THE WORLD- THE FLESH- & THE DEVIL

TEXTS: The WORLD DRAWS –
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
The FLESH DESIRES –
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
The DEVIL DECEIVES-
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Introduction: Encompassed in these verses is the sum total of the enemies of God's people and, indeed, of all creation. Let's not fool ourselves; We are engaged in a deadly serious warfare. We cannot afford to let down our guard for a moment; Neither can we afford to give aid and comfort to the enemy and we DARE NOT try to do business with those who would destroy us.

I. The devil
A. He is our adversary. [an opponent in a lawsuit]
1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Let him know your secrets and he'll use them against you!
B. From Eden until now, he has offered man nothing but degradation, death and damnation. Don't ever think he'll give you favored treatment.
C. Though a powerful enemy, he uses the most subtle of means.
1. In the garden he began by putting a question mark in Eve's mind about God's desires. [ If there is any question about it, you had better leave it alone!]
2. Satan Provoked David into numbering Israel.
1 Chr 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel
When you start measuring YOUR strength, you are in trouble!]
3. When God's servants are active, Satan is there:
Zec 3:1 And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.
4. He snatches away the Word when it is preached.
Mat 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
5. He put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ.
John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
6. He put a lie into the heart of Ananias.
Acts 5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
7. He desires to have YOU! But the victory is ours.
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

II. The Flesh:
Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
[Make no advance plans for giving the flesh its desires.]
Illus. the boy who did not PLAN to go swimming against dad's orders, but 'just happened' to have his swim trunks on!
A. Nothing good about the flesh;
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
B. This is proven by the works of the flesh.
Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
C. We are told to crucify it.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

III. The World.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE HAVE TO GET STRAIGHTENED OUT IN OUR MINDS!
A. "We have to appeal to the world". Then you'll have to do it through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life!
The Holy Spirit doesn't appeal to the world, He reproves it.
John 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
John 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
John 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
B. "We have to make the world like us"
John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
1 John 3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
C. "But then they won't join us". PRAISE THE LORD!!
Acts 5:13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
When we let the Lord do the adding, we have fewer problems;
if the world, (unbelievers) gets into the church, it means chaos, and it is the Church’s responsibility to keep it out.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
II John 1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
D. "But we are a part of the community"
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
E. "But some of their methods are good"
Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen,
F. "But every body else does it."
That’s an EXCELLENT reason to avoid it!