You couldn’t forsake the world because you have not experience the power of gospel enough to be willing to forsake the world.
The power of gospel will:
1) Set you free
2) Empower to live for the gospel
The power of the world will:
1) Satisfy your direct desires - makes you crave more of you
2) Bond you down
3) Lose yourself
<Luke 10: 18 - 20>
<Romans 1: 16> By not knowing what God’s power aims to do (salvation), you will not be able to enjoy the power.
<Acts 1: 8>
<Matthew 26: 47 - 56>
Sword is the representation of the worldly power.
1. Power
1) Man’s depravation -> Wrong power
Chase for the worldly power.
2) The nature of worldly power
(1) Man-exalting - Exalt man’s will and cause one to trust himself/herself.
(2) Self-serving but not self-sacrificing - Take away the element of true unconditional love.
Not doing God’s will but self will, or even do good works to self benefits.
(3) Controlling - Use man against God, enmity with God/gospel. <Gen 6: 4 - 5>
Man can be attract to the world, look down on self and want to earn a place in the world.
2. Christ came to show & give a "different power"
1) Submission -> Doing Father’s will
By submitting to Him, you enjoy all the power which is in Him.
Submission is the key to release all God’s power.
2) Evangelism & witnessing Christ
<John 1: 12> Authority -> <Acts 1: 8>
You will just a typical person in all fields if you are not a evangelist or witness of Christ.
Through evangelism, you will have a different meaning of life and dignity as a person.
3) Confirm & boast about God’s power
<2 Cor 12: 8 - >
This is not about trumphantlism or feeling superior and always succeed. It is about facing the pain/inability/weakness in our lives by:
(1) Confirming His promises and will
(2) Obey and submit
(3) Confim His power and boast about it (your weaknesses)
3. Godly training
1) Keep confirming the differences between the two types of powers.
(1) Worldly power is something you can feel it immediately and easily.
2) Learn to look to Jesus and experience a change of heart (look to Jesus, confirm, pray)
For examples:
- When people go against you, do not give in to accusation, fear and anger, look to Jesus, what He has done on the cross for our sins, take Him as role model and believe in Him.
- When you feel fearful and helpless with the situation you’re in or coming to you, look to Jesus and confirm His grace and believe in Him.