Living in an Upside Down World — Zac Poonen

Following Jesus in an Upside-Down World

We have been thinking the last three Sundays of The fact that the world is upside down and Jesus came to set us right side up and We need to see what that means because a true Christian is One who seeks to follow Jesus in the way he lived and walked on this earth and Then his Way of life is going to be very different.

From the way of life of people in the world. Let me show you a verse in John's gospel chapter 14. What Jesus said at the end of his life. John 14? We read here in verse 30 John 14 and verse 30. The ruler of the world is coming.

And He has nothing in me now. That means that Satan tried to in Jesus entire life to try and get a foothold in him. Through tempting him in various ways. I mean three of those temptations are mentioned in Matthew 4.

But he was tempted all through his life and the purpose of Satan in all temptation Is to try and get one foot in the door. Because once he's got a foot in the door, it's very difficult to shut it he just walks right in.

That's why you've got to be careful that he doesn't get a little foothold in our life and Jesus was extremely careful throughout his 33 years and It's interesting that Satan is called here the ruler of this world.

If Satan can't come in through obvious sin he will try to come in through. Putting some worldly value in us. So that we become upside down just like the rest of the world. And so we got to be careful.

Remember one thing that of all the creative beings Satan is the cleverest mentions that in Ezekiel 28 and If any of you think that you're cleverer than Satan you are the first person he's going to deceive.

If you humble yourself and say Satan is cleverer than me. And he will fool me however smart I may be in earthly things. He will fool me by putting worldly values inside me and maybe getting me Addicted not to sinful things.

But to legitimate things that make me waste my time. So that I have no time for God. He succeeded and I find with believers the wholehearted believers. The devil succeeds more by putting the world into their minds than by sin because he knows he can't put sin into their life.

They're alert to sin. But it's like You have two doors of sin in the world and you alert to sin and you keep the other door open and he walks in. He doesn't care which door he walks into your heart, right?

One door is open and walk in so you can be so carefully guarding the door of sin and he walks in through some worldly attitude or value and He's got in that's where Jesus is careful. He said the ruler of this world.

Now there are two worlds one is the people of the world. God so loved those people and we got to love them to God. So loved the world that he gave his son to die for them, but there's another world. Which is the world system that the Bible speaks of you never read about it in the Old Testament.

You know, there are a lot of things you don't read about in the Old Testament. For example, how to overcome Satan. They never knew that. Because they didn't have the Holy Spirit running within them. Snowy is telling people who are not baptized in the Holy Spirit a lot demons and the devil and all they don't understand it but in the New Testament after the day of Pentecost Jesus was the first person who was dealing with the devil directly and He recognized the devil is the ruler of this world.

Everything in this world is controlled by Satan. I don't know how many of you recognize that the entire entertainment world is controlled by the devil. Whether it's Hollywood or Bollywood or even the music systems of the world the whole music Industry is controlled by Satan and do you know how many so-called believers people sitting here young people sitting here?

Don't have a clue about that. They think they are Christians. They are worldly under the authority of the ruler of the world the devil who's out to destroy their life. He's already destroyed their life many of you your children many of you good believers sitting here.

Your children are being destroyed by worldly music. You think oh, it's innocent. It's not innocent. It's because you yourself are blind. Jesus was not blind. He knew if the devil doesn't come in through sin.

He'll try and come in through the world. And we got to be careful that he doesn't come either way. And when we recognize that the world is walking is upside down and Jesus told us to walk right side up.

Then we need to recognize what? There is in the world which the devil is using to draw us away from Christ. See for example, I find a lot of young people today Who don't have time to read the scriptures and if you ask them why a lot of people even believers in our church.

They don't have time every day to read the scriptures. Is it because their life is full every day of a lot of essential activities. No. There are essential activities now if you say that 24 hours of your day was filled with essential activities.

Then that you couldn't read the Bible. I can understand. But if you look at your daily life, you'll find there are a lot of activities which are not so essential. Which are just extras thrown in. Time is wasted that way and The end result is at the end of the day.

You don't have time to read God's Word. I'll tell you the reason for that. The reason is and let me shock you by saying. Most of you sitting here do not believe that the Bible is the Word of God. You'd say that's not true.

