THE WINNING SIDE

1 John 4:4

Morning Meditation 2/8/2013

1 John 4:4, "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."

WHO IS HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD?

The spirit of the antichrist. He is manifested in those who despise His Name. The people of the world constantly use His name in vain. They use His name to vent their frustrations and think nothing about it.

They neglect His Word. His Bible tells us where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going; it also tells us how to be right with God. But the world rejects His Word and accepts man’s version of where we came from.

They avoid His people. In fact the world despises His people. We are as surely rejected as Jesus was.

They delight in worldliness. The world has its standards. The world-lings keep those standards so long as it is convenient. But when they run into a conflict they make a new rule to avoid keeping the old standard. The Christian does not have that liberty. God’s standards never change. Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

They make light of sin. God’s standard of right and wrong conflicts with the life style of the world so they reject God’s way in favor of the world’s.

WHO IS HE THAT IS IN US?

1 John 4:12-13, "No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit."

Everyone who is born of the Spirit has the Holy Spirit indwelling him. Romans 8:9, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

This is the Spirit of wisdom. Wisdom is not knowledge but how to use and apply knowledge to our every day lives. Solomon prayed for wisdom to lead God’s people and he was one of the greatest kings of all time.

This is the Spirit of truth. Every time we do wrong the Spirit of truth convicts us. The Holy Spirit is in us to guide us in making the crooked paths straight.

It is the Spirit of power. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live the Christian life.

It is the Spirit of holiness. God is holy and makes us holy. There is a lot of things we can do and a lot of things we can’t do. The holy Spirit is in us to make us walk the straight path.

HOW IS HE GREATER?

He is greater because Jesus has judged him and disarmed him. Jesus says in John 12:31 “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.”

Satan has no power against the Christian who resists him. James 4:7 “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Christian, have you discovered that you are on the winning side? “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.”

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White