What We're Up Against

A Dark Kingdom

The Kingdom of the Kosmos (of the World)

What is it?
1. The underlying qualities or patterns which animate the world such as the wisdom (I Cor. 3:19 ), the spirit (I Cor. 2:12), the ways (I Cor. 7:31) and the lusts or desires (Titus 2:12) of the world .

2. The hostility of the world system toward God and Christ.
1. I Cor. 1:21 - the world knew not God
2. Jn. 7:7 - the world's works are evil
3. Jn. 14:17 - the world cannot receive the spirit
4. Jn. 15:18 - the world hated Christ

3. The men who have alienated themselves from God by belonging to this kingdoms (Heb. 11:38; Jn. 14:17; Jn. 15:18)
I Jn. 2:15 – love of the things of that are in the world
II Pet. 2:20 –defiled by the world.

What does Christ says about the Komos?
1. Jn. 18:36 - My kingdom is not of this Kosmos
2. Jn. 16:33 - I have overcome the world
3. Jn. 12:31 Now is the judgement of this Kosmos

In addition:
4. James 4:4*- Friendship with the world is enmity with God
5. I Jn. 2:15*- If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
6. I Jn. 5:4 - our faith overcomes the world

D. This is because there is a mind behind the system.
1. Jn. 12:31; Jn. 14:30; Jn. 16:11 - the ruler of this world
2. II Cor. 4:4 - the god of this world (the term here is not Kosmos, but ho seon houtos which is a synonym but contmeplates the world system from the aspect of time, or age, rather than space as does Kosmos. See also Rom. 12:2 and #6).
3. Eph. 2:2 - the prince of the power of the air
4. I Cor. 2:8 - the demons are the rulers of this age or this world
5. Eph. 6:12 - the demons are the world rulers (Kosmoskraters) of this darkness
6. I Jn. 5:19*- the whole world lies in the power of the evil one
7. For our[i] struggle is not against flesh and blood (or human opponents) ,[j] but against rulers, authorities, cosmic powers in the darkness around us,[k] and evil spiritual forces in the heavenly realm.

E. The believer is not to withdraw from the world system.
(Jn. 17:15, 16; I Cor. 5:9,10; Phil. 2:15; Mt. 5:13-16; Jn. 16:33)
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

World is in the power of the evil one. I have a choice to believe God or the world.

Sources: Watchman Nee