Pastor Jason’s second point in his message from Daniel chapter 11 this past Sunday really stood out to me:
Understanding the reality of evil keeps us safe.
I think in the past, since I’ve struggled with anxiety and fear, it has felt safer to be in a place of ignorance. It feels “safe” to not even give attention or thought to the dark spiritual and physical realities we face here on earth. I even went to a church back in the day that rarely talked about spiritual warfare or the spiritual realm. It was easier and more “practical” to focus on the physical — the here and now.
But the Bible is very clear that there is a spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12), and as we learned last week, there is a heaviness and darkness that we as believers can sense and discern .
This week, I’m thinking about the concept of being “in the world but not of it.” (John 17:16)
This idea of being, “like sheep among wolves…wise as serpents, and innocent as doves”. (Matthew 10:16)
I wonder…what does that actually look like for us as believers?
Pastor Jason said it this way, “We are aware of the game, and we know how the game is played, but we are not playing the game.”
In trying to make sense of this concept, I always thought…well if we are to be “in” the world but not of it, we have to play by the game’s rules. We have to read the room and act accordingly. But that’s not necessarily what scripture says. We are to live holy and blameless before the Lord, which means knowing how the game is played, but not participating in evil.
Admittedly, it is hard to find this balance, especially when you find yourself in an environment where everyone is playing by the rules of the game.
But this is where our faith shines.
We choose not to get caught up in the drama, the politics, the manipulation, or the people-pleasing. We choose a different way, and that way is to serve and live for Christ and Him alone. We stand on truth and doing what’s right, even if it makes absolutely no sense to everyone around us.
At the end of it all, we are looking to Him to be the wise judge of our actions, not how the world perceives us.
I think Daniel did a really incredible job of living this out in Babylon. But even in his life, we see at times, that it can get very lonely and depressing. Like Daniel, we will have moments of being overwhelmed and periods of loneliness. Those are realities, just like persecution is a reality. One day we will be “left out” of the conversation, or party, or get together. Often times, we will have to answer insults with grace.
But for every instance of being left out here on earth, we are welcomed with open arms in heaven. The angels rejoice when just one sinner gets saved, so imagine how they must be cheering for you as you share your faith even when it’s hard.
Our God in heaven knows the end goal…the end game.
So we play by a different set of rules. We are in this for eternity. We are wise to what is going on in the world, but we are not governed by the worldly rules and standards. And at the end of it all, we only answer to Him.
What might it look like for you this week to be “in” the world, but not of it? How can you be wise to the world, but also choose to be led by a higher standard? Ask the Lord to guide you, and see what He might have in store.
Understanding the reality of evil keeps us safe.
I think in the past, since I’ve struggled with anxiety and fear, it has felt safer to be in a place of ignorance. It feels “safe” to not even give attention or thought to the dark spiritual and physical realities we face here on earth. I even went to a church back in the day that rarely talked about spiritual warfare or the spiritual realm. It was easier and more “practical” to focus on the physical — the here and now.
But the Bible is very clear that there is a spiritual realm (Ephesians 6:12), and as we learned last week, there is a heaviness and darkness that we as believers can sense and discern .
This week, I’m thinking about the concept of being “in the world but not of it.” (John 17:16)
This idea of being, “like sheep among wolves…wise as serpents, and innocent as doves”. (Matthew 10:16)
I wonder…what does that actually look like for us as believers?
Pastor Jason said it this way, “We are aware of the game, and we know how the game is played, but we are not playing the game.”
In trying to make sense of this concept, I always thought…well if we are to be “in” the world but not of it, we have to play by the game’s rules. We have to read the room and act accordingly. But that’s not necessarily what scripture says. We are to live holy and blameless before the Lord, which means knowing how the game is played, but not participating in evil.
Admittedly, it is hard to find this balance, especially when you find yourself in an environment where everyone is playing by the rules of the game.
But this is where our faith shines.
We choose not to get caught up in the drama, the politics, the manipulation, or the people-pleasing. We choose a different way, and that way is to serve and live for Christ and Him alone. We stand on truth and doing what’s right, even if it makes absolutely no sense to everyone around us.
At the end of it all, we are looking to Him to be the wise judge of our actions, not how the world perceives us.
I think Daniel did a really incredible job of living this out in Babylon. But even in his life, we see at times, that it can get very lonely and depressing. Like Daniel, we will have moments of being overwhelmed and periods of loneliness. Those are realities, just like persecution is a reality. One day we will be “left out” of the conversation, or party, or get together. Often times, we will have to answer insults with grace.
But for every instance of being left out here on earth, we are welcomed with open arms in heaven. The angels rejoice when just one sinner gets saved, so imagine how they must be cheering for you as you share your faith even when it’s hard.
Our God in heaven knows the end goal…the end game.
So we play by a different set of rules. We are in this for eternity. We are wise to what is going on in the world, but we are not governed by the worldly rules and standards. And at the end of it all, we only answer to Him.
What might it look like for you this week to be “in” the world, but not of it? How can you be wise to the world, but also choose to be led by a higher standard? Ask the Lord to guide you, and see what He might have in store.
Erika Pizzo
Erika is an author of various books on the topics of faith, mental health, and victory in Christ. Erika lives with her husband, daughter, son, and their fluffy poodle in sunny Southern California. Her two favorite things are a visit to the beach and a chai latte in hand.