Christian Living
“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.”
I John 4:4 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/1jn.4.4.NKJV
Who is in the world? The devil.
Who is in us? Jesus Christ.
1 John 4.4b is embedded in a body of scripture that provides the litmus test for identifying the spirit of the Antichrist. Starting from 1 John 3:24, we find in 1 John 4, that the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world operating through false prophets who preach, teach (and sing) in the name of Jesus Christ but who would not acknowledge and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (as a man) and as the Messiah from God.
In John 5:31-40, rather than leave John the Baptist unsure about the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus provides several indicators for John to identify the Christ. We should test every spirit.
The surge in false prophets and teachers, operating as ‘tares among wheat’ in the body of Christ has become very disturbing to me in recent times. In a recent blog post, The Pattern of the Truth, False Prophets and False Doctrines, I tried to share my thoughts on this.
The spirit of the Antichrist is motivated by the devil. Therefore false prophets and false teachers are agents of the devil.
Who really loves the devil?
Who is afraid of the devil?
1 John 4:4b is an admonition to not be afraid of the devil and his agents. Meaning that there is a tendency for one to be afraid of the devil and his agents. Also implying that fear is an operative tool of the devil.
We must remember that Jesus Christ embarrassed the devil thoroughly…..
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
Colossians 2:15 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/col.2.15.NKJV
Who is the devil? We find his resume in John 10:10a- the thief!
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy” AMP.
Who wants a destructive and deadly thief in their corner? There is something fearful about that thought….
Well, one time this thief showed up in Jesus’ corner. Let’s see his modus operandi (how the devil operates).
From Matthew chapter 4, we find that the devil operates by essentially providing us with seemingly legitimate reasons to access bread (food), protection and wealth through illegitimate means. His ultimate goal, is to control and rule the one that obeys him. Romans 6:16 points out to us the principle leading to Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden, he obeyed Satan thus ceding authority and dominion to the devil…
“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?”
Romans 6:16 NKJV
Having fasted for so long, Jesus was extremely hungry. But should He turn stones to bread because the devil said so? Can you for a minute imagine stones being swallowed as bread??. Ill-gotten wealth, food, protection can only cause more harm, ….never good.
We go back to our focal scripture;
“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” 1 John 4:4 AMP.
So the devil can give bread, protection and wealth. Now, 1 John 4:4b tells us that the One in us (Jesus Christ) is greater than the devil.
How?
John 10:10b, Jesus speaking….
“….. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].”
John 10:10 AMP.
What is life?
Dictionary description of life: existence with capacity to function, grow, reproduce, with ability to continually change, function and adapt.
‘Zoe’ describes life as used in John 10:10. And Zoe is God’s kind of life; of power, holiness and righteousness.
When we think of all the devil has to offer (even though there isn’t any basis for comparison), but through Christ in us, we have greater provision of bread, protection and wealth. We have them, we live to enjoy them, and it overflows to others. Because the Greater One is in us. Halleluyah!
You know, it’s very easy to read Matthew 4, and not notice verse 11….
“Then the devil left Him; and angels came and ministered to Him [bringing Him food and serving Him].”
Matthew 4:11 AMP
Angels came and ministered divinely provided food and care to Jesus after His temptation. Angels are still moving around ministering to saints. And we can (surely) have more than enough supply of bread, protection and wealth when we walk by the Spirit of God, the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God. Because the Greater One is in us.
By His Spirit we gain knowledge of the secret things of God. By His Wisdom we know the right application of this knowledge and by His Power, we do the seemingly impossible things. Because the Greater One is in us.
Oh! Greater, Bigger, Mightier, Stronger, Wiser is the One in me than he who is in the world. Halleluyah!!!
Thank You Jesus ❤
