it, and it has the philosophical part of it. The natural part of it, we're still involved in. Now this is the part of the world that the Bible says is reeling like a drunk man waiting it's redemption; there's hope for it. There's no hope for the philosophical, it's under judgment. The prince of this world has already been judged. The cosmos part of the physical, it's reeling, it's waiting its day of redemption. We're still there, we have to eat, we have to sleep, we're involved in some of these natural things. We're living by the sweat of our brow, the curse that came from our father Adam. So we partake in all of those areas. But all of those things that are part of our natural existence the philosophy of the world has perverted and made a kingdom to itself, and has established a deity, separate, and in opposition to our Father. Now, it's diverse. It's as diverse as all of the religions of the world, and philosophies of the world. All of these different cultures that are in the world. Of course, the world system is wanting us to do something: it's wanting us to embrace all of these. I'm going to show you God's view is different. If you really want to become politically incorrect, become biblically correct. Everything the world is promoting is anti-Christ. So whatever little bandwagon comes along that looks kind of interesting to you that you might think you want to join up with, I want to tell you something. It's anti-Christ if it's in any way promoting the world, natural man, natural ways. Let's find out if it's actually that distinct and unique, this kingdom of light that we've been called to. "They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God [What?] heareth us..." You think, "Well, that's pretty arrogant. You mean, anybody that will listen to what I have to say that's the test of whether they're of God or not?" No, we're not interested in your opinion. How about reciting John. Let's say it this way, anybody that agrees with John is a Christian. They can disagree with you if you're not quoting John. But John says, if they don't hear us, they're not of God. If they don't hear this Word, they are not of God. "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error" (verse 6). So it's in opposition to the Word of God.

Turn over to John's gospel for just a second and let me show you something. In John Chapter 15, the chapter on the vine, and the branches, and the need to abide in Him, and His Words abiding in you, John 15 verse 7. Father's glorified when you bring forth fruit by His ability. He's not looking for your good works. He's not looking for your strength. He's not looking for something that the world system has produced, and you put the name of Jesus on it, which probably 95 percent of all of our churches are. Something that man has produced and put Jesus' name on it. You can go into the majority of churches today and this (holds up Bible) is not the ultimate authority there. The ultimate authority is the vote of the people. The ultimate authority is the philosophy of some board. The ultimate authority is the personality of some man. But, this (Bible, Word of God) is how we determine what is of God and what's of Antichrist.

So we begin to look, and Jesus says here in John 15, as He's speaking to us in verse 5, He says, "...without me ye can do [What?] nothing." We know that man can do all kinds of things. There's nothing impossible to man, God said, but without Me you can do nothing that's accepted of Me. If it's not done in my power, if it's not done in my name, if it's not done by My Spirit, I consider it nothing. It's unacceptable, it will burn, it's an offense to Me, it's an abomination, it's a stench in My nostrils. "But we just helped this little grandma, and we just took care of this little infant, who was sick. We were able to feed them, and clothe them, and they were so diseased, and we comforted them as they died, and we soothed them." God says, "It's a stench in My nostrils. Your worship of humanity is a stench in My nostrils. Depart from Me you workers of iniquity." The natural mind says, "What?!" How discerning are we of the spirit behind the actions, the spirit that is so subtle? When Jesus speaks these words, "without Me you can do nothing," that becomes the hallmark of the distinction between the world and the kingdom of God. So we read on, as John's speaking here he says, you can't do anything without Me. Abide in Me, My Words abide in you, you can then ask what you will and it will be done unto you. Whatever you need to build My kingdom, I will provide it for you, but I'm not going to give you what you need to build your kingdom just because you used My name. He goes on in this and tells us these words down in verse 18: "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..." You see, verse 16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain..." I chose you out of the world. The chosen ones are no longer in the world system. We have no communion with the world. We have no appetite for the world. All that it produces is a stench in our nostrils. So in the midst of this, as Jesus is speaking to us, He said, "...I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

