January 15: Because you are strong…

I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2:14 — NET)

Here the apostle John addresses all Christians, but especially young men. Historians estimate that he was in his mid-8o’s when he wrote his epistles. He had been young and was now old, had lived with Jesus, had begun churches and built them up, had cast out many demons and healed countless sick, and had made it through some of the most horrendous periods of persecution the world has ever seen. After all that he was thoroughly qualified to speak to young men and instruct them on how to live their lives. He had seen how a small group of young men that followed Jesus had turned the world upside down, and how every single one had refused to deny the name of Jesus and had been martyred. He was the only one left… He knew what was possible for young men.

This advice is good for us all, but it is particularly good for young men. They have so much strength, drive, and potential, and yet are surrounded by powerful temptations to do wrong. Most young men obsess about their careers, pleasure, entertainment, and countless other things. When they turn to God and start to live for Him they stick out like a sore thumb among their friends at school, in the office, or on the construction site. But the real truth is that they have an inner strength and potential that is deadly for the evil one when they turn to the Lord Jesus in faith.

Some of the greatest moments of my life have been when I saw young men devote their youth and strength to serving God.

We all need to take this passage to heart and live it out. If we have surrendered our lives to the Lord Jesus and live by faith in Him, we are strong, have the word of God abiding in us, and have overcome the evil one. — We are already strong, no matter what your emotions tell you; the word of God abides in you when you have truly given your life to Him; the evil one has already been overcome, it’s simply a matter of us enforcing that victory.

Decide right now to make these three thoughts a habit in your life. Imagine what you will accomplish this year when you always think of yourself a strong, always allow the word of God to abide in you, and always consider the evil one already overcome.

Young men… the world is counting on you!