We are surrounded by a world which is full of amazing and wonderful things, but alongside these wonderful things are also some elements that are not so great, or beneficial to us. The question is, “How do we avoid getting caught up in the not so great elements, and how do we stand apart from them?”
Jesus gave us the answer to this question in a prayer he prayed just before he was crucified, rose again and ascended to heaven. He said in John 17:16-17, “Father, I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth.”
Sanctify means to be separate, and Jesus was saying we are to be separated by the truth, and that God’s word is the truth that will separate and keep us.
When we first come to know Jesus we become a new creation, separated spiritually from the kingdom of darkness and born anew into the kingdom of God. (Colossians 1:13) However if we don’t continue to grow in our relationship and knowledge of who we are in God and in His Word, we can continue to live as we did before. We may be separated from spiritual death, but still be physically and mentally connected to our old way of living. As a result we often continue to live in fear, lack, bad habits, sickness.
Primarily because we can’t separate ourselves from an old habit or lifestyle without separating ourselves to something stronger. But God and His Word will. God and His Word are one, and He is stronger than any other force in the universe. If we choose to put into our relationship with Jesus and spend time reading and studying God’s Word, then His Word’s will separate us from the poverty, anxiety, sickness, hatred and fear that we used to belong to, and which the world is immersed in.
His word will separate us from the evil and negativity around us. We don’t have to stress and struggle to do that, for the Word will do it for us. All we need do is read it and then allow it to remain and abide in our life, and it will do it’s transforming work.
Jesus said, “If you abide in me and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” (John 15:7)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
Today I encourage you to take some time to talk and listen to Jesus and to read His words in the Bible and allow it to do its work.
Prayer: Lord thankyou for the power of your word. Help me to immerse myself in your truth so that it will separate me from all the negativity of the world, enabling me to live the life for which you created me for. Let the Word go to work in me. In Jesus name Amen.
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