So, we find out, then, that as we're walking in the kingdom of light, as we're bringing forth fruit of God, as we're not using any other source but the power of God (because without Him we can do nothing), the world system isn't going to just step back and say, "Well, you know, you're doing a good job over there. We really appreciate the things that you're doing." You know, people say that many times about churches, "I don't believe what you believe, but you all are doing a good work." All it is, the reason they can talk with you about it, the reason they can compliment those ministries, is because it's the same thing the world's doing, just in religious jargon. But when Jesus becomes the focal point of everything that's being done, it's being done by Him; it's being done for Him. People aren't the issue. We're not doing it for man, we're doing it for God. It changes the whole perspective from the world's system, and they hated Him, and they're going to hate you. So we say, "Well, man, what a bummer. You mean the more I begin to do right, the less I'm going to be liked?" "Yeah, by the world." There are some believers who will commune and fellowship with you, and you'll have the unity of the spirit, and the bond of peace, and will be able to comfort one another, and lift the hands that are hanging down, and comfort the feeble minded, but this walk in the spirit is a very lonely place to be. With everything around us that's clamoring for every treasure that the world is offering up with their quest for eternal life outside of the redemptive work of Jesus, with their desire for artificial tranquility and pseudo peace, our voices must be stopped, because we will stand for no other peace then that which comes by the Prince of Peace. Therefore, we're at war with this whole world.

"Well, could we be at war and hide in a foxhole? I agree we're at war, where can I hide out? I'm not looking for any medals, man. I just want to live." You want to live, then you have to what? Die. "Man, this kingdom's different." You want to save your life, you've got to lose it. One thing about our army, we all have got to die that we might live. Now with this in mind, as we're thinking about these things, let me show you an Old Testament type of this, and it might clear up a little bit some of these New Testament principles. Then we'll try to make them as practical as we can here in the next few minutes. You know, we talked in Corinthians on Sunday about the wisdom of this world and how God has not chosen the wise of the world, and the strong of the world, and these different revelations that Paul gave us.

Look over there at 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1, for just a second. We saw that the reason that God had done all this is "That no flesh should glory in his presence" (verse 29). But I want you to see, we were talking about the need to become more offensive in our dealing with the world. You see, God not only hates the world and it's god, He came to destroy it, for this purpose was the Son of God manifest. He says in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 19, "For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" Now, I want you to get that phrase in your mind as we get ready to over here to Deuteronomy and into Numbers. "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" If we really believe that the wisdom of this world is foolishness, then why are we wanting to embrace it? If God has already proven it doesn't work, then why do we have so much faith in it? If God's kingdom has already overcome it, how many of you in the natural want to join the losers? "Yeah let's join up." "Wait a minute. Before you join, we want you to understand, this whole team is going to be killed." "Yeah, that's the one I want to be on." "This whole team can never succeed." "Yeah, that's for me, man; I want to be a loser." God has already told us, they're the losers, they've been destroyed. He's made it foolishness, and we want to keep propping up their gods, and you see it in the Old Covenant. Since you see it so obvious in the Old Covenant, we need to realize that it's still in us. There's still within every one of us that tendency to turn to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It's what we were rooted in; it's where we can from. The solicitation of it is still in our members, but it's no longer the dominant force as the Spirit of God lives in us.

Now look over for just a second to Deuteronomy, and we're going to look into Numbers a little bit. Go to Numbers and you find some interesting things. In Numbers, Chapter 33, remember all of the Old Testament types that are there. We can learn from these things. We understand that Egypt is a type of the world and we see the "coming out" of the world system, and then "we come in." God is wanting to bring us into a land that flows with milk and honey. That land that flows with milk and honey is not Heaven, it's the victorious Christian life. Canaan is the victorious Christian life. There are giants that have to be contented with. There's natural conflict. There're temptations. There're failures, but it is the type of the victorious life. Now in the midst of that, no believer, no believer -- not Paul, not Peter, not James, not John -- ever lived a victorious life that went like that. (A consistently upward path.) Everyone of them had their highs and they had their lows, and their lives just like your life and my life, and it cycles. We're up, we're down. We're up, we're down. Anybody know what I'm talking about? But the good news is, we go like this: we're up we're down, and my downs are upper (higher), and my ups become higher. Maturity is when our lowest point becomes higher.

So we realize, then, that as we're growing we're cycling, but no one is just 100 percent of the time victorious just streaking toward the top. So within Canaan, within the promise land, we fail; and God has made provision for that. As we look here at the victorious life, he says if you'll do these things you're going to experience great victory. If you oppose Me and you don't (do these things), then you're going to be defeated. I am greater than he that's in the world, but if you're not doing it My way, he (the world) is going to whip you. They're wiser, he says, in their generation. They'll whip you at this game. Christians can't win in the world's game; period. "Well, I've seen Christians that are winning in the world's game." You might find people that say they're Christians, but Christians don't win in the world's game. You say, "Well, there are Bible examples. What about Joseph?" He didn't play their game. "But he was brought to the throne." Of course he was, but not playing their game. God can do anything He wants to transcend their system at anytime, and God will make us victorious in their system, but it will be done supernaturally. It will be done by seeking first the kingdom of God. It will be done by realizing without Him I can do nothing. So He's sending them into the kingdom. He said, I've called you out that I might bring you in, I want to give you a land that flows with milk and honey, etc. He says but it's very important that you do this. Numbers 33:50. "And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; [Then shall you get to know the executives of all of their major corporations. See who you can get next to. Make friends that can bring influence. Learn how they've done things so that you can be successful in their midst. No.] Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it. And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance...But if ye [verse 55] will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain [anything of the world that you let remain, whatever little thing it is that you insist on holding onto] of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them."

