SPIRITUAL ROADBLOCK 1 JOHN 2:15-17

INTRODUCTION

THERE ARE SPIRITUAL ROADBLOCKS THAT ARE SET UP BY THE ENEMY IN THIS WORLD

THE ENEMY DESIRES TO DETOUR AND DISTRACT PEOPLE

THAT’S WHY WE NEED TO ENTER BY THE NARROW GATE; FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND THERE ARE MANY WHO GO IN BY IT

THE GATE IS NARROW AND THE WAY IS DIFFICULT THAT LEADS TO LIFE AND THERE BE FEW THAT FIND IT

ON THE ROAD OF LIFE WE WILL ENCOUNTER MANY ROADBLOCKS

WE WILL FACE DIFFICULTIES AND ADVERSITIES AT VERY IMPORTANT MOMENTS OF LIFE

THIS IS WHY WE MUST MAKE THE DECISION TO CARRY ON WITH JESUS

I DON’T KNOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN THE OLD CARTOON WITH THE ROADRUNNER AND WILE E. COYOTE

THE COYOTE WOULD CONSTANTLY SET UP TRAPS AND ROADBLOCKS FOR THE ROADRUNNER

BUT, HIS ROADBLOCKS WOULD ALWAYS BACKFIRE ON HIM

BECAUSE, THE ROADRUNNER WOUKD NEVER BE FOOLED BY THEM

THE ROADRUNNER WOULD ALWAYS STAY FOCUSED UPON WHERE HE WAS GOING

ROADBLOCKS HINDER OUR PROGRESS BECAUSE THEY CAUSE US TO TAKE DETOURS

SATAN BUILDS ROADBLOCKS AND THEN WHISPERS INTO OUR EARS ALL THE LIES THAT WOULD DETOUR US

BUT, THE APOSTLE JOHN KNEW THAT THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY WOULD NOT BE EASY

HE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE TURNS, FALLING ROCKS, STORMY WEATHER, AND FEW TRAVELERS

FOR IT IS JOHN THAT DECLARED THAT THE LOVE FOR THIS WORLD HINDERS OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE

LOVE FOR THE WORLD REVEALS OUR TRUE SPIRITUAL CONDITION

DO YOU LOVE THE WORLD AND THE THINGS IN THE WORLD

IS YOUR PASSION UPON THE EARTH’S PLEASURES, PLACES, AND POWER

LET US REPENT OF OUR MISPLACED LOVE, FORSAKE THE LOVE OF THE WORLD, AND TURN BACK TO JESUS

LET’S LOOK AT OUR SPIRITUAL ROADBLOCK

BODY

I. THE PRINCIPLE ABOUT THE WORLD (VS. 15)

A. THE STRONG COMMAND CONCERNING OUR LOVE (VS. 15A)

1 John 2:15 KJV 1900

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

THIS IS NOT A SUGGESTION FROM THE LORD, NEITHER IS IT JUST AN OPINION

THIS IS A COMMAND FROM CHRIST

IT IS A SIN FOR A CHILD OF GOD TO LOVE THE THINGS OF THE WORLD

WORLD: (KOSMOS) FROM WHICH WE GET COSMOPOLITAN, COSMIC, COSMETIC

THE WORD KOSMOS IS TAKEN FROM A VERB THAT MEANS “TO ORDER, TO ARRANGE, OR TO PUT INTO THE PROPER POSITION.”

THIS WORD IS USED G FOR THE CREATED WORLD THAT WE SEE, THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, OR THE WORLD SYSTEM

THE CREATED WORLD SHOULD BE ADMIRED BY US AND SHOUKD CAUSE US TO PRAISE GOD FOR HIS CREATED POWER AND BEAUTY

WE ARE NOT CALLED TO HATE THE CREATED WORLD

THE WORLD OF PEOPLE IS WHAT JOHN SPOKE OF IN HIS GOSPEL WHEN JESUS SAID,

John 3:16 KJV 1900

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

WE ARE TO LOVE THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. WE ARE TO LOVE THE WORLD IN THAT WAY

THE THIRD USE OF THE WORD IS USED IN THIS VERSE WHERE JOHN ENCOURAGES US NOT TO LOVE THE WORLD

THIS REFERS TO THE WORLD’S SYSTEM WHICH IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF SATAN

1 John 5:19 KJV 1900

And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

THIS WORLD SYSTEM IS ALIGNED WITH, EMPOWERED BY, AND RULED BY SATAN IN OPPOSITION OF ALL THAT GOD IS DOING

THIS IS THE WORLD THAT JOHN IS TELLING US NOT TO LOVE

THE WORLD IS KNOWN IN THREE AREAS: THE WORLD SPHERE, THE WORLD’S SPIRIT, AND THE WORLD’S SYSTEM

LOVE FOR THE WORLD AFFECTS THE TOTAL PERSON

IT AFFECTS OUR BODIES, SOULS, AND SPIRIT

THE WORLD AFFECTS US IN FIVE DIFFERENT AREAS

CONSUMES OUR ENERGIES

DEPLETES OUR RESOURCES

DEMANDS OUR TIME

DISTORTS OUR HEARTS

DIVERTS OUR MINDS

THE WORLD WILL INFILTRATE US, INFECT US, AND INFATUATE US IF WE ARE NOT FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

