Welcome to the For the Gospel podcast, where we are all about sound doctrine for everyday people. My name is Costi Hinn and I am your host. On today's episode, I want to give you my best advice for 2022. Here it is. Do not love this world. I know that it's in the negative. I know most people like things in the positive, but here's the deal. Every once in a while, a do not is really helpful. The Bible has a specific do not in 1 John 2 15. That's where I stole that from. Do not love the world or the things in the world. John writes, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. And then in verse 16 and 17, he unpacks what is in the world and why we want to possess the love of the Father and a love for the Lord, but not a love for the world. That is what we're talking about today. Have you ever heard of a killjoy? It's like the person or the event that sucks the life out of a room, ruins the fun, or shuts down the party, so to speak. Those who come along like a freight train into your otherwise amazing day, and they speak words or they perform actions that kill your joy. Those are all things that kill from the outside, but what about the inside? For the Christian, the ways of this world are just that kill joys. In fact, I could go further and call them lies because they claim to please you. The ways of this world will claim to fill you up with happiness, but in the end they'll steal your lasting joy in Jesus. And over and over and over again, like a broken record, we make New Year's resolutions. And sometimes that can be a helpful exercise, but many times a New Year's resolution is all about what you're going to do better this year to better your life and achieve your dreams. If you're a believer, let me challenge you, take a good look at what you love. I bet there are things in your life and my life that are attempting to kill your joy by presenting themselves as something great, but it's truly a trap from the enemy. When you look at 1 John 2 15 and the command not to love the world, I think we could all agree that it's really helpful to recognize that idols are competitive. Idols competitive. Recognizing that truth helps us to realize there are things that want my love. We're immediately faced with a link in 1 John 2.15 between belief and behavior. In other words, real Christians, they don't love the world or the things of this world. And that's really important for us to recognize. You cannot have competing loves. I cannot have competing loves. God doesn't do roommates. In the Old Testament, they tried to put the Ark of the Covenant in with Dagon at one point, the old Philistine God, and he ends up flat on his face in the morning. That's what God does to idols. A love for this world is idolatry. Anytime we're placing things in this world above our love for God, he in a very loving way crushes those idols. That reference to what he did to Dagon is in 1 Samuel chapter 4 and after it, when the archenemies of Israel at the time, the Philistines, capture the Ark of the Covenant, and they have him share with Dagon, and they set it up beside him. And it's the people of Ashdod, they rise early in the morning and they're really excited, and they find Dagon face down before the Ark of the Lord in 1 Samuel chapter 5 at that point. What a vivid reminder. God doesn't play around. And so recognize that a love for the world is evidence of idolatry in your heart. You can't love this world and love God's way. Oh, you could enjoy life and you could enjoy the wonderful things this world has to offer when we're talking about travel or architecture, going around and exploring different cultures and experiencing great food and even wonderful experiences. That's not what I'm talking about, and that's not what John is talking about. He's talking about taking inventory of your heart. So this year in 2022, are there any roommates in your heart trying to compete with your love for God? Be honest. List them out. What are your dreams? What are the things you really want to achieve? Be willing to place everything out on the table and take the word of God and use it as the filter through which even your best ideas and your biggest dreams must pass through. What needs to be removed and what should stay? You want some good advice for this year? Recognize that idols are competitive and they contribute to loving this world. Another one, recognize the empty lies of sin. In verse 16 of 1 John 2, for all that is in the world, John says, the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life is not from the Father, but it's from the world. Those are the empty lies of sin. The world here in verse 16 represents the ways and thinking of this world. The world loves sin. The world chases sin. The world relishes in sin. And here are the lies that the world will tell you. Number one, it's only natural, it's the desire of the flesh. It's sinful actions that the world denies or excuses as that's no big deal, or the old adage, boys will be boys, or, you know, my daughter or my sister or my friend or this person, you know, she's a good person. Just because she lives that way doesn't mean that she's a bad person. It's only natural. That's a lie from the enemy, and it's a lie from the world. John is referring to your natural impulses as a sinful human and mine as