I say it is true and I'll prove it to you. If you believe with all your heart That there was only one book in the entire world that God wrote that's the Bible and you also believe that the most important thing in your life is Your relationship with God.

Not your job. Not anything else. You would really seek to know God's Word the Bible. The fact that you don't earnestly seek to know that proves either that you don't believe that the most important thing in your life is your relationship with God or You don't believe that the Bible is God's Word.

See I proved it to you otherwise you'd spend time to study. It's spent time every day to know God and You would cut out certain non-essential activities. To know God's Word and this is the reason why we are deceived by the devil.

Remember. The devil's tactics are all same old tactics though. He's very clever. He knows that the best way are the same old tactics that have succeeded with human beings for 6 ,000 years. How did he start with Eve in the Garden of Eden?

With the Word of God does God's Word really say that. And Eve got into a discussion about whether God's Word said that and she fell. It's always with God's Word. What was the first reply that Jesus gave to the devil in the temptation in the wilderness?

Man shall not live by bread alone. But by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Now if you believe that now take this seriously if you really believe that. That you the only way you can really live live life with a capital L the way God wants you to live the only way you can live that is by every word that proceeds from God's mouth.

I believe that I Would try to find out every single word that proceeds from God's mouth. Because that's the only way I can live. I mean if a doctor told you to take four tablets Three times a day and you took only one tablet once a day.

It'd be pretty clear that you don't have much confidence in the doctor you don't believe what he says. You think you know better than the doctor. And if it's a good doctor who gave you that prescription and You didn't follow it and you're sick.

You got yourself to blame. So when you have a heavenly doctor like Jesus saying the only way you can ever live on this earth. The way God wants you to live is by every word that proceeds from God's mouth.

If you believe that that heavenly doctor knew more about the way to live that you know. You would seek to understand every word that proceeds from God's mouth if you don't do that. No wonder you're sick.

No wonder you have bad moods. You know you're never supposed to have a bad mood in the morning noon or night if you're a true disciple of Jesus. Why do you have them because you think you know better than the doctor?

Why do you fight and with your wife? You know you're never supposed to fight with your wife even one day in a year. Why do you do it? Why do you complain so much against your husband or your wife or your neighbor or this and the other the Bible says let's finish.

With all murmuring and all complaining. Why is it? I'll tell you why. Because you think you know better than your doctor the heavenly doctor. You have time to read so many things. What is essential for your work.

Of course you know your study. If you're a student you need to read. But so many other things you have time for and what gets neglected. God's work. Because that is lost in your priority. And I'll tell you something anyone who puts God's Word lost in his priority is ultimately never going to read the Bible.

And The ruler of the world will come in and occupy so many areas of his life. He'll still have a very good testimony in the church. Because he doesn't commit obvious sins. But his sense of discernment will not become sharp.

He'll be fooled by a lot of things for example. The entire Christian world has been fooled in the area of music. They have not able to distinguish the music with Jesus Christ would approve of and Music with Jesus Christ would not approve of.

It's very rare person in my life that I have met. Who can discern that. How do you define it? It's not by explaining beats and things like that. It's a question of the Holy Spirit telling you that's not right.

The vast majority of Christian young women don't have a clue about the type of dress they should wear. With Jesus would approve of the vast majority. The vast majority of young people today do not know how to spend the money.

They earn because a lot of them are earning such a lot of money. And they don't know how to use their money in a way that Jesus would approve of. Why is that? Because they don't have time to study the scriptures and You think the devil hasn't got a foothold in their life, of course, he's God.

They don't even know it and they're satisfying themselves. I'm not committing adultery. I'm not doing this. I'm not I'm not. I'm better than all those other churches. So what? It's like someone who got 20 in an examination saying I'm better than all those other people who got 10

Would you be happy if your child got 20 and came home and said dad? I got I'm better than all those people who got 10 15 That's exactly the way a lot of Christians are glory and I think a lot of Christians in this church do because We're not allowing the Holy Spirit to show us through God's Word make our spirits sensitive to what is of the world.

And we could be walking upside down just like the rest of the world and say we are Christians. A Christian is supposed to live upright. That means his value system is exactly the opposite of the value system of the world.

