02/08/24 KNOW YOUR ENEMY

02/08/24 KNOW YOUR ENEMY

As humans, we are born with a human nature (body, soul, spirit), which has been affected by the fall of Adam in the garden; as children of Adam we are also conceived and born with a carnal (corrupt or sinful) nature.

Though the carnal mind is enmity with God, pre-born, new born and infant children are covered by the sacrificial death of Christ and because of His saving grace, they are not cut off from God. Remember, we are not cut off from God because of another person's sins, even if that other person is our own father. This is why it is correct to say that Jesus is the Savior of all men (people). When a person willfully rebels against God, then that person becomes accountable for his own sins. Again, God has made provision for those people, which is why the Bible also says that He is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe.

We are born into a world that is under the domain of the Prince of Darkness. Our worldview is formed by our culture, education, family and friends and our religious training. Sadly, most of those sources are aligned more with the god of this world rather that with the True and Living God.

At the time of our salvation, our sins are forgiven, our lives and minds are cleansed, our inner man is regenerated. But we still have the present, evil world system (economic, political, academic, religious, cultural influences), the devil and our carnal nature, with which to deal.
The world system is not going away during this lifetime and Jesus said His people still live in this world, but we are not of this world, which verifies that Christians have an ongoing conflict with this present evil world.
The devil is still a present enemy to our souls, which substantiates the need for us to fight the good fight of faith.
God has made provision for deliverance from all sin in this present evil world, including sins committed, victory over temptations, and deliverance from our inherited carnal nature. God calls believers to total commitment, God calls believers (those who have cleansed their hands through justification) to purify their hearts (through entire sanctification), which takes place when we are filled with God's Holly Spirit. God's plan to cleanse us from ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS is accomplished through the death and resurrection of Christ, through the fullness of the Holy Spirit and through the power of His word.
God makes us more than conquerors over the world, the flesh and the devil.

However, the battle for the mind is an ongoing reality. The devil seeks to control our thinking. The devil works through our present evil world system (including politics, academics, economics, secular and humanistic ethics, false doctrines taught by errant religions).
Being conformed to the image of Jesus is a lifetime development for the believer. We must continue to grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus. Being conformed to Christ and His will includes a "negative" and a "positive." By "negative," I mean the putting-away or putting-off that which is contrary to godliness. This is where many believers lose the spiritual battle. They do not want to turn from the carnal worldview, in which they have been raised. But God requires a total renouncement of all that is contrary to godliness.

We are living at a time when people are holding to their education, their politics, their false doctrines, their temporality at the cost of their souls. Wake up, Jesus said our enemies will be those closest to us.

It looks like "crunch time" for the whole world. There is no time left to cling to the the evil heart of unbelief and the weights that are hindering you from following Jesus fully, every day, all the way.

Sadly, folks love their politics, their heritage, their culture more than they love God. We are called to love God with our whole heart, we are enabled to love God with our whole heart, we are required to love God with our whole heart, and our neighbor as ourselves.

When you find that your education, your spiritual beliefs, your politics, your human attachments are in conflict with God, His word and His way, it is time to abandon the garbage scow of worldliness and allow God to totally deliver you, in your attitude, thoughts, words, deeds, and alignments.

Folks have given God their mite, but have kept their might for themselves. People have chosen to skim by instead of dive into the depths of God's grace, power, truth and deliverance from sin.

Beware of supposed Bible teaching that does not reject evil platforms. If your Bible teaching is not conforming you to the image of Jesus and if it is not setting you apart from the devil and his agenda, then you need to repent, turn, sell out to God and follow fully.

1 John 2:15-17
15 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.