well, all of us together. And he debunks the lie that you could do whatever feels natural. You and I need to understand that we are sinful by nature. Nobody comes out of the womb sinless. We're all sinners. Romans 3.23 says that. Romans 3.10 to 11, nobody's good, no one's righteous, no one's trying to seek after God. Our desires are naturally tainted. So with that foundational understanding, we can then realize that you and I are liable to think that what we want is naturally okay. And then we try to justify to make excuses, but it's not. And so we want to ask the Lord to dominate our desires. We want to say, Holy Spirit, help me, fill me, take over, help me to glorify Christ. Even in the things that I want to do, or I say basic excuses for or try to justify, crush those things, take them out of me. Don't let me give in to the lie of it's only natural. Another lie. Lie number two, there's no harm in looking. Yeah, this is the desire the desire of the eyes. It's you know natural impulse of the flesh. And then, you know, your eyes see it, and they're a source of lust. And eyes can be beautiful gifts, they explode with creativity and wonder, they bring all of life to life, they bring things in color, and God has given us a level of sight that no television can recreate, and yet the lie you'll hear through your eyes, there's no harm in looking. Ah look. As long as you look but you don't touch. Well, the lust of the eyes here translates as a desire that comes from what the eyes see. So your eyes and my eyes see something. And the lie is, you know, there's no harm in looking. But it doesn't stop there. It always goes further. And all of a sudden we see, and then we're filled with materialism or jealousy or envy or greed. And that's where comparison comes in. It's been well said that comparison is the thief of joy. I see something someone else has, some Instagram perfection, and I look in the mirror, and now I hate what I see. And so I compare. You know, she's prettier, he's stronger, they're richer, she's cooler, he's smarter. These are all killers. They kill your joy. And so you want to separate from these things because your eyes will also pull you into jealousy and envy. You want to destroy relationships in 22, 2022 with people, be jealous of them and envy them. You want to ostracize yourself from other people? You want a vacation in the devil's most demonic destination, if you will? Be jealous. Let envy fester and buy into the lie that what you're staring at you deserve. Think about it long enough, crave it long enough. And the lie is that you'll get somewhere. Why do I say a demonic destination or bring up the devil? You say, Man, it's just my eyes, it's just looking or it's just wanting something. Man, costy, lighten up. Well, here's where I get that from. James chapter 3, 13 to 18. Listen to James, who is wise and understanding among you. By his good conduct, let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above. Okay, here we go. But it is earthly, unscriptural, demonic. It's James that says that that jealousy, that drive is demonic. He says in verse 16, For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice, other translation says every evil work. So you wonder sometimes, where does all this evil come from? Where does all this strife and disorder come from in these relationships or this sphere that I'm in? Look under the hood. Maybe there's jealousy, maybe there's selfish ambition happening, and that drives that demonic wisdom. But the wisdom from above in verse 17 is first pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits. It's unwavering, impartial, it's sincere, and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. You want to have a great year? Seek God's wisdom from his word, and counteract the lies with what he has to say, not by what sin begs you to see. The third lie is this you are what you have. Verse 16, he says, the pride of life, it's not from the Father, but it's from the world, all of these things. But the pride of life, the boastful pride of life, easily results from you've got these quote natural desires, and then your eyes see it and you want it, and then pride lies to you and says, you know, you deserve that. You should have that. Why aren't you the one? Why don't you go after it and get it? You deserve it, and the fires of lust are ignited. Pride explodes upward. The lies of pride are not from the father. Loving the things of this world is not from the father. One writer said once, pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the person who has it. That's rough. Jay Oswald Sanders said, Nothing is more distasteful to God than self-conceit. The first and fundamental sin in essence aims at enthroning self at the expense of God. Pride is a sin of whose presence its victim is least conscious of. If we're honest, when we measure ourselves by the life of our Lord who humbled himself even to death on a cross, we cannot but be overwhelmed with the shabbiness and even vileness of our hearts. That's convict. We got to remember everything that we have, everything that we maybe think we ever did, anything special, quote, in us, or anything that God has given us that seems exceptional, any opportunities, anything at all is all a gift from God for God. And so you and I this year need to shut