As the Arabian Nights character, Sinbad the Sailor, guided his ship into the Indian Ocean, he failed to recognise the danger he faced.
From the surface of the placid waters, a huge magnetic rock rose towards the blue sky. “Magnetic Mountain” mysteriously pulled the ship closer and closer, and then it happened. The nails and bolts were tugged from the ship’s sides. Slowly, every clamp was loosened and eventually the whole structure of bulwark, mast and spars tumbled in ruin into the sea. Yet again, Sinbad was shipwrecked.
True? Of course not.
No ship in any ocean will ever encounter such a danger, but we can learn from this untrue adventure story.
This world (the world system in which we live) has a magnetic pull on us as Christians. It seeks to draw us away from God’s heart. The world seeks to distract and entice us, gradually pulling us out of the circle of God’s loving embrace as we consider its attractions. It seeks to draw us away from Christian fellowship and from spending time with God and His Word.
The magnetic influence of this world loosens the nails and bolts that hold our lives and our families together. It minimises the strength, togetherness and influence of the family unit, and we see family break downs and lives pulled apart, each one moving in separate directions.
The magnetic ‘wisdom of the world’ belittles Biblical morals and ethics. It tells us we have a right to determine things concerning our own bodies. It tells us that murdering unborn children is quite OK. It tells us we can choose to obey our sexual desires with whomever we like; that same-sex unions are equal; that marriage is old-hat; that we were never meant to be monogamists.
The magnetic ‘wisdom of the world’ tells us we must accept all opinions as valid; including opinions about various gods or no gods; that it doesn’t matter what we believe.
The magnetic ‘wisdom of the world’ centres on ‘entertainment’ regardless of its content. We see an abundance of occult-based TV shows and movies, with demons, witches, zombies, vampires and the like as heroes to be admired. We see children speaking out curses learned from such shows and best-selling books.
The magnetic ‘wisdom of the world’ encourages moderation where the Bible forbids. The world says “Don’t overdo it” where the Bible says “Don’t do it”. The ‘wisdom of the world’ encourages ‘white lies’ where the Bible clearly states lying is a sin.
As Christians we have another ‘magnet’. We have Holy Spirit who lives in us and He is an internal magnet who works in us to draw us closer to our God. That Magnet is stronger than the pull of the world’s magnet. That Magnet convicts us and when we allow Him to work in us, He empowers us and enables us to overcome all the drawing power of the world.
Our enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil are defeated foes. When we spend time with God, worshipping Him, learning from Him, being encouraged and strengthened by Him and submitting to Him, He gives us victory. He will hold us together in a world that wants to pull us apart.
John 15:19
You are not of this world. I have chosen you out of this world.
2 Corinthians 6:16,17
You are the temple of the living God . . .
Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate’ says the Lord.
‘Do not touch that which is unclean and I will receive you.’
Romans 12:2
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.
1 John 2:15-16
Do not love the world or the things in the world. I
f anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him.
For all that is in the world
– the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life –
is not of the Father but of the world.
James 4:4
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world,
makes himself an enemy of God.
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MEETING IN THE CLOUDS 
The Holy Spirit is a magnet that will draw us out of the world but we must allow ourselves to be exposed to Him! Oh how we need His presence!
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Amen! We need His presence. We need His conviction. We need His empowerment and enabling. We need His strength to stand against the pulls of this world and to uphold God’s ways.
Time is running out and we need to let the light, love, mercy and grace of Jesus shine out from us into the darkness of this world that others may see Him, and He will draw them to Himself.
We are one day closer!
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Thank you Angela, for writing this excellent post! It’s one of the best I’ve heard or read concerning the pull of the world vs. the pull of the Spirit.
Lord help us to walk by Your Spirit! (Galatians 5:16-17)
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Thanks Kurt. This is such an important subject, especially for young people. It seems the concept of “acceptable” entertainment has changed much in recent years, as moral values have become almost non-existent in much of society, and sadly often in the Church as well.
GOD does not change. His Word does not change. Friendship with the world DOES still equal enmity with God, and we need to shun everything that would draw us away from Him.
We serve an amazing God who is able to abundantly satisfy.
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He can when we cant. In our weakness the Holy Spirit enables us with His strength. Praise the Lord there is victory in Jesus!
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Amen! When we submit to our amazing God and resist the devil, the devil flees. He cannot stand against the indwelling Holy Spirit. We cannot – but He can and does!
What a truly amazing God who always causes us to triumph in Christ.
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Another well written/spoken post sister Angela! The power of indwelling Holy Spirit leads us, corrects us, teaches us and comforts as needed. I praise God for giving us everything we NEED to live the Christian so it’s pleasing to Him. It just amazes (I really can’t/don’t have a word to describe it) the unspeakable joy and peace it brings the soul “knowing” that our God lives within us!! We definitely are given so much from our AWESOME GOD! Praise Him with endless joy!
Blessings
Stephanie
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Stephanie, you are not the only one who doesn’t have a word to describe the experience of having the living, omnipotent God living within. This is something beyond description, but the REALITY of it blows us away!
Our amazing God just keeps the blessings flowing and flowing!
Angela
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I just loved how much you encourage us, showing us that He that is in us is stronger than that pull of the world. It gives us hope and strength that we can do as He desires. He is helping us .. may His will be done! God bless you, mentor Angela, as you draw us closer to Him, through every means possible! love and prayers!
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Debbie, as you very well know since God uses you mightily here at wordpress, it is an incredible blessing to be used by God to spread His message to the unreached and to encourage believers in their walk with the Lord.
I would love to be able to write ‘simple poems’ like you do, reducing major truths to a few words, but that is the gift He has given you. He has given our friend Rob the gift of ‘digging deep’ to explain His truths. He has given Paulette the gift of lifting our hearts in worship. He uses each of us in different ways, in different types of ministry, in order to reach people of all types. What a privilege!
What an amazing God!
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It is amazing that the Spirit of the Living God, resides within us, leading us into all righteousness. Praise God!
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Yes, it is amazing – but true! Praise God that He doesn’t save us and leave us to find our own way, but guides us, empowers us and enables us.
What an amazing God!
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Excellant post as always. I love the Holy Spirit that always points the way to what Jesus wants. He keeps me strong as this world gets darker. But light always overcomes darkness. Praise God.
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Link to my blog finally worked but it is embarrassing to see how long it is since I wrote anything there.
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April last year . . .
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Hi Jennifer. Welcome back.
How true. Without Holy Spirit active in our lives we would very soon be swallowed up in the devices of this world system. He is very quick to convict us, waving the ‘danger flag’ and showing us the snares which could so easily trap us. He not only shows us the traps, but also the way out. He gives us faith to follow Him and He empowers us to resist and to overcome.
What an amazing God!
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What would we do without the Holy Spirit of the Lrod leading us as we walk in the midst of a sinful world? What a blessing it is to know that we have the Lrod within us to show us the way through His Word that He would have us to walk. Lord bless you.
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What would we do? – We’d be floundering and hopeless!
Amen Rob! It is a blessing – one of the countless blessings we have as a blood-bought, adopted child of the living God! Having Him actually within us is mind-boggling but we know the absolute truth of it in our experience with Him.
We do indeed serve an amazing God!
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