That is a question that the disciples of Jesus have tried to find a sufficient answer for centuries. In the Gospel of John chapter seventeen, Jesus says that we are not OF the world even as He was not OF it (John 17:11,14,16). He did not pray that we be taken OUT of the world but protected while within it (John 17:15). He has purposefully sent us INTO the world (John 17:18) to be His representatives and ambassadors to it (2 Cor.5:20).
What We Have that Enables Us To Minister To The World
Each of us has been born with a tendency to sin and be rebellious against God. But when we were born again we received a new nature, the old nature has gone and the new nature has come (2 Cor.5:17-18, 2 Peter 1:3,4). We have His Spirit within us (Rom.8:9, 1 John 4:4, Col.1:27). We have His Word (the Bible) with instructions about how we relate to the world while living by Kingdom principles. We must renew our minds according to the promises of God (Rom.12:1-2).
When we are told in the Bible that we should not love the world or be a friend to it (1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4) it refers to beliefs, values, attitudes, and actions. We live among people who have different beliefs than those of us who belong to Jesus. They have values in agreement with the kingdom they are living in. Disciples of Jesus are to live counter-culturally to the world. We are in but not of the world, and it is a constant battle against spiritual forces (2 Cor.10:3-5, Eph.6:12) of evil to live according to the Word of God.
Other Things We Can Do
- Regular worship with a local congregation.
- Consistent study of Scripture.
- Consistent prayer life.
- Become more outward-focused.
- Be filled with the Spirit of God.
- Exercise what motivational or spiritual gifts you may have.
- Meditate on the promises of God that assure us that He has given us everything needed for life and Godliness.