Becoming an Overcomer in Todays World Being a Christian in a Non-Christian World

Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher

I.

Introductory Remarks.

In this series of messages we are dealing with what it means to be an overcomer in todays world. We live in a world that resents many challenges to o!r faith and we m!st be able to overcome and co e in s!ch a way that shows and roves that greater is "e who is within !s than he who is in the world. In this message I want to talk abo!t how we m!st maintain #hrist$like attit!des in a world that is heavily infl!enced by the evil one and all of his evil attit!des and devices. 1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. When it says the whole world lies !nder the sway of the wicked one, it means the world is !nder the controlling infl!ence of the devil. It means the devil or the wicked one is !sing all of his ability to e%ercise infl!ence and a!thority. &es!s warned !s of these attit!des and Pa!l warned Timothy in letter to him. We find many assages in the Bible that give !s a good idea of the kind of attit!des that are being romoted and infl!enced in todays world with m!ch a!thority. Matthew 24:12 "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: !or men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, "unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self#control, brutal, despisers of good, $ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, % having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away&
Being a #hristian in a 'on$#hristian World Page (

"ow to be an )vercomer in Todays World

Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher

These are many of the attit!des that #hristians have to deal with and contend with every day of their lives. They are also attit!des that are romoted heavily thro!gh the media. If the world were f!ll of godly characteristics wo!ldnt it be easier for !s to !t on the wonderf!l characteristics of #hrists nat!re. B!t it is not and that makes it m!ch harder to !t on the clothing that belongs to the *ord &es!s #hrist. The world hates those attit!des. John 15:19 "'f you were of the world, the world would love its own. (et because you are not of the world, but ' chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 17:14 "' have given them (our word) and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, *ust as ' am not of the world.

II. The Challenge for The Christian in Todays World.

. We !re "ncouraged to #e Blameless and $oly. Philippians 2:14-16 +o all things without complaining and disputing, ,%that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ,-holding fast the word of life, so that ' may re*oice in the day of .hrist that ' have not run in vain or labored in vain. James 1:27 /ure and undefiled religion before God and the !ather is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. This means that we cannot afford to allow o!r attit!des and characteristics to be molded by the world. We are called to resist the mold of the world. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. %. We are Called to #e &alt and 'ight. )!r calling and destiny as #hristians is to be salt and light in the world which we find o!rselves.
Being a #hristian in a 'on$#hristian World Page +

"ow to be an )vercomer in Todays World

Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher

Matthew 5:13-14 "(ou are the salt of the earth) but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned0 't is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. ,$"(ou are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. What this ,cri t!re is enco!raging !s to do, is to be the controlling infl!ence in the world. In order to be the kind of controlling infl!ence in the world that -od has called !s to will mean that each one of !s takes on the res onsibility of !tting on the *ord &es!s #hrist and all of "is garments. It is as we do this that we tr!ly become salt and light and act as a reserving agent and begin to flavor the world aro!nd !s.

III. Christ-like !ttitudes that $el( us to Resist the Conformity of the World.
. We &hould Conduct Ourselves )ith &im(licity and *odly &incerity. 2 Corinthians 1:12 !or our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. %. We +ust ",ercise a Righteousness that is Not -hony . We m!st strive to be holy witho!t being self righteo!s or a earing as we are sn!bbing the world. )!r goal sho!ld to become more and more like #hrist, whose resence welcomed sinners and made them comfortable. . descri tion of #hrists character concerning righteo!sness gives !s a glim se of why "e was able to resist the conformity of the world witho!t being self righteo!s is fo!nd in "ebrews. e!rews 1:9 (ou have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness) 1herefore God, (our God, has anointed (ou With the oil of gladness more than (our companions." &es!s did not merely act righteo!sly/ "e loved righteo!sness. "e didnt merely abstain from sinf!l deeds/ "e hated wickedness. "is holiness was more than skin dee . It wasnt o!tward conformity to a moral or religio!s
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"ow to be an )vercomer in Todays World

Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher

code. It went beyond "is tho!ghts, words and deeds. &es!s emotions were holy. "is motives were holy. 1verything "e did was with the intent of leasing "is 2ather. The key to walking in a tr!e holiness and righteo!sness is that of !tting on #hrists characteristics as well as !tting off that which is worldly and sinf!l. "phesians 4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, "and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, $and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. If I am 3!st merely trying to !t off witho!t !tting on, then what will ha en is that I will become very self$righteo!s in my attit!de towards the world and the eo le ca!ght ! in its snare. &!st as we desire to !t away the sinf!l ractices, we sho!ld be e4!ally !rs!ing the ositive character traits s!ch as love, 3oy, eace, atience, kindness, goodness, faithf!lness, gentleness and self$control. If my foc!s is sim ly on what I need to !t off rather than what -od is calling me to !t on, I will begin to walk in a holier than tho! attit!de, which is a great t!rn off to !nbelievers. It is when we are walking in the fr!it of the , irit and good works that allows !s to reserve and flavor the atmos here of o!r world. It is thro!gh my good works and fr!it that the light of the gos el shines thro!gh. Matthew 5:16 "2et your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your !ather in heaven. .. We +ust ",ercise the -ro(er Res(onse When )e are Reviled. 2 Timothy 3:12 (es, and all who desire to live godly in .hrist 3esus will suffer persecution. We know from the Word of -od that when we endeavor to live a godly life before !nbelievers and the world, we will e% erience a certain amo!nt of ersec!tion, mockery, etc.

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"ow to be an )vercomer in Todays World

Ken Birks, Pastor/Teacher

"ow does #hrist want !s to res ond when we e% erience these things6 &es!s act!ally answered this 4!estion for !s when "e was being ersec!ted for righteo!sness sake6 John 1#:36 3esus answered, "4y kingdom is not of this world. 'f 4y kingdom were of this world, 4y servants would fight, so that ' should not be delivered to the 3ews) but now 4y kingdom is not from here." 1 Peter 2:21-23 !or to this you were called, because .hrist also suffered for us, leaving us an e5ample, that you should follow 6is steps: "Who committed no sin, 7or was deceit found in 6is mouth") "who, when 6e was reviled, did not revile in return) when 6e suffered, 6e did not threaten, but committed 6imself to 6im who *udges righteously) We m!st !r ose in o!r hearts to always res ond with #hrist$like attit!des d!ring these times otherwise we !t o!t the light and o!r ersec!tion and s!ffering is all in vain. .s #hristians we m!st learn to handle re3ection, beca!se if we dont we will com romise and be drawn back into the mold the world is trying im ose ! on !s.

I/. Concluding Remarks.

We have seen in this message that, as #hristians, -od does not want !s to get ca!ght ! in the sway or the infl!ence of the world, b!t rather to seek to be blameless and holy and to kee o!rselves !ns otted from the world. We have seen that we can do this by cond!cting o!rselves with sim licity and godly sincerity and e%ercising a righteo!sness that is not hony and then !r osing not to revile when we are mistreated. This is what enables !s to be blameless and walk as an overcomer in the world.

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