Crucified to the World Through the Cross

See what Paul said in Galatians in chapter 6 about his own attitude of the world. Galatians 6 in verse 14 May it never be That I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ to most Christians is a place where Christ died for their sins, which is good.

But here he speaks about another aspect of the cross that through the cross I Paul was crucified to the world and the world to me. And verse 16 those Who walk by this rule? Peace and mercy be upon them.

They are truly God's chosen people. See what does that mean? It means that. The world is not going to dictate to me. What type of music I listen to. Not going to dictate to me how I dress. It's not going to dictate to me How I spend my time.

The world is not going to dictate to me anything because I recognize. The world is under the control of the ruler of this world, which is the devil. There's a lot of things in education a lot of things in Advertisements which are all controlled by the devil and you got to have discernment.

What? What is of God and what is of the devil? You know a lot of the medical world for example a Lot of it is controlled by the devil. I Mean God ordained medicines and doctors to help poor people. To serve them people who don't have understanding of medicines and who don't have opportunity to.

You know get treatment and all that but how many doctors in the world are doing that even Christian doctors they're all after money and A lot of people just only interested in getting a reputation. Medical world which is supposed to be helping people.

They're not helping. It is making money for themselves. Is the same with Education, how is it that so many people in the world believe? That man descended from a monkey. Whose idea was that using it as clever science?

It's like that picture I saw of a big gorilla Hanging up in a classroom and underneath is written our father our father. You want that? But that's what a lot of people believe that that gorilla was their ancestor.

I Don't believe it one bit. I Believe Adam was much more intelligent and much more good-looking and in every way a thousand times better than any one of us. When he was created he was perfect. God never makes anything.

But see how the devil's taken over was majority of people believe all this. Those are just a few areas. But here he says the world I have been cruise. I'm dead to this world you know, it's There was a godly man who put it like this.

He said true surrender is to be so identified with the death of Christ To this world that whatever did not appeal to him Does not appeal to us. Just think of that. True surrender is to be so identified with the death of Christ to this world.

That whatever did not appeal to him Does not appeal to us. It doesn't mean we are not tempted. Jesus was also tempted, do you know that Jesus was tempted to the world at the age of 30? With all that maturity he had the devil still felt I can tempt him with the world.

He showed him the glory of the world. I mean Jesus. God did the devil didn't tempt Jesus with something Which could not tempt him he showed him the glory of the world and said I'll give you this. Was it a temptation or was there no temptation there it was a temptation.

Jesus Shook it off. It didn't even like water of a duck's back because he did he had died to all that. He was not gonna bow down. But what did he say? I'll give you this if you bow down to me. Right from the beginning Satan has always wanted Worship, you know why he became the devil.

He was a leader of the angels at one time perfect leading people in the worship of God. He had everything beauty intelligence Authority position the only thing he didn't have was worship. God was being worshipped and he wanted the angels to worship him.

That's why he became the devil whenever you want people to Admire you Worship you remember whom you're following. You're not following Jesus Christ. You're following the devil. You know, you can be a preacher a lot of preachers in the world who just want people to admire them and adore them.

Respect them. You know, they're following the devil. There are music leaders who want people to admire them and respect them. They're following the devil, but they may be music leaders in the Christian Church.

There are musicians who when they play the music they're not interested in glorifying God. They want people to admire the way they play the musical instruments. They are following the devil. They're getting people to worship them.

The world is full of people. Look at all these film stars and The Kings and Queens and all that in the world and even Christian preachers and Christian musicians. They want people to admire them. It's the spirit of the devil.

He he wanted Adam and Eve when they were created to worship him and they did when they when he. They did what he told them to do eat of that fruit. They worshipped him. Yes, we don't worship God. We worship you.

Do you know the number of born-again believers? Who are worshipping the devil? In some subtle area. You say I don't believe it. Yeah, that's because you don't read God's Word. Your mind is not being Sharpened to discern.

It's like people who who don't have good eyesight. You say can you read what's written on that on that chart? Say no, there's no letter there. There's a very clear. There's a letter there, but you can't read it because vision has become dim.

The vision of many Christians has become dim. They don't see worldliness, which another godly man can see clearly. And they think ah, that's his prejudice. It's when the eye doctor says listen, there's a letter C there no, no, no, no, it's not see it's eat.

