Overcome the World - Part 1

John 16:33-17:3 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  

John Piper a pastor in the Midwest gave a message about the present times in the United States and the spiritual warfare that surrounds us.  Although men and women of God may not have changed, the world has changed around us. The Church in America has awakened from a "distortion" of 350 years of dominance in America. For most of history, the Christian church has not been dominant in worldly affairs. A dominant American Christian Culture has created a distorted Christian mindset of "being at home in the world."  Distortion means that the true meaning has been twisted and perverted from the truth of the Word of God. Throughout most of history, true followers of Christ have been the outcast of the world... they have been the poor, the persecuted and the afflicted. These Christians know and understand what it means to suffer for the faith of Jesus Christ. The blood of the martyrs flows through the pages of Christian history.  However, being a Christian in America implied the exact opposite of human suffering. The promise of "prosperity" and "easy believism" has distorted and changed the true biblical meaning of Christianity.  In most of the history of the church, followers of the truth of the Word of God have personified Jesus' message:  blessed are they when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake, for great is your reward in heaven ... in this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world. 

America, however, has been the exception to the rule. Many of our Founding Fathers conceived of a new nation founded on the biblical ideal of a land blessed by Divine Providence ...  a land where citizens are free to exercise their God-given inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness (biblical virtue). This nation was founded on the belief that righteous godly men and women would stand in the gap against the evil deeds of unrighteous people to uphold the virtuous precepts of the Word of God ...  a nation built on the Christian charity of a public community in whom the spirit of the Lord is. God has blessed this nation with a brief and shining moment of material prosperity and material abundance. For most of American history, American Christians have been respected, emulated, and held in high regard. However, the devil has been working behind the scenes to undermine our Christian culture and the biblical foundations that the Founders and previous generations of Americans have held dear. Hebrews Chapter 10  was written to Christians in a time similar to ours where the Christians were alienated and persecuted; a time similar to ours where the culture deteriorated and became opposed to the values of biblical virtue.

Michael concludes his massage on overcoming the world tomorrow.
In Christ, Brian