Sermon Tone Analysis

We begin this journey by emptying ourselves of everything that is of us.

The Bible tells us not to love the things of this world, which is a contrast to what we are being taught in today’s society.

But as children of God, who have been bought by the blood of Christ, we are to deny ourselves and take up our cross, if we choose to truly follow Christ.

We ask, how is this even possible when “cancel culture” is rampant and temptation has become even more difficult to resist?

The truth is, we can’t stand alone.

We need the Spirit of God overflowing within us; to abide in Him, and to equip ourselves with the Sword of the Spirit - which is the word of God.

!!! How do we get rid of worldliness and start pursuing the will of God?

1. *Do not love the world or anything of this world*

* John reminds us in 1 John 2:15-20..

* This doesn’t mean that we should condemn those who don't live by godly values.

* Worldly means..

/Satan being the prince of this world:/ [[bible: John 12:31]] , [[bible: John 14:30]], [[bible: Ephesians 2:2]], [[bible: 2 Corinthians 4:4]]

2. *Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world.*

* [[bible: Romans 12:1-2]]

3. *Walk by the Spirit*

* [[bible: Galatians 5:16]]

* We cannot serve two masters: the pattern of the world contradicts the will of God.

As children of God, we cannot just do whatever we want- we are to remain aligned to the will of God.

4. *Remember who we are in Christ*

* [[bible: 1 John 2:18-20]]

* Endure the race, as Christ has endured the cross so that we may be renewed.

5. *Be transformed by the /renewing/ of your mind*

* Renewing, /anakainōsis/ - renovation; complete change for the better

Going back to [[bible: 1 John 2:17]], it tells us that the world and its desires are temporary.

But those who live by the will of God shall have eternal life.

Through Jesus Christ, we no longer need to worry about the future because by His sacrifice we have become a new creation.

Instead of living a life surrounded by lies and just wasting our days away, our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering, have become a journey worth living because the One who’s waiting for us at the finish line is worthy of it all.