Your prejudice or you don't know the alphabet. That's not the reason right? Your vision is not clear. It's good to humble ourselves and recognize that in many areas. The world has got into our system and it's Taken away our vision.

I believe that many who when they were first converted Had a clear understanding of the world. Have lost that and that's how the bride of Christ Gradually becomes a harlot. There's a poem I read a long time ago where he says the church and once upon a time the church in the world walked far apart.

The world was one side the church was one side. The world was singing a giddy song and the church was singing a hymn. Gradually the world said to the church. Hey, listen let's put some zip into your music and The initially the church said no, but gradually the church said okay a little bit perhaps a little bit gradually the music of the church Became exactly like the music of the world and then the world said listen your dress.

It's all so simple. Look at mine I'm gonna make it like mine and Gradually initially the church resisted it but then gradually the church said, okay, I suppose there's nothing wrong in it. There's nothing simple.

And after a while little by little by little, you know The devil doesn't come wholesale with a whole lot of things the world comes little by little by little and gradually at the end of the hymn the church and the world are walking hand in hand, but the church is still going to the meetings and singing the same old songs and The people in one church are saying we are better than all those others because the doctrines are better we speak in tongues.

So what if you're walking hand in hand with the devil and the world? What difference does it make whether you speak in tongues or heal the sick the devil's won the victory. But you recognize that no vision is dim.

How did it become. Tim you allowed nobody loses their vision all of a sudden? It's like cataract, you know people get old and they can't see the distance the cataract doesn't come one day. You suddenly become blind.

No, it's gradual and if you allow the devil to Put worldly values into your thinking. Gradually your vision becomes dim. You can't see it anymore. And Then if you don't have the boldness to resist. When other people in your good church are also going in that worldly way.

Ah, and you say they can do it. I can also do it. The devil succeeded where one one one more person. You know, the devil can make one person worldly and make ten other people follow that person he's killed eleven birds with one stone he's a master at that and Particularly if it's somebody whom you respect in the church has also become worldly.

That's yeah, he can do it. I can do it. If he can do it, I can do if she can do it. I can do it. That is the surest way to go to hell. I'll tell you that there's a surest way to become worldly. Unless you say Lord Jesus, you're my example I'm not going to go the way a lot of other people.

I'm not here to judge anybody. It's not my business. God is the judge. That God judged but I am not going to be like them. How many of you young girls have the boldness to say I will not dress like other worldly girls even if they sit in CFC.

How many of you young people will have the boldness to say I will not follow worldly systems and music. Even if other young men in CFC follow that. Boy, you've got a great future ahead of you. But there are very few who have the guts and the boldness and the courage.

To stand like that and say I'm going to be different. I'm not going to judge them. No, don't spoil. The wonderful attitude you have by going and judging other people. No, that's God's business. You just say I am and you don't even have to announce it.

You just have to take a decision before God like Daniel. It says in Daniel the great movement from Babylon to Jerusalem started with a young man called Daniel who was 17 years old. Babylon is a picture of worldly Christianity.

You read that in Revelation 18 and there's an Old Testament picture of that when the children of Israel God's people went to Babylon. And Then in he brought them back to Jerusalem after 70 years and the whole movement from Babylon to Jerusalem started with one man Daniel and he was only about 17 18 years old and You know, what was it that made him start that movement?

Daniel's Decision to Refuse Defilement

Let me show you the verse Daniel chapter 1 and Daniel chapter 1 we read of. A decision he made in his mind. Daniel chapter 1 and verse 8 Daniel determined he made up his mind that he would not defile himself.

With the king's choice food or the wine which he drank now listen he was not talking about adultery murder or Pornography. No. Those maybe many young people stood against. He was talking about the smaller commandments in God's law in the book of Leviticus chapter 11.

It said there were certain types of food. You are not supposed to eat and Proverbs it said you're not supposed to drink the wine when it Fermented and stirs itself in the cup. Daniel knew those commandments.

So he said I'm not going to drink that alcoholic wine. And I'm not going to eat of the type of food which God has forbidden us to eat. And I'm sure there are a lot of other young people around him who said come on Daniel.