down the lie of pride that says we deserve and we should this, and oh, what about us? And just think, man, I'm a servant. I want a John 3 30 mindset. He must increase, I must decrease, like John the Baptist, carrying a towel, washing feet, serving others, even on your greatest day and your greatest moment, recognizing that we're only anything because Christ is everything. And then finally, in this passage, 1 John 2, 15 to 17, John highlights what will last forever. And so we recognize that idols are competitive, we recognize the empty lies of sin for what they are. This is gonna set you up for a great year, and we recognize what will last forever. So now we're gonna live with eternal perspective. That is going to drive you forward into God's will like never before. Verse 17, and the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. Real Christians, genuinely saved ones, have got to realize that nothing in this world can offer what God does. The world loves its stuff, it loves its sin, it cuts others down, it competes for dominance, it boasts in itself, it offers, quote, lasting happiness, but it does not deliver in the end. Everything that God offers remains forever. Those who do his will are those who live eternally. Those who are found faithful receive rewards that are eternal. Everything else will fade. When you die, we always say there's no you haul behind the hearse. You can't take anything with you. Only what was done for God goes on ahead of you. The enemy knows he can't steal your salvation, so he does everything he can to steal your reward in eternity. But a true believer separates from those sins and strives by the grace of God to live according to the will of God, which is found where? In the Word of God. The Bible offers excellent, strong, clear guidance across the board to help us this year remember what will last forever. James 4 4. James was so strong in the way that he wrote that letter. He says, You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. And so this year, determine not to be a friend of the world and an enemy of God, but a friend of God and an enemy of this world's ways. You want the world to be saved, but you don't want to become like the world in the process. Ephesians 5 11 says, Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. You want to bring things into the light this year and walk in righteousness? Second Corinthians six fourteen to sixteen, Paul says, Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what partnership has righteousness and lawlessness? What fellowship has light with darkness? He goes on to explain that we are the temple of the living God. And so what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? Brothers and sisters, if you're a believer, you have nothing to gain this year from this world, but you have everything to offer. In your friendships, in your dating, in your courting, in your marriage, in your work life, in your pursuits, in your dreams, in your strategies, in all that you do, including your recreation and your vacation. How you eat, how you drink, how you dress, all of it. The world offers nothing to you of eternal value. It is you who brings the truth into those areas. You bring the light of Christ into the darkness. You bring God's will into man's way. That's why you're here. That is why I'm here. That's why we have a podcast. That's why we have a ministry. That is why you and I have purpose this year. You and I can change the world. Not the way that some celebrity says when they get up on the podium at the Grammys or the Oscars and they tell you how you could change the world and you need to believe in yourself. No. You and I can change the world not by becoming like it, but by calling it to become like Christ. We separate from the ways of this world, even though we live in this world. We love the world, but we don't become like the world. We don't love the ways of this world. What do I mean by we love the world? We love the people, we love their souls, we want them saved. That's why we're here. And so we focus on Jesus, we leave it all on the earth for the gospel. Check what you love this year, check your heart, make a list, ask the Lord to lead you. Kill the idols, or he will for you, because he loves you. And even his moments of discipline are an act of love for you. My prayers this episode will help you think deeply about what you love this year and what you live for. Know that we love you and we're gonna keep spurring you on and putting out content and putting out resources. We'll be here every single week with new episodes, more videos, and more encouraging content. Hey, you are plan A if you're a believer. I am plan A. We are plan A together. If Jesus wanted to, he could have returned already or could have skipped this entire era here on earth and just saved all his people and got on with it. He left us on the earth as plan A to go and be the Acts 1.8 witnesses to the ends of the earth. So let's do it. Thank you for listening to For the Gospel and for your support. For videos, articles, and to learn more about our ministry, go to www.forthegospel.org. We're also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, and we love connecting with you all there. We'll be back next Monday with another episode. Keep on living for the gospel.