Maybe the most difficult for us to overcome these days is the world, because we don’t even know it’s against us. It’s just the water we’re swimming in, and we’ve gotten used to it.

Hidden forces of this world

• 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. – Matthew 13
• 14 life’s worries, riches and pleasures – Luke 8

When I grew up, we were really clear about the flesh. We didn’t know what to do with the devil, but that’s changing in a lot of churches. What about the world? It seems to me that we submit to its rules without resistance. Without even awareness.

What the world says

The world would have us submit to the influences of
government, business, education, science, entertainment,
media, sports, family and religion. These are some of the pressures that we try to balance to make decisions. These are our masters.

• 20 Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules – Colossians 2

What the Bible says

They, in turn, promise to decrease our pain and increase our comfort. Just follow the rules of society and nobody will get hurt. Get an education. Work hard. Play hard. Serve at church. Find time to relax. Take care of your family. And you’ll be rewarded with health, wealth and happiness. All makes sense, except:

• 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. – 1 John 2

Hated for not belonging to the world

Living as citizens of the kingdom of God, not of this world, different things should be important to us. But imagine telling anyone that you’re not going to school, or you quit your job, or you’re not getting married, or that you gave all your money away, etc. like the early disciples did.

• 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also…. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ – John 15

Satan rules the world

And you can tell, because in every sphere of life, it’s basically the same: you can be a Christian, just don’t pray in public and don’t evangelize.

• 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. – 1 John 5
• 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. – Revelation 12

We must choose

• 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. – Matthew 6
• 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. – James 4

We overcome the world

• 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. – 1 John 5
• 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. – 1 John 4

Stop choking

• 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. – Mark 4
• Here are some helpful practices from the Old Testament:

1. Worries → Sabbath: take a day to stop working on it, thinking about it, praying about it
2. Money → Sacrifice: give away more money than you’re comfortable with
3. Desires → Fasting: voluntarily deprive yourself of things you need, like food

Submit to human authorities

Not because we trust them, or they deserve our respect, but because God said it. Their decisions do not threaten the kingdom of God, but our obedience will affect them.

• 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right…. 18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.– 1 Peter 2

Call people out in public

This was what Jesus did constantly. Whenever the religious leaders would confront him, he would publicly expose their hypocrisy. This set the whole crowd free to question their leadership, rather than a private meeting. Paul did it too.

• 1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. – Matthew 23
• 14 When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? – Galatians 2

Love your enemies

When leaders are against us and actively resisting the kingdom of God, our job is to love them. Many times it’s not how they want to act. It’s the pressures of this world that they are succumbing to, and only love drives out fear. We can’t love someone if we’re afraid of them.

• 35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. – Luke 6
• 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4