Not a Mere Human
We are not a mere human beings on a spiritual journey, we are spiritual beings on a human journey.
When the Bible states that we should be set apart from the world it refers to the current world system with its values, priorities, loves and spiritual separation from God. If we do not see anything wrong with the world, we will never accept the need to turn from its ways. Therefore, in order to make a commitment to set ourselves apart from the world, we must clearly understand how God sees the world and why He wants believers to be set apart for Himself.
God intended at creation that He would be the supreme spiritual ruler over the earth with people living in physical bodies and having physical dominion over the earth. In doing this, God permitted people to determine the course of life on earth through their physical rule.
Genesis 1:28 (Amplified Bible)
And God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it [using all its vast resources in the service of God and man]; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and over every living creature that moves upon the earth.
Psalm 115:16 (Amplified Bible)
The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth has He given to the children of men.
Psalm 8:3-6 (Amplified Bible)
3When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established,
4What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?
5Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor.
6You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet:
Even though God created the heavens and earth, God has allowed Satan to be the spiritual ruler of this world. People as spiritual beings in physical bodies, have always had free will and live according to the daily decisions we make but the spiritual rule means that our thoughts are significantly influenced by evil spirits. This evil spiritual influence is offset by the God-given conscience and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Because the physical dominion of people was not lost through our original separation from God, it means that spirits must use physical bodies to do their work upon the earth. Therefore God and evil spirits can only impact a person’s life by planting thoughts into our mind but it is only with our consent that these thoughts stay in our life and impact it and never against our consent. God spiritually guides people to complete His will upon the earth by them reconciling themselves to Him and then yielding to the spiritual influence of the Holy Spirit. In this way individuals are instruments that God uses to accomplish His will upon this earth, but in a similar way, Satan and his evil spirits can also influence people to accomplish their evil will upon the earth. In this way the spiritual world around us is limited to what individual people will allow through their life.
1 Corinthians 12:27 (Amplified Bible)
Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body and [individually] you are members of it, each part severally and distinct [each with his own place and function].
Romans 12:21 (Amplified Bible)
Do not let yourself be overcome by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good.
1 John 4:4 (Amplified Bible)
Little children, you are of God [you belong to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world.
Many people allow the world around them to control them without realizing it. God is a speaking spirit, He has what he says. We were created in His image and likeness and we will have what we say be it good or bad. We need to guard our hearts and minds by being conscious as to what we allow in to us through what we listen to, what we look at and what we say.
Mark 11:23 (Amplified Bible)
Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him.
God wants us to live in prosperity and lack for nothing. But it our choice whose voice we listen to. It is our choice what we listen to look at and say.
Psalm 35:27 (Amplified Bible)
Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.
3 John 1:2 (Amplified Bible)
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.
We are able to exercise the authority that Jesus has to prevent Satan’s influence on our life. The Holy Spirit inside us is greater than Satan who is in the world around us. Jesus’ life characterized life in God’s spiritual kingdom. Even though He lived in the world, He demonstrated His spiritual dominion over it and His ability to influence it and change it. He demonstrated to people around Him, while living in a physical body, what it was like to live in God’s spiritual kingdom through His words and actions.
Although we live in the world which is separated from God, under the spiritual rule of Satan and under the physical dominion of people who are generally separated from God, we no longer want to be controlled by the world’s influences. However we are meant to be very different in our thinking, emotions, words and actions.
Romans 12:2 (Amplified Bible)
Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
Philippians 4:13 (Amplified Bible)
I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].