Ultimately that which you keep, the little foxes, they'll be pricks in your eyes. They'll be thorns in your flesh, and they will continue as you're in the land to make this, that you think was supposed to be a blessing, it will become a curse. Then ultimately God will bring judgment on you. Maybe not on you, but on your children. To the second and third generation, the curse will come. So as we begin to look at these things, we understand that God views possessing the land a little differently than many of us do. Go over to Deuteronomy for just a second. Let's look at some of the same principles that are there. As you read Deuteronomy and these first chapters are so vital as you go into Deuteronomy and read these. Well, the whole book, but as you get into these first eight, ten chapters, especially four through six, they really begin to give us some insight into our practical relationships with our family, with the world, and professed believers. He tells us here in Deuteronomy Chapter 7, verse 1, "When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites..." You see, the whole spirit of that thing (the Middle Eastern conflict) and the reason there is no resolve--let me tell you, there will be no resolve--is because the whole issue is the spirit of the world opposing God. God said, "I want these people in there" and the whole world said, "No, we want these in there. That doesn't seem right. It should belong to the ones that were there first." How about belonging to the One who created it? So that's the spirit, and that's why there won't be any natural solution. He says in verse 2. "And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shall smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them."

Now, we're talking about a type here, and them coming to literally possess the land. We know spiritually today that it's not talking about Christians going out and killing the nations. We're talking about a spiritual warfare. We're talking about the kingdom of darkness as opposed to the kingdom of light. Our weapons are not carnal, they're mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. So we're talking now about the spiritual realm, not the natural realm. This is the natural realm that was the type of the more important spiritual realm. God's not concerned where you live today geographically; He's concerned whether you're in the kingdom or not. So here's the spirit again that he says if you're going to be victorious, you've got to understand, this is the only way to survive as you deal with the world: make no covenant with them; show no mercy to them.

Verse 4, "For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods..." They'll wave before you all their lascivious living, they'll wave before you all their treasures, their gold, their pleasures, and they'll seduce you if you don't destroy them, if you don't drive them out. Because I do not deny God says that there is pleasure in sin for a season. So whatever it is that offends you then, you have to cut it out. You have to just set it from you. Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, our text tells us. Now they'll turn you away. Those of you that want to send your young people off to get experience in the secular, they will turn your sons to other gods.

"Well you know we're an exception, we've prepared them well." Hmm, let me find that clause, "Except for Joe who prepared his son well." "But thus shall ye deal with them [verse 5]; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself..." "Well, you just think you're above everybody else and you are above all people." "Yes, thank you. I'm glad you've finally come to realize that." "You think you're better than us?" "Yeah, a whole bunch. You're damned for Hell; you're an enemy of God. Yes, I'm better than you, I'm a child of light. I've bowed my knee. I've humbled my heart, I've professed I'm nothing. I'm a whole lot better than you, you haughty God-hating enemy of all that's right. Any other questions that you might have if you want to compare our status?" We want to apologize to the world, "Well, you know, we're no different than you; Christians are only forgiven." No. That's not what the Bible says. It says we are transformed. We are not conformed to this world. We are transformed by the renewing of our minds that we might prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. We are not forgiven sinners, we are saints, we are the sons of God, we are heirs and joint heirs in Christ Jesus; we are no longer part of their kingdom, and we can't even be mentioned in the breath with them. Why? Because of the blood of Jesus; not because of anything innate within us. Of course without Him, we are dogs and we're rightful occupants of a devil's hell. That's not the issue. The focal point becomes Jesus. "You mean to tell me you think you're better than I am?" "Of course I am." Then you point back to what Jesus has done. "You're an enemy of God, you're a hater of God, I'm a child of God. Live in a whole lot better neighborhood than you do. My Dad can beat up your dad." We begin to realize this war and we cannot in anyway equate ourselves with this kingdom over there. We have nothing to do with them. We are a holy people. We are a special people. We are above all people that are upon the face of the earth. You say that's talking to Israel. Sure it is, and we are the Israel of God. Amen? So that's what the covenant says. And these to whom it was spoken that were above all of the citizens of the earth realize that it was fulfilled in the incarnation; it was fulfilled in the redemptive work of Jesus. It was only promised in this natural, and God sustained them as long as they walked in obedience to His commandments. He goes on and tells them, He didn't set His love upon you or choose you because you were more in number, or because you were a great people, but because you were the fewest and you were the weakest. You guys were abase, and I chose you to show that if I can show Myself mighty in you, I can do it in anybody. That's how He chose us according to 1 Corinthians, Chapter 1.

