By Evangelist Sophia Jeffrie
Bible Study – 1 John 2:15-17NKJV
Love of the World 2:15-17 NKJV
1 John 2:15-17 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
15 Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself].
17 And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever.
PRAYER: If I had to give a title to this I would say: Symptoms of A Worldly Heart: The Stronghold of Carnality 1 John 2:15-17NKJV
The world that we live in today tells us “if it looks good and you want it, then go after it!”
But as Christians, God’s view of that is different. God wants His children to come after Him first! Matthew 6:33 tells us this and says, “33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. God wants to have our whole heart! God will not come second for anything or anyone!
Symptoms of A Worldly Heart: Carnality……….The Lust of The Flesh
1. Carnality is about or characterized by the flesh or the body, its passions and appetites; sensual: not spiritual; merely human; temporal; Worldly:
You see many of us are in bondage to our flesh. Sensual gratification is the state of being gratified, the gratification of physical appetites. Picture yourself in chains because that’s what it like to be in bondage and a slave to your flesh. Lust will take over the flesh if you don’t take over it!
The Lust of The Flesh – Samson’s Compromise….
• Samson’s sin of disobedience leads him to a series of destructive choices!
a. Food
b. Drink
c. Relationship in marriage
d. Any unclean thing
• Judges 13:14 14 She may not eat anything that comes from the vine, nor may she drink wine or similar drink, nor eat anything unclean. All that I commanded her let her observe.”
• The angel of the Lord told Samson's mother these things and he did not obey God.
• Judges 16:15-17 15 Then she said to him, “How can you say, ‘I love you,’ when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me these three times, and have not told me where your great strength lies.” 16 And it came to pass when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was [a]vexed to death, 17 that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”
The Lust of the Flesh…..Are You A Slave or Free??
Things that you can be strongholds:
• Negative attitude
• Food (Gluttony)
• Shopping (Good Steward)
• Drugs & Alcohol ( Our Body is His Temple)
• Sex (Pornography)
• Other Addictions
• All of these are rooted in Carnality and are works of the flesh.
“The undisciplined are slaves to moods, appetites, and passions”
― Stephen R. Covey
The Lust of The Flesh- Samson’s Compromise:
• How many people had a part to play in Samson’s demise? ______________
• Do you know of any modern Samson’s in our generation?______________.
• Why is carnality and lust of the flesh serious? ______________________.
Galatians 5:16 NKJV
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Symptoms of A Worldly Heart: Carnality……….The Lust of The Eyes – Sin of Greed and Covetousness
• God has always been concerned about the conditions of His children's hearts because out of it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
• Greed is defined as the intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.
• Covetousness is defined as - an envious eagerness to possess something or that is possessed by another. It’s extreme greed for material wealth.
Luke 12:15 NIV
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
• Exodus 20:17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house….
The Lust of The Eyes – Gehazi’s Sin of Greed
• Gehazi’s Greed – II Kings 5:20-27
• 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
• 22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’ ”
• 23 So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him. 24 When he came to the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed. 25 Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?”
• And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”
• 26 Then he said to him, “Did not my HEART go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves, and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.
Gehazi, was a companion of Elisha and he watched God do many miracles and mighty works through Elisha but he took for granted the power of God. Because of his greed in his heart and flesh that overtook him. This sin cost him and his family for generations to come!
The Lust of the Eyes – Sin of Greed - Ananias & Sapphira:
• Lying to the Holy Spirit Acts 5:1-5
•But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your control?
• Why have you conceived this thing in your HEART? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. 6 And the young men arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him.
Greed in our HEART and the Lust of the EYES will cause you to lie about things that you don’t even have to! God shall NOT be mocked or no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant.
The Lust of the Eyes – Sin of Greed – Consequences:
• Why do you think God’s consequences to Gehazi, Ananias and Sapphira was so harsh?________________________________________________
• Are you God ruled or money ruled? _______________________________
• Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Lust of the Eyes – Sin of Covetousness:
• 2 Samuel 11 David and Bathsheba
In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
• 2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, 3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” 4 Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”
David was a king and a prophet of God but he still allows the covetousness of his heart and the flesh of the eyes to override what he knew was right to do.
The Lust of the Eyes – Sin of Covetousness
• How can we as Leaders and Christians not fall into sin like King David? ________________________________________________________
• Do you have a Nathan/accountability partner in your life? _________________________________________________________
• Job 31: 1 “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
• Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Symptoms of A Worldly Heart: Carnality……….The Pride of Life – Sin of Pride – King Nebuchadnezzar:
• Daniel 4:28-33 NIV
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
• 31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
• 33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was as driven away from people, and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird.
King Nebuchadnezzar allowed the pride in his heart to trick him into thinking he could steal God’s glory and it did not work out well for him.
• Why is stronghold of pride so very destructive? ________________________
• Isaiah 42:8 says “I am the LORD! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols.”
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 NKJV 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
The only true way for believers to overcome the Stronghold of Carnality is by allowing God’s power of His Spirit to rule and reign in you. Then you can cast down or reject every thought to the obedience of Christ as you align in His obedience, then you can watch God work!
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About the Author
Evangelist Sophia Jeffrie is an ordained Reverend and called Evangelist into the Gospel Ministry where she serves the Lord with her whole heart! Evangelist Jeffrie is a retired Chief Petty Officer from the United States Navy, where she led, guided, trained, and ministered to thousands of Sailors throughout her career. God placed in her an assignment where He has positioned and trusted her with guiding His most troubled and vulnerable youth. It was there the Lord revealed His true purpose for her life and birthed in her the vision and purpose for what is now “Wisdom Truths”, a life-changing personal growth and development workshop designed to enhance the overall social and spiritual growth of At-Risk Youth. Evangelist Jeffrie has allowed God to use her as He heals and transforms lives by ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ on a larger scale! Her message of love and purpose is relatable to those from all walks of life and will certainly serve as a blessing to you as well. Evangelist Jeffrie received a Master of Arts Degree in Ministry from Luther Rice College & Seminary in 2018. She has two sons, a stepson and two stepdaughters, and has nine grandchildren.