Based on the sermon:

The story of Soon Lee haunts me. Imprisoned in North Korea from 1987 to 1992, she witnessed something extraordinary that would change her life forever. Though forbidden to speak, she watched fellow Christian prisoners endure beatings and torture rather than denounce Christ. Even facing execution, they sang hymns. Their unwavering faith in the face of persecution eventually led Sunoon to seek Christ herself after her release.

This raises a profound question for those of us living in relative comfort: How do we cultivate that same depth of faith? How do we live godly lives in an increasingly ungodly age when our trials pale in comparison to those North Korean believers?

The answer lies in understanding that godly living isn’t about the circumstances we face, but how we prepare ourselves spiritually for whatever comes. Whether facing persecution or prosperity, three essential principles can anchor our faith and help us live lives that truly make a difference.

1. Be Mindful of the Warnings

Living godly begins with spiritual discernment. We live in an age of religious confusion where false teachings abound, often dressed in appealing packaging. The prosperity gospel promises health and wealth, hyper-grace theology turns God’s grace into a license for sin, and moralistic therapeutic deism reduces Christianity to simply “being nice.”

The challenge isn’t that these teachings are obviously wrong—it’s that they contain just enough truth to be dangerous. Like cyanide in Tylenol, a poisoned gospel can destroy lives while appearing beneficial on the surface.

Biblical discernment requires testing every spiritual claim against Scripture. As the apostle John warned, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” This isn’t about being cynical or judgmental—it’s about being wise. A shepherd who fails to warn the flock about wolves isn’t loving; he’s negligent.

The rise of false teaching should actually strengthen our faith, not weaken it, because Scripture predicted this would happen. Jesus warned about false prophets in sheep’s clothing. Paul spoke of those who would distort the gospel. When we see these warnings coming to pass, it confirms the reliability of God’s Word rather than undermining it.

2. Be Diligent with Your Resources

God has given believers everything needed to live godly lives. The key is learning to use these spiritual resources consistently and effectively.

Build Up Through God’s Word Just as our physical bodies need daily nourishment, our spiritual lives require regular feeding from Scripture. The Bible describes itself as milk for new believers and meat for the mature—soul food that builds us up in faith. Watchman Nee, the Chinese evangelist, read through the New Testament every month. Chinese Christians had a saying: “No Bible, no breakfast.” While such discipline may seem extreme, it reflects the priority God’s Word should have in our lives.

Faith comes by hearing God’s Word. If we want to grow in faith, we must be people of the Book. This means reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and meditating on it. The younger you are, the easier memorization becomes—but it’s never too late to start hiding God’s Word in your heart.

Build Up Through Prayer Prayer isn’t just reciting a grocery list of requests to God. True prayer involves our hearts yielding to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to direct our prayers according to God’s will. It’s the difference between checking boxes on a prayer list and having genuine conversation with our heavenly Father.

Build Up Through Obedience Keeping ourselves “in the love of God” doesn’t mean we can lose our salvation—it means we abide in His love through obedience. As Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” When we drift into sin, we confess quickly and return to walking in His ways.

Build Up Through Eager Anticipation Living with the expectation of Christ’s return provides powerful motivation for holy living. When we remember that Jesus could return at any moment, it changes how we respond to temptation and how seriously we take our spiritual growth.

3. Be Active in Your Mission Field

Godly living isn’t just about personal growth—it’s about impacting others for Christ. Your mission field consists of the people in your sphere of influence: family members, coworkers, neighbors, and friends. God wants to use you right where you are.

Effective witness involves both shining and sharing—living in a way that reflects Christ’s character while also speaking truth when opportunities arise. The North Korean Christians couldn’t speak, but their shine was so bright it drew Sunoon to faith. However, most of us have opportunities to both live and speak the gospel.

In your mission field, you’ll encounter three types of people: doubters who need truth and love, the deceived who need truth, love, and urgency, and the debased who need truth, love, urgency, and wisdom. Each requires a different approach, but all need the hope that only Christ can provide.

Moving Forward

Christian living isn’t a sprint—it’s an ultramarathon. The goal isn’t perfection but direction. Are you moving forward in your relationship with Christ, or have you been coasting? Are you growing in love for Jesus, or have you plateaued?

God isn’t primarily concerned with the perfection of your life, but He cares deeply about the direction. Like swimming against a current, spiritual growth requires constant effort. The moment we stop paddling, we begin drifting backward.

The believers who sang hymns while facing execution in North Korea didn’t possess supernatural strength unavailable to us. They simply took seriously the call to live godly lives in an ungodly age, building themselves up in faith through consistent spiritual disciplines and remaining faithful to their mission.

That same calling rests on us today. The question is: Will we answer it with the same dedication?