In order to examine your priorities as a Christian, the first step is to make an assessment of your relationship to the world. Do you love the world?
If after examination it turns out that your answer is “yes,” then the love of the Father is not IN you. In other words, you are not born again. In order to fully understand how to be crucified to the world, the terms need to be defined.
First of all, the world is not the earth. The world is an invisible group of “systems” that the enemy of our souls is still the god of. So in simple terms, if Jesus Christ of Nazareth is not Lord over a particular system, that system is a part of THE WORLD. Put another way, if Christ is not the head of it, it is “the world.” That includes people, places and things. For example, if Christ is not the head of your family, then your family is “THE WORLD.” If Christ is not the head of your school, then your school is “THE WORLD.” If Christ is not the head of your career, your sport, whatever, it is THE WORLD. If Christ is not the head of your church, SHE IS THE ALL religious systems are a part of THE WORLD, if Jesus Christ of Nazareth is not the head of them.
Some have left the world, even the church world, but like Lot’s wife, the cross has not separated them from the longing that remains in their hearts for the world. So I warn everyone who has an ear to hear and an eye to see. There is a religious world in our times which is far more dangerous tha other systems that are obviously evil and a part of Satan’s domain. This religious world consists of professing Christians who deny the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ in more ways than one.
You see the cross symbolizes deliverance from this present evil age (Gal 1:4),—from the powers of darkness (Col 1:13)—from the devils and demons who rule the world under their leader, Satan–(Eph 6:12) and—-on the resurrection side of the cross—WE ARE TRANSLATED INTO THE KINGDOM OF THE SON OF GOD! When we plead the blood, we are telling the enemy that we are dead to his world, that he no longer has authority over us, that we walk in that same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Yet–if we look back—Satan treats us as if we were “Lot’s wife.” The cross and the resurrection loses its victory in our lives. If the world STILL has the power to attract us or to influence our spiritual walk, then we are not crucified. If we are not crucified, then we are open and vulnerable to demonic attacks and the fate of Lot’s wife can be OUR fate.
We arrive on the resurrection side of the cross only AFTER we have been crucified to the world. No crucifixion? No power to defeat the enemy. For we overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb! Pleading the blood is of no consequence to demons if the one who stands as a deliverer of captives is not crucified to the world.
Recovery In Christ is a spiritual growth book with a manual. To be crucified to the world is one of a major themes of the book.
ebook www.lulu.com/content/11636202
soft cover www.lulu.com/content/8718269
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