It is the third day of our 40-Day Journey of Return. The instruction for today is so clear in my spirit. The Spirit of God is saying gently but very clear within me – Love not the world. The world does three things in the life of a believer; it targets your eyes, your flesh and taste, and your ego and love for prestige.
Devil’s Three-Fold Weapon
The world is not the devil but satan is the god of the world (2Corinthians 4:4). He is the one in control of the system of this world. He uses three weapons to dominate and control the world system. Those three weapons are the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. Everything in the world falls in at least one of those categories. Most successful multibillion-dollar businesses in the world fall into one of those three categories. Businesses design products around those three phenomena and that is why they are very successful. What people want or lust for sell more than what they need. That explains why a hungry man will prefer to go hungry than miss paying to watch his soccer club play.
Devil’s Three-Fold Goals
Devil has three goals to achieve – to steal, kill, and destroy lives (John 10:10). And his methods and tools for achieving those goals have never changed. He used the same strategy for Adam and Eve in the garden. The devil showed Eve how good the tree God asked them not to eat was for food (lust of the flesh), how pleasant its fruits were to the eyes (lust of the eyes) and how much eating from the tree would make them wise (the pride of life). Read Genesis 3:1-7.
He tried it with Jesus too!
The devil also tried that same strategy with Jesus. First, he asked Jesus to turn stone to bread and feed himself with it, even though he knew Jesus was fasting (lust of the flesh). Then he showed Jesus beautiful kingdoms in this world that belonged to him and requested that Jesus worshipped him, even though he knew Jesus is the Son of God (Lust of the eyes). Finally, he tempted Jesus to showcase his power and right to angelic protection, trying to lure Jesus to do his command (Pride of life). But Jesus declined all his requests and rebuked the devil. Read Luke 4:1-13.
Devil’s Strategy hasn’t Changed
Has the devil changed his strategy? No, he has no other strategies other than that three-strand system. He deploys it daily against you and me, and many fall for it all the time. But the good news is, you don’t have to fall for it. You can win at all times just like Jesus did.
The scriptures say in First John 2:15-17: Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.
The Passion Translation (TPT) renders it like this: Don’t set the affections of your heart on this world or in loving the things of the world. The love of the Father and the love of the world are incompatible. For all that the world can offer us—the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance—none of these things come from the Father but from the world. This world and its desires are in the process of passing away, but those who love to do the will of God live forever.
Loving the Father is Key!
The first antidote for overcoming the world system and love of the world is the Love of the Father. You need to grow your love for the Father and make the Father your focus. Only desire to have that which comes from the Father. We know those things that do not come from the Father —the gratification of our flesh, the allurement of the things of the world, and the obsession with status and importance—none of these things come from the Father but from the world. If it gratifies your flesh, you had better be careful. If it is meant to allure you, you had better ‘picked’ race and run, it is not from the Father. If the goal is to advance your self-status, ego, and importance, you need to really be careful and just say, No! If it fits into any one of those three, the Father says it is not from him. You are buying a bigger car not because you need something that can serve your family better and help you serve God better, instead you are buying it because you feel intimidated by what others are riding or to show off your new promotion, you are already submitting to the world’s command.
Desiring and Doing the Father’s Will
The second antidote to overcoming the world is to love to do the will of God with all your heart. Make knowing and doing God’s will your priority. That scriptures in First John 2:17 says: ‘This world and its desires are in the process of passing away, but those who love to do the will of God live forever.’ Don’t build your life and walk with God around what is passing away and is not meant to last; instead, build your life and walk with God around God’s will that is sure to last forever. The Bible says in Ephesians 5:17: Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. It also says in Psalm 32:8-9: I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life; I will advise you and watch your progress. Don’t be like a senseless horse or mule that has to have a bit in its mouth to keep it in line!
The Passion Translation (TPT) rendition of psalm 32:8-9 says: I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathway for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with my eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult; don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make me tug you and pull you along. Just come with me!”
Beloved that is the way to go: Love the Father and crave to know and do his will. The world will become insignificant to you if you will make that your focus and priority.
Let us pray:
- Father, I thank you for loving so much and giving more than the World can ever offer.
- Thank you for speaking expressly to me by your Holy Spirit.
- Thank you for revealing the secrets of the devil to me today.
- Thank you for dismantling the devil’s strategy and plans and making him a public shame.
- Thank you for your Victory over satan and his strategies over my life and faith walk.
- Today, I renounce the world and everything it has to offer me.
- I say No to the system of this world and its lust in the Name of Jesus
- I shield my eyes in the Name of Jesus from the lust of the eyes.
- I shield my will, mind, and body in the Name of Jesus from the lust of the flesh
- I shield my heart in the Name of Jesus from the Pride and Prestige of life.
- I receive divine cover under the Grace of God to Love the Father with all my heart in the Name of Jesus.
- My heart is saturated in the Name of Jesus with the Love of the Father.
- I crave and desire to do the Will of God at all times and in all things in the Name of Jesus
- I receive Grace to always commit to doing and to do the will of the Father for my life in Jesus Name.
- I receive divine guidance in every area of my life in the Name of Jesus.
- I renounce the immediate gratifications that the world offers and choose to stay in God’s will for my life in Jesus Name.
- I confess today that I love the Father and will continue to Love the Father in Jesus Name.
- The Love of the Father will continue to grow and wax stronger and stronger in my heart in Jesus Name.
- Every arrow of the devil shot at my heart to take God’s love from my heart is destroyed by fire in advance in Name of Jesus.
- I am grateful to you Lord because you love me so much and will continually keep me in your love in Jesus Name. Amen.
