Do Not Conform to the Pattern of this World
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
It’s easy to follow the pattern of this world, believing Satan’s lies. Many people think serving Christ will take away their freedom. What they don’t realize they are slaves to the world and only Christ can set them free. Satan lies about God so people will not see a God of love. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3)
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. (Matthew 13:15) This describes many people today that believe Satan’s lies as their love grows cold. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24:12 ESV)
Today, Satan has incited lawlessness throughout the world, because when love grows cold it opens the heart to Satan’s control. Satan tells people the problem is with Christians, the government, the laws, or is racial. Anyone or anything can be the problem but it will never be self. Blaming others is natural since the days of Adam and Eve, and today many will blame God and Christians for the problems in the world.
So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32 NASB) Many people believe Satan’s lies because they do not know God’s truth. Christians know God’s truth, so Satan tempts Christians by enticing their self-will to compete with God’s will without them knowing they were tempted. Satan will find people to support what our itching ears want to hear.
Satan’s goal is to have us conform to the world where he has tremendous control and he appeals to our fleshly driven self-will. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23) Satan tempts our self-will hoping he can get a foothold in our life. Surrendering to the Lord is difficult because people do not want to give up their self-will. God’s plan is to mold us to the mind of Christ so our self-will becomes God’s will, then we can surrender to the Lord.
We do not conform to the World; we conform to God’s will and we overcome the world. For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4) We do not conform to the world and let our love grow cold, but we let the Lord increase the love in our hearts, then overcome the world and minister to this lost world.
Today, be careful and do not conform to the pattern of this world. Reveal God’s love to the world. Seek guidance from Christ through the Spirit so his love and power can be revealed.
Prayer: Lord, keep me from conforming to the pattern of this world. Help me to realize that through your sacrifice I have overcome the world. Guide me as I reveal your perfect love to this lost world. In Jesus’ name, Amen