“Lord Jesus, we pray that we will not be ashamed of you as we live in this adulterous and sinful generation. Lord Jesus, we must testify to the truth. Forgive us and have mercy on us that we are often, non-committal and evasive in our stand for Christ. We commit ourselves to Your hands. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
Acts 2:40 And with many other words he testified and *exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
As we live amid an adulterous and sinful generation, we are to stand for Jesus and be identified as people of the cross of Christ. We ought not to be ashamed of Jesus. Mark 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Not only are we to be saved from this perverse generation, but we must also realise that we are sent into this perverse generation to reconcile people to God. The evil one will come against us because he is the ruler of this world. The Lord has prayed for us that we are kept from the evil one.
John 17:15-18 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. (17) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (18) As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
The Lord Jesus is praying that we should not be taken from the world but that we are kept from the evil one. I John 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
We are not of the world. We will not go along with the mind of the world. The world will aggressively force and make us to conform to its agenda. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
We will be those who will prove the will of God in all spheres, where the Lord places us. This is the reason we are set apart from the world, by truth. We manifest truth. II Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God._
When we demonstrate the truth, we will be connecting with the conscience of people. They will know that a person of God is there among them.
We will pull down the strongholds of the enemy and we will confront anything that stands up against the knowledge of God. II Corinthians 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not 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.
We are to go into the offensive. The evil one has set up strongholds in the world. We as His church are to identify these strongholds that are all around us and pull them down. The strongholds of the devil are in the areas of culture, social and political norms, the spiritual realm, the moral fibre of society, bio-physical or addictions to substances, and the economy.
There are strongholds that the devil has set up in each of these spheres. These are not separate silos but they are all interrelated and networked as a web. This is the web of the devil from which the Lord has delivered us.
We are sent back into the world by the Lord to bring down these strongholds and in their place set up the kingdom rule of our Lord Jesus. We must regain each of these spheres, which are now in the control of the evil one. We must know our task, position, status, identity and authority and we must exercise these.
When we do so the devil will apply immense pressure on us. II Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Though persecution is to be expected, we can rejoice for the Lord has overcome. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Knowing what the Lord has provided for us we go out into the world to be ambassadors for Christ. II Corinthians 5:18-20 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (20) Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
We are not to be ashamed of Jesus but establish the kingdom rule of Jesus in this sinful generation.