1 John 4:5 ESV 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
"They" is talking about the evil spirits discussed previously in the chapter. These evil spirits are in the world and they speak to the world and the world listens to them.
The way the world speaks is completely different than the way the Lord speaks, and should be completely different than the way believers speak. The world speaks death, constantly putting each other down and saying words that discourage. The world talks about their neighbor behind their neighbors back. The world doesn't recognize the power of their words so they don't think about the words they're speaking.
These spirits speak from the world, and the world listens to them. The world has a hard time hearing the Word of God because God's Word is Love. The only way you can understand Love is to know the greatest Lover. Everyone gets challenged by God's Word because He calls us to Love. The world listens to the words everyone else speaks because they make sense to them: take care of #1, be as successful as possible by any means, money is happiness. These are all lies, but they are lies the world believes. The world is looking for something to fulfill them so they try these things and they find they don't work so they keep looking but they refuse to look to the One thing that will satisfy them. If what the world has told you is true isn't working, try something new.
Watch the words you speak. When something goes wrong don't assume that everything's going to fall apart. Instead, speak out your faith. As believers, we are blessed. We are loved without end. We have everything that we need in Christ. Be careful to speak blessings and not curses. What you speak will return to you. Speak life instead of death, speak love instead of hate. What you speak is what you believe in. What kind of life do you want to live?
Friday, April 20, 2012
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Winning!
I was reading this in my devotions this morning and got so excited that I couldn't keep this to myself.
1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for che who is in you is greater than dhe who is in the world. - I love this verse. We are called little children. We are still learning, we are still under the Lord’s headship and protection. Little children is also a name given to those who are loved. This is a reminder of our lineage, of our identity.
The next part gets better. We have overcome them; them being the spirits that do not agree with Jesus. He that is in me is greater than he who is in the world. The Holy Spirit has much more power than the devil, or any of the spirits who do his bidding. The Holy Spirit has already won the battle through Jesus’ blood and we have that same power living inside us. That also means that we’ve already won, and if we’ve won there is a new life to be lived!
Friends, you have overcome! Please notice that overcome is past tense, not present or future, but in the past. The war has already been won. We already know who wins. Will you choose to fight the battles that come along? Will you remember your true identity and walk in the victory that's already yours?
Rom. 8:37 says that we are more than conquerors. We're not just conquerors, but more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. We've already got it.
Check out this article and video from John Piper. He's talking more about suffering but I love what he says near the end about being more than a conqueror in Christ. Know that you have power, you have the strength living within you. As a believer, you are incredibly blessed. The same power that raised Christ from the dead LIVES inside you!
Are you using it to the full extent? Are you winning?
1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for che who is in you is greater than dhe who is in the world. - I love this verse. We are called little children. We are still learning, we are still under the Lord’s headship and protection. Little children is also a name given to those who are loved. This is a reminder of our lineage, of our identity.
The next part gets better. We have overcome them; them being the spirits that do not agree with Jesus. He that is in me is greater than he who is in the world. The Holy Spirit has much more power than the devil, or any of the spirits who do his bidding. The Holy Spirit has already won the battle through Jesus’ blood and we have that same power living inside us. That also means that we’ve already won, and if we’ve won there is a new life to be lived!
Friends, you have overcome! Please notice that overcome is past tense, not present or future, but in the past. The war has already been won. We already know who wins. Will you choose to fight the battles that come along? Will you remember your true identity and walk in the victory that's already yours?
Rom. 8:37 says that we are more than conquerors. We're not just conquerors, but more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. We've already got it.
Check out this article and video from John Piper. He's talking more about suffering but I love what he says near the end about being more than a conqueror in Christ. Know that you have power, you have the strength living within you. As a believer, you are incredibly blessed. The same power that raised Christ from the dead LIVES inside you!
Are you using it to the full extent? Are you winning?
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