SOME YEARS AGO A PASTOR HAD TAKEN A GOUP OF CHURCH MEMBERS AND READ

Genesis 35:2 KJV 1900

Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments:

SO, THEY BEGAN THROWING THINGS INTO A PIT ALARM CLOCK, TELEVISION, SECULAR MUSIC

IS THERE ANYTHING IN BETWEEN YOU AND GOD THAT KEEPS YOU FROM LIVING THE CHRISTIAN LIFE TO THE FULLEST

WORLDLINESS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH TODAY

IT PLAGUES OUR CHURCHES, KEEPS OTHERS FROM HAVING THE POWER OF FOD

IT STEALS OUR EFFECTIVENESS, RUINS WITNESS FOR THE LORD

THAT’S WHY THE COMMAND WAS SO STRONG

THE CHURCH IS IN FULL WORLDLINESS TODAY

5% OF CHURCH MEMBERS DO NOT EXIST

10% CANNOT BE FOUND

20% NEVER PRAY

25% NEVER READ THEIR BIBLES

30% NEVER ATTEND CHURCH

40% NEVER GIVE AN EXTRA OFFERING

50% NEVER GO TO SUNDAY SCHOOL

60% NEVER ATTEND AN EXTRA CHURCH SERVICE

70% NEVER GIVE TO MISSIONS

75% NEVER ENGAGE IN CHURCH ACTIVITY

80% NEVER GO TO A PRAYER MEETING

90% NEVER HAVE A TIME OF FAMILY WORSHIP

95% NEVER WIN A SOUL FOR CHRIST

IF WE LOVE CHRIST WITH ALL OUR MINDS, HEART, SOUL, AND STRENGTH, THERE WOULDN’T BE ANYTHING LEFT FOR THIS WORLD TO HAVE

Colossians 3:1–3 KJV 1900

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

WE ARE NOT TO GET ATTACHED TO THIS WORLD; WE ARE TO BE IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF THE WORLD

ARE YOU PASSIONATE FOR THE WORLD’S PLACES, PLEASURES, PRODUCTS, AND PROSPERITY

WHAT DISTURBS YOU THE MOST:

A SOUL LOST IN HELL OR A SCRATCH ON YOUR NEW CAR

YOUR MISSING THE WORSHIP SERVICE…OR MISSING A DAY OF WORK

A SERMON 10 MINUTES LONG… OR LUNCH 30 MINUTES LATE

YOUR BIBLE NOT OPENED......OR YOUR NEWSPAPER UNREAD

THE CHURCH WORK BEING NEGLECTED......OR HOUSEWORK NEGLECTED

MISSING BIBLE STUDY.....OR YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW

YOUR TITHES DECREASING....ORYOUR INCOME DECREASING

WHICH ONES OF THESE DISTURB YOU THE MOST

John 2:15 KJV 1900

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;

1 John 2:15 KJV 1900

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

JOHN MOVES FROM A COMMAND TO CONSEQUENCES

WHEN WE HEAR THIS VERSE, WE SHOULD EVALUATE OUR OWN LIVES

BECAUSE IF WE LOVE THE WORLD, MAKE NO MISTAKE THAT THE LOVE OF GOD IS NOT IN HIM

TO LOVE THE WORLD AND ENJOY ITS FRIENDSHIPS, FANCIES, AND FASHIONS IS PROOF THAT THE HEART HS REALLY NEVER BEEN TOUCHED BY GOD

James 4:4 KJV 1900

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

WHOEVER WANTS TO BE A FRIEND TO THIS WORLD MAKES HIMSELF N ENEMY WITH GOD

PEOPLE ARE FORSAKING THINGS OF GOD TO GAIN THINGS OF THIS WORLD

MANY HAVE LEFT:

WORSHIP FOR WORK

SCRIPTURES FOR SIN

FELLOWSHIP FOR FOLLY

THEIR SANCTIFICATION FOR SOCIAL DRINKING

THE PREACHING OF THE WORD FOR THE PRAISE OF THE WORLD

LOVING THEIR FAMILIES FOR LEAVING THEIR FAMILIES

LEFT PURITY FOR POPULARITY

WHEN WE FORSAKE THE LOVE OF THE FATHER THERE IS NO TELLING WHERE WE WILL END UP

THE LOVE OF THE WORLD IS A ROADBLOCK TO MANY PEOPLE

ARE YOU DRAWN TO THIS WORLD’S PLEASURES

GOD IS CALING US TO FORSAKE THE WORLD AND RENEW OUR LOVE AND PASSION FOR JESUS

WE NEED TO PUT OUR LOVE AND AFFECTION BACK TO CHRIST

LOVE HIM WITH ALL OF YOUR MIND..........