Beware Of The Spirit Of The World
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 (1 John 2:15).
There’s a type of spirit that many Christians are oblivious of, and the Bible talks about it in 1 Corinthians 2:12; it’s “the spirit of the world”: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” This spirit is responsible for worldliness amongst Christians. That’s the spirit that tries to set trends—the trends of the world.
When Christians aren’t careful, they find themselves moving with those trends of the world; what the world says, how things are done, not realising they’re being swayed by the spirit of the world into worldliness. We can use certain things in the world without following what the Bible calls, “The fashion of this world” that passes away (1 Corinthians 7:31).
The fashion of this world refers to the trend of this world, and it’s under the spirit of the world. Remember that Satan is the god of this world’s system. So, when our theme verse says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world…,” that’s what it’s talking about. Refuse to be controlled or influenced by the systems of this present world. Jesus said you’re in the world, but not of the world. Hallelujah!
Some people today are drifting; they’re born again, but they’ve been conquered by the world. They don’t have the Gospel-motive. Your motivation in life should and must be Christ Jesus and the purpose for which He died. Don’t let your focus be on the transient things of this failing world, for none of its so-called “trends” can give you true joy.
Paul said in Galatians 6:14, “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.” This is the attitude that you must have.
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, by whom I navigate my way through life. I refuse to be swayed by the spirit of the world, for I’m not enticed by the fashion or trends of this world. I’m from above, and my mind is set on things above, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
Proverbs 1:10 GNB; John 15:19 CEV; Romans 8:5-6
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: 23 John 21:1-25 & 1 Chronicles 26-29
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 16:13-24 & Ecclesiastes 7-8