Don't be silly. Those were laws that God gave to Moses when they were in the wilderness. We're living in much more hygienic conditions now and We can eat it's okay. But God had said no so Daniel said no, I don't care what you kind of saying I'm just not going to eat of that.

I'm going to Be different. You think that was easy. It's not easy to be different. It's not easy you young people ask yourself even in school and child in school Finds it difficult to be different from the others.

He determined in his mind. I am going to be different. Have you made that decision in your mind? That is the thing That'll move you out of a Babylonian Attitude of mind and bring you into Jerusalem the true Church of God so That's how it was with Jesus as a young man his mind was set on the things above and the things of God.

Even as a child of 12. Is this the one you're following? Is this the one we are following who at the age of 12 knew the scriptures? Who even though he didn't have a printed Bible at home knew the scriptures learned it from childhood listening carefully and therefore Kept the world outside in John 16.

Overcoming the World by Faith

John chapter 16 and verse 33. Because of this attitude of mind Jesus could say at the age of 33 John 16 33 when he finished his earthly course. He could say in the world the last part of that verse you'll have tribulation.

But take courage. I have overcome the world. Not only the ruler of the world not only sin. I have overcome the world. Be encouraged. You'll face a lot of tribulation in the world. Trial pressure. Tribulation not only in terms of persecution.

But the world trying to get into your mind. I have overcome the world and I believe every true disciple of Jesus Should be able to say I've overcome the world. Think of that statement we I mentioned earlier where.

Anything that did not appeal to him Does not appeal to me. You know that whenever you get something of the world which Christ does not approve of. If you have something in your life. Maybe it's a way of music or a way of dressing or a way of thinking or Anything you have in your life, which Christ cannot approve of I?

Don't mean you're dressing very simply when you come to church. Is Christ with you only when you come to church. He's not with you the other six days of the week when you dress and go somewhere else. Do you want Jesus to be with you every day of the week or just when you come here?

It's not the type of music you listen to our play on Sundays. Is Jesus not with you seven days a week. A Lot of Christians, they only want Christ on Sunday. They don't want him to run their life the rest of the week.

They're not Christians. They're Pharisees, and they should call themselves by the right name. We are Pharisees we come on Sunday, and just say the right things. But we're not disciples of Jesus. Oh forget it.

It's too much too heavy a price. Let's be honest. Yep, I have overcome the world. That's anything that did not appeal to him does not appeal to me now. I'll tell you this honestly. It's a mountain peak.

I Don't believe I have attained that top even after 50 years of being a believer. I keep checking. Anything that did not appeal to him Does not appeal to me I? Say Lord, I want that I haven't got there yet, but I'm determined to climb this mountain.

That year by year it'll be more and more true of my life. But whatever did not appeal to you Does not appeal to me, but I'm sorry to say that I've seen with many believers that they have gone down this mountain slope.

They were a little higher up a few years ago. None of us have reached the peak. We don't have to get discouraged if you haven't reached the peak that there are still a few things that Appeal to us that didn't appeal to Christ.

We got to press on to perfection, but you've got to take it seriously if you're sliding back. What is a backslider. A Backslider is one who once upon a time was climbing this mountain wholeheartedly. But gradually slackened off.

Slackened off because he looked around at others. He didn't keep his vision on Jesus alone who never slackened off who ran the race. He turned away from looking unto Jesus and like Peter. He sank. I believe it's happened to many people some of you who came to this church 25 years ago.

Or 30 years ago. Ask yourself. Are you more worldly today than you were then I? I mean, I'm not gonna tell you you ask yourself. I asked myself that Lord do I have values? Maybe there was a time when you slipped up, okay?

But did you repent and come back and say Lord I'm gonna make up for lost time or have you succumbed? To the pressure of people around you and particularly the type of. You know that one of the greatest pressures people can face in our churches is oh brother.

Don't be legalistic. Okay, I'll be worldly like you. That's a tremendous pressure. Don't be legalistic. I get scared. I'm not scared of people telling me. I'm legalistic. I'm not listening to them. Because many people who say don't be legalistic are trying to drag you down to their own worldly standards.

