The World and Its Superstars Are Not Our Kingdom

The World and Its Superstars Are Not Our Kingdom

Our wonderful Lord Jesus was in his final “deep-and-meaningful” huddle with his 11 remaining “friends.” This took place at the Last Supper and walk to Gethsemane, just prior to his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. While speaking of his Father’s and his love for them, and about their need to love each other, he suddenly began to speak about “hate.” The wisdom and warning contained in these words is something we should heed with all of our hearts:

(John 15:18–19 NKJV) “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. (19) If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

Perhaps the Amplified Bible puts it a way that brings out more clearly what Jesus was saying:

(John 15:18 AMP) “If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”

Jesus is certainly not paranoid or insecure—believing mistakenly that the world hates him; “it does.” We should be under no illusion either; the entire world system—run by God’s archenemy, Satan—hates all those who are connected to Jesus:

(1 John 5:19 NLT) We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.

King Jesus made it very clear that neither he nor his kingdom was part of Satan’s evil world system:

(John 18:36 NLT) Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

Thankfully, those of us who are in Jesus are not of this world any more than Jesus was:

(John 17:14–16 NKJV) “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (15) I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. (16) They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”

In our opening passage, Jesus said that he “chose” us “out of the world,” and that’s a reason why the world hates us. Here, he expands on this and says to his Father, “I have given them you word; and the world has hated them.”

Jesus chose us, and then gave us the privilege of receiving God’s word. This is what brings the world’s animosity; Satan controls the world and its people. Yes, we need to take this truth seriously, renew our minds with it, and not simply reject it as being too farfetched: the whole world system and those in it are controlled by Satan; “the world hates you” because of your connection to King Jesus and God’s word.

The enemy certainly panicked when Jesus gave his chosen ones God’s word. Why? because Jesus rules his kingdom with words. When we receive the words Jesus gave us from his Father, believe them, grow them to harvest in the soil of our hearts, and act on them; Jesus’s kingdom expands. Simple logic tells us that if Jesus’s kingdom is expanding, then Satan’s kingdom and world system is shrinking; he loses ground—people and territory—when Jesus’s kingdom expands through increased submission to God’s word.

We notice also in the above passage that Jesus didn’t pray that his Father should take us “out of the world.” Instead, he prayed that Father would “keep” us from the “evil one.” This must imply safety from the unwarranted attacks and wicked onslaughts of the evil one. And it also implies that we be kept safe from his enticements, temptations, and pressure to unbelieving disobedience.

One of the pressures the enemy harasses God’s people with, is to make them envious of those who prosper in his system. This is especially true when we are launching out by faith to believe God’s word for provision, promotion, and the growth of our dream.

All of God’s kingdom projects begin as seeds, and grow progressively—sometimes over a whole lifetime. Meanwhile, celebrities and people around us in Satan’s world system seem to have their “blessings” almost instantly; some are born into them, some win them, some get them through sudden fame, and some get them deceptively. But one thing is for certain; God says not to envy them, especially if they are hell-bound sinners:

(Proverbs 23:17–18 NLT) Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the LORD. (18) You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.

If we continue to “fear the Lord” and to keep our eyes on Jesus, we will be rewarded—eternally. If we get our eyes on those destined for hell—whether they be celebrities, politicians, entertainers, sports stars, or wealthy luminaries—we will begin looking at where they are headed. They are not going to the destination at which we want to arrive; don’t envy them; don’t put your eyes on them at all, or you may follow them.

Today, I encourage you to keep your eyes on Jesus—God’s living word and Son. Don’t allow your focus to drift onto the devil’s bait and allurement—the seemingly “blessed” people of his kingdom. Whether they have fame, fortune, political influence, sporting prowess, street-smarts, or beauty; they are not our role models. These people are Satan’s bait to hook us back into his doomed system. He is running out of time, and his kingdom shrinks every time we say no to his enticement and empty promises; and instead say “yes” to Jesus, putting our trust in God’s word.

Don’t be surprised that the world hates you; if you love God, the world is your archenemy too! Let’s confess with assurance our faith in Jesus’s prayer, by saying: “I am not of the world. My heavenly Father is keeping me from the evil one—guarding me from loss or injury.”

Remember: “Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. You will be rewarded for this; your hope will not be disappointed.” (Prov. 23:17–18 nlt)