"Know therefore [verse 9] that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that [What?] love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations." As you read these different passages, go back to the Numbers passage for just a moment. As you read these passages and how we relate, it's not the individual. I want you to see that passage in Numbers 33, verse 56 again. See it's not about the individuals, it's about the system. "...I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them." What does it have to deal with? It doesn't have to deal with the individual. Look what it has to deal with--go up to the verses we started with, verse 52--their pictures, and their images, their high places, their gods, their goals, their philosophies. What they're trusting in, because it's all the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When we begin to realize how subtle that spirit is, we realize then that we cannot just leave it alone. We need to go on record as opposing it. Pull them down. Now, don't argue from the perspective of the fruit of the situation, but the root of the situation. Whenever we begin to talk about the world's system, make sure that it always comes down to the god of the system. People that want to argue, "Well, this is business. We can justify this. We all have to make a living. God said we live by the sweat of our brow." That's not the point. The point is, 1 Corinthians Chapter 1, that no one would boast in His presence. John 15, what is the source, what is the power behind this, for who is this being done, and by whom is it being done?

So, as we wind up for tonight, we talk about all of these things that are in the world. We just kind of say, "Well, you know if that's the way they want to live, let's just leave it." No, we can't just leave it; there's people in there that need to be delivered. There's people whom 2 Corinthians 4, verse 4 says, the god of this world has blinded their eyes least they should see the light of the glorious gospel. We need to speak the gospel; we need to let people know that there is another way to live. That isn't normal. That's not what God's intended for man. Now here's the truth of God and there's a remnant, of course the Scripture says, that will be saved. We'll close with Galatians for tonight. Galatians Chapter 6, verse 14, Paul says, "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." God forbid that I should glory except in the cross. Let me ask you something. What have you got in life that you've gloried in, but it wasn't by the cross? Are there things you boast in that aren't by the cross? Now we've got to understand the context of what's taking place here. Paul's finishing this epistle to the Galatians and he was dealing, of course, with the Judaizers, who were wanting to come back into circumcisions, and new moons, and the keeping of Sabbaths. Paul's writing this whole epistle and saying, "Look, man, you can't trust in any of that; it's by the finished work of Jesus Christ." But he says in Galatians 6, we've got a problem here, there's a group of guys that are just wanting to boast in your flesh. They're wanting to have you circumcised to save their own necks. If you get circumcised, they won't get any heat from the Pharisees. They're wanting to glory in your flesh and not just glory in the numbers of how many converts they have, but they want to glory in the life of ease that they're not getting any opposition. They're being accepted by the world, the powers that be. This is what they're wanting to glory in, and in the context of all that Paul says, I'm only going to glory in the cross. I know that what I'm doing is going to cost me persecution. I'm going to be hated, I'm going to be rejected, I'm going to be misunderstood, but my glory is in the wisdom of God, and the cross by which I've been crucified to the world, and the world has been crucified to me. I can't even think with those natural thoughts any longer. It doesn't enter my mind of what's going to be the easiest thing for me or what will cause me to be glorified in the eyes of men. I never even count the cost any longer. What will happen if I obey?

I was talking to some of the men the other day, and we were talking about this same spirit and how it's important that we don't get caught up in all of this stuff. I shared with them that we go though our life, and we've got things here that we're doing. I was just sharing with them, and they've got children that haven't yet graduated. Some of them smaller, some of them infants and all this. I said, "What are you going to do if God speaks to you right now and He says, 'Okay, Friday you're leaving for Africa?'" I want to tell you something. If the world is not crucified to you, you're going to start sweating bullets. Your first response could very likely be, "Get behind me Satan. That doesn't seem to be wise. I mean my children haven't graduated yet. If we went over there, what are we going to do? How are they going to graduate? Would it be correspondence, ACE? What are we going to do, how are they going to get their diploma?" Who says they need a diploma? What if God doesn't want them to have a diploma? What if God wants your 15 year-old to go to Africa, preach the gospel for a year, and die of malaria? "Wait a minute, let's find that one." I glory in the cross. You all are getting quiet on this one. How much of the world is in us? We've talked about wanting to lay up all of these natural treasures, and having things easy for our kids, and we want them to have the finest education, and all of this stuff. Why? What does all of that have to do with? I'm not saying it's bad as I've shared with you. I'm saying it is not the wisdom of God. "Well, I don't want my kid to be a freak, you know. If all he can do is go out and quote the Bible, he's going to be a religious fanatic. He's liable to start showing up to work in sackcloth, and ashes, and carrying a staff. He just won't fit in if all he knows is the Bible." Maybe he shouldn't fit in. I don't know about you, I'd love to have a son like John the Baptist. He didn't fit in; weirdo.