That's all. They want to justify their worldliness by saying oh, that's all legal is Call it what you like. But sir, I'm not gonna follow you Madam, I'm not gonna follow you either. I'm gonna follow Jesus.

You couldn't scare Jesus by saying oh, that's legalistic. Oh That's all legalistic to have all these rules about music and dress and things like okay, brother. That's fine for you, but I'm not gonna follow you.

That's all I Have someone else I'm gonna follow. I have only one life to live in this world, and I can't afford to miss that road By listening to all your arguments about legalism and worldliness. I'm not gonna listen to it and Wake up in eternity and found find that I didn't follow Jesus, but I got scared of all these Arguments that I'm legalistic and so I became worldly.

No, I Really believe this. I know there's legalism. I've seen people who are thoroughly legalistic and it's very difficult to fellowship with them. But one of the primary marks of legalism, let me tell you this is judging other people.

It's one of the primary marks. You are not like me. Therefore you're worldly. I Don't do that, so I can't be a legalist. But I have my own standards which other people may call legalism, that's fine. And I disapprove of the standards of a lot of other Christians around me, but I don't judge them.

I Disagree with them. I disapprove of them. I go to many churches where I disagree with many things. I I'm not here to judge them. Dear brothers and sisters. I'll tell you something if you really want God's best you have to break free from the opinions of men and particularly the opinions of fellow believers and Particularly the opinions of people who you think are spiritual.

They're not spiritual necessarily. Follow your own standards as you see Jesus. Don't judge others then you won't be a legalist. You have certain values yourself, and you don't impose them on others. You'll never be a legalist.

Legalists are people who impose their standards on others. I have certain values and standards. I never impose it on others. I don't even impose it on my ship my sons or my daughters-in-law. I Have them for myself.

I say that's for me. I May not agree with some things that my sons do for my daughters-in-law. I'm Not here to judge them, but I'm not gonna let my standard be affected by them. No. Or by some sisters or brothers in this church.

I disagree with a lot of elders in our churches many things. I don't judge them. It's their business to go their way. I Don't impose my views on them. I sometimes give a suggestion To different ones that elders meetings and all that, but I never go checking up.

Are you following it? Are you following it? No, it's not my business. I'm a watchman like Ezekiel. I just got to blow the trumpet and say hey, there's some dangers here after that. Nobody's blood is on my hands dear brothers and sisters.

I believe that you can walk You know free from the pull of this world if you look at Jesus alone, that's the only solution and If you find someone Who's really following Jesus follow that example. I found a few in my life and I'm challenged by them sometimes.

I read a Sentence in a book and it really grips me. I Said there there's a person who's seen something of Jesus and it convicts me and I follow that or I see something sometimes in a person I see a Meek and a quiet spirit in Some young sister.

I see a boy. Oh Precious that sister must be in God's eyes. Bible says that. And then I see others who don't have that meek and quiet spirit who are sort of bossy. I don't judge them. That's between them and God.

But I don't have much respect for them because I say that's not Christianity. It's the spirit of the world that's come into such people to make them like that. Spirit of Christ is very different. He said learn from me for I'm humble and gentle.

It's one of the most disobeyed commands in Scripture. Matthew 11 29 Learn from me for I'm humble and gentle of heart. We're not naturally humble and gentle of heart. We are proud and hard. But if you remain like that, it's sad.

I believe that as we grow older and as older doesn't mean you've got to become 60 or 70. That means you were 20 and you've become 25. Now. You're grown older. You should become humbler and Gentle as time goes on.

That's how it should be. Particularly if you sit in a church like this where you hear These truths regularly. So let's think of this as a mountain the way Christ lived. He overcame the world the world had no power over him.

Faith That Overcomes the World

He walked upright. Now, let me turn to 1 John chapter 5. 1 John chapter 5 and Verse 4. Whatever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that has overcome the world our faith. Now many people use logic here.

I'm born of God. That means I automatically overcome the world. No, no, no, no, no, don't read. Read it like that. I know 90 of born-again Christians I've met have not overcome the world. They are defeated by the world all around.

They don't even know it. What does it mean? Let me read it like this. Whatever or whoever is born of God has the potential To overcome the world. That's how I understand it. In you is the potential to overcome the world.