by Pastor Afolabi Oladele

Are you persuaded of John 8:23 – And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world (John 8:23)? Every believer needs to know and be persuaded of this truth that was expanded upon by Apostle John in 1 John 5:19 – And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.Can you truly affirm that John 17:16 is true in your life – They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world? The world today stands in darkness because it rejected the Light of the world .

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. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. John 3:16-20

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Light by whom you see what is hidden in darkness. Without Christ you are blinded by the prince of this world, Satan, from seeing his acts of wickedness. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

You will recognise that Satan the prince of this world is out there trying to convince every man, that he is the alternative to God; and that he can provide you with everything God has offered you while you live and to enjoy the same as long as you are living in disobedience to the eternal God. Consider the following:

1. There is the peace the world gives that’s different from the peace that God gives – Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (John 14:27); 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);
2.  John 15:11 and John 16:24 contrast the joy of the Lord with the joy of the world as described in Isaiah 9:3 – They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. Is yours derived from what things you have, rather than the Christ who lives in you? Luke 16:9-15 shows such wrongly founded joy and the consequences (Luke 12:15-21);
3. Luke 12:22-33 speaks to what ought to be priority for every one who names the name of the Lord.

Our disposition in these things speak to whether we are the Lord’s or we are not. We must of necessity live here because there is purpose appointed for each of us. Do you recognise what that purpose it? Think on these things.

Photo by Alistair MacRobert on Unsplash