How much have we done to groom our children to fit into the world? "Well, you know, they can't just know the Bible. We need to take them downtown, and they need to be cultured." So you take them and you hold their nose up against the window at the Smithsonian, and say, "culture, culture". "I want my child well rounded." I want mine filled with the Holy Ghost. "Yeah, I do, too. I want mine filled with the Holy Ghost and well rounded." That's fine. Nothing wrong with it if we can deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts. If the world is crucified to us by the cross of Jesus Christ. How much of the world is in there? How much have we been influenced? What kind of vexation has taken place? We talk about this and it's something we all theologically believe could happen. We look in the book of Revelation and we see it happening and we say, "That's coming." We all know that it's not going to be instantaneous. We all know that all that live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution the Bible says, it doesn't just say in the tribulation. If you live godly, you will suffer persecution. People will misunderstand you, they'll hate you. You read John 15 down through there, and it makes it very clear, for My love they hated Me; He goes on, Jesus quoting that passage. We're going to be hated of the world. All I'm asking you is, how much time is taken up with you and your seed being able to be accepted in the world, a success in the world? Hold that up against how jealous are you for them to be a success in the kingdom? Search your own heart tonight and ask yourself the question, which are you most jealous for? I know what your mind will say, I'm asking you look at your heart. "Boy, I want my kids secure financially, I want them to have a happy family, and be well rounded, and to be able to be a success in life, and have a long full life." How jealous are you for them being the greatest among us, the servant of all, the layer down of life, the sacrificer of all of the natural that they might fulfill the eternal? You can't have both. So what we're asking ourselves in this study is, "Is the world crucified to me and I to the world?"

Father, we thank You for Your Word tonight. As we reflect on these things, we realize that the apocalypse could begin to occur, and everything that we envisioned for ourselves, and our retirement, for our children in their inheritance, it's gone. Beloved, listen to me please, as you understand what's said in Corinthians, I know it can be overly dramatic, and how it can affect our emotions and all that. I understand all that, but I'm just trying to get you to understand, it could happen according to the Scriptures, it could happen. All of these things that are so important to you, all of these things that we're spending our time, and our energy to achieve, what about this? Could it go away? Could we be living in caves and adorned with animal skins and are we prepared for that? Not only prepared. Can you boast in it, can you rejoice in it? Can you call it the wisdom of God? Can you call your 15 year-old dying in Africa the wisdom of God? Can you call walking away from a lucrative business, a lucrative contract in professional sports, wisdom? All I know is everybody called me a fool. The only thing I know is this, God has seen fit to bless us with certain temporal things, and there is no satisfaction in any of it. The only things, the only time I feel satisfied and content is in His presence, sharing His message, reaching the lost, healing the broken hearted, treasures laid up in Heaven. You know it's true, because it's true in your life. Then why would we leave anything else as the goal for our children? Make it real, Father. Help us to let them experience the treasures of Heaven. As our children go into the streets and minister the gospel, as they go to foreign countries, they'll find out those are the treasures of God. That's the benefits of having known You. Make it real to us Father, in Jesus' name, amen.

Let's stand before the Lord tonight. We talked about the subtle things that were ungodly, realizing the spirit behind them. Play a little game tomorrow. Take this as an assignment as you go out, and start looking around you, and ask yourself, "I wonder why they're doing that? What is their kingdom up to? There's a war going on, I wonder what it is and who they're trying to snare and destroy with that move?" There's a reason behind everything the system is doing. Ask God to open your eyes. You'll be surprised what you begin to see. Ask God. Say, "Give me just a little glimpse of what's opposing me out there." It will scare the socks off of you. I guarantee you won't go out without your armor on anymore. "Show me what's really out there. What is it that Satan is doing today to bring me down?" He may not be trying to bring you down today, he may be planting seed to bring you down next week. Then let the Spirit lead you into all truth.

Before you go tonight, turn to somebody next to you and say, "I glory in the cross, praise God." Amen. Go in peace. God's love go with you.

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