HOW TO OVERCOME THE WORLD?

_"Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”(I John 5:5)_

The Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world are in deadly hostility.  Jesus said in John 15: 18, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”  Yes;  Jesus Himself was hated by the world because He was not of this world.  John understood this lesson and summed up all in the words - “We know that we are of God and the whole world lies in sin.” (I John  5:19)  “Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love for the Father is not in them. (I John 2: 15)  John also teaches us that the real nature and power of the world is - the lust of the flesh, with its self-pleasing, the lust of the eyes, with its seeing and seeking the glory of the world and the pride of life, with its self-exaltation  We find these three in the Garden of Eden.  Eve saw, “that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the  eye and also desirable for gaining wisdom.”  Through the flesh, the eyes and the pride of wisdom, the world acquired mastery over her.  The world still exerts a terrible influence over the Christian who is not “in Christ”.  If a Christian has not been crucified to the world, he finds pleasure in eating and drinking, he experiences love and enjoyment in all that is seen in its glory, and he delights in all that constitutes the pride of life.  In all these the power of this world proves itself.  And most Christians are either utterly ignorant of the danger of a worldly spirit or feel themselves utterly inefficient to conquer it.  But Christ gives us a great promise to attain victory.  He encourages us, “Take heart! I have overcome the world!”  When the child of God abides in Christ and seeks to live a heavenly life in the power of the Holy Spirit, he will be confident of His power to overcome the world.  “Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (I John 5:5)

Dear friends, we need to have daily, hourly victory over the world and all its subtle temptations.  For this we need to have a heart and life entirely possessed by the faith of Jesus Christ.  Let us put our trust in the mighty power of God, in the abiding presence of Jesus for this is the only pledge of certain and continual victory.

*PRAYER* :   Dear Lord,   the world hates me because it knows that I am Yours.  As Your child  let me never yield to the temptations of the eye, of the flesh, and the pride of life.  I trust in the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen me and to give me victory over the world.  Amen.