What the Bible says about Overcoming World's Influences
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Jeremiah 31:7-9 As these people come out of their captivity, they will have turned to God, a necessary and wonderful first step. They will have a frame of mind—renouncing self-will—where they can begin to be worked with. But this will not magically blow away their character and psychological problems. Even in our own lives since conversion, God has had to bring us face-to-face with weaknesses of character and attitude that we must overcome. Think of the horrors these people will have witnessed: wholesale murder in death camps, perhaps the cold-blooded butchering of their children and other loved ones. They may have lived as slaves in great degradation, having no choices, separated from loved ones, always wondering what happened to them, fearful that they will never eat another meal, and always facing the betrayal of others seeking favor and trying to survive. What will these experiences have done to their minds? Because of the need to survive, such circumstances can cause a person to become wholly self-centered. John W. Ritenbaugh Preparing to Rule! Related Topics: Character | Character, Building | Conversion | Conversion Problems | Conversion Process | Overcoming | Overcoming Human Nature | Overcoming World's Influences | Overcoming, Mankind's Participation in | Self Centeredness

Matthew 7:11 This scripture succinctly state how God perceives all the world and its inhabitants, regardless of one's particular environmental factors. The context of Matthew 7 gives no indication that the people who comprised Jesus' audience were particularly evil; they were just normal human beings. Yet, compared to God's standards for His people, their natural self-centeredness was stressful, disruptive, destructive, and calamitous—not beneficial to any concerned. In a word, they were evil. The people to whom Jesus spoke were normal, worldly people. They would not have considered themselves evil, but they were, as God judged them. So are we also evil unless we have been justified and are under the blood of Jesus Christ. John W. Ritenbaugh The Christian Fight (Part Two) Related Topics: Evil | Overcoming World's Influences | Self Centeredness | World's Dangers | World's Evil Characteristics | World's Influence | Worldliness

Matthew 11:12 The Kingdom of God will be the recipient of slings and arrows and wars and temptations, and its own people will need to be violent in return. He means "forceful." It will take a titanic struggle to enter it because so many things are acting against us. Jesus warns us it will not be easy. We are going to have to work vigorously and "violently" at times, to force ourselves to do what is right, because the Kingdom of God is now under siege in so many ways. Therefore, we have to fight as warriors in battle and violently engage the enemy. From John 17:11-18, we know that the Kingdom functions in the world, and Jesus is not going to take us out of it. But He asks His Father to give us His protection from the Evil One so that we can at least have that added strength. We must constantly deal with the world, human nature, and the Evil One himself, as well as his demons. Richard T. Ritenbaugh Parables of Matthew 13 (Part 2): Leaven Related Topics: Kingdom of God | Kingdom of God, Seeking First | Kingdom of Heaven | Overcoming | Overcoming Human Nature | Overcoming Satan's Influence | Overcoming World's Influences | Overcoming, Mankind's Participation in | Overcoming, Urgency in | Spiritual Battle | Spiritual Warfare | Struggle | Struggle against Carnal Nature | Struggle against Satan's Influence | Struggle against Sin | Struggle for the Truth | Struggle to Overcome

1 Corinthians 15:32-34 This well-known proverb is strategically placed in the Resurrection Chapter. In verse 32, Paul reminds the Greek Corinthians of an example of the perverse, immoral morass that they left compared to the liberating and ennobling calling God has so graciously given them. He then verbally punches them in the nose by telling them the company that they keep is destroying them, meaning they are gradually reabsorbing the attitudes and culture of the surrounding world. He then charges them to wake up to what they stand to lose by being too close to the world—even worldly people who might be fellowshipping with them at services but do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Perceiving that some of them are on the verge of losing their salvation, he says, "Shame on you!" The world's influences are, for the most part, subtle rather than overt. Being familiar to human nature, we find them easy to fall into or return to. What is the problem with the world? Its ruler, Satan, has designed it to lead people to live only for themselves. Therefore, we must fight and resist its attraction, which influences our hearts, because so much is at stake! John W. Ritenbaugh The Christian Fight (Part Two) Related Topics: Communication from Evil Influences | Evil Communication | Evil Communication Corrupts Good Manners | Friendship with the World | Overcoming World's Influences | Resurrection Chapter | World's Evil Characteristics | World's Influence

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 "Victory" is from the same Greek root as the word translated "overcomes" so many times in Revelation 2 and 3. Overcoming is being victorious over the pull of human nature against God in the self, Satan, and this world that tries to keep us from entering God's Kingdom. Paul also exhorts us to be "always abounding in the work of the Lord." His work is creating. Then, by using the words "your labor," the apostle draws our attention to our responsibilities. Our labor is whatever energies and sacrifices it takes to yield to the Lord so He can do His work. Scripture refers to God several times as the Potter, and we are the clay He is shaping. The difference between us and earthy clay is that the clay God is working is alive—having a mind and will of its own, it can choose to resist or yield. Following initial repentance, finding the motivation to use our faith to yield to Him in labor, not just agreeing mentally, is perhaps most important of all. Real living faith motivates conduct in agreement with God's purpose. Clearly, God's purpose is that we grow or change to become as much like Him in this life as time allows. John W. Ritenbaugh The Elements of Motivation (Part Three): Hope Related Topics: Faith, Living | God's Purpose | God's Work | Hope | Hope as Motivation | Overcoming | Overcoming Human Nature | Overcoming Satan's Influence | Overcoming World's Influences | Potter and Clay Analogy | Repentance | Repentance, Motivation For | Spiritual Growth | Spiritual Growth, Process of | Work Of God

Revelation 3:21 Jesus Christ also had to overcome. He had to overcome the same influences and pulls that we must overcome. He lived in the world under its influence. He lived with Satan alive and well, and so He had to overcome the influences of Satan the Devil, his persecutions and deceits. In addition, He had to resist the influences of human nature all around Him. They were also part of Him, but He never once gave in to them. He overcame them. We are to do as He did. This shows that the works that He is concerned about are the works of overcoming—and the keeping of the commandments is encompassed within overcoming. John W. Ritenbaugh Loving Christ and Revelation 2:1-7 Related Topics: Christ's Example | Jesus Christ's Example | Jesus Christ's Life | Overcoming | Overcoming Human Nature | Overcoming Satan's Influence | Overcoming World's Influences | Overcoming, Mankind's Participation in

 

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