January 9: The one who is in us is greater…

You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.  (1 John 4:4 — NET)

These words were written to Christians who were being attacked. False prophets had appeared in the Church and were teaching ideas that ran counter to the truth about Jesus. Some members had been deceived while others were holding firm to their faith. When John says “you… have conquered them” he is referring to these false pastors.

This serves as a warning for Christians of every age. At any single point in history someone or something has attacked the Church of the Lord Jesus in an attempt to rob it of its effectiveness and salvation. In our age, the attacks come from people teaching an emotional-based faith, promoting feel-good Christianity that excuses people from sacrifice and dying to the flesh, and a gospel that ignores the existence of demons. Of the seven churches in the book of Revelation, the one that best describes our age would be the lukewarm church.

The same word that John used to encourage Christians two thousand years ago is still needed today: the One who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world. God’s Spirit in us is greater than the false doctrines of today, greater than the people who attack us for our faith, greater than the temptation to give up, greater than our track record of giving up halfway through everything we try.

The devil and his demons constantly whisper the opposite into our ears… constantly. We would have accomplished so much more at this point in our lives if we had only remembered that the power of God inside of us is greater than our problems and circumstances. It doesn't matter if our enemies are false teachers, corrupt governments, evil spirits, difficult circumstances, the attacks of illness or disease — whatever the devil uses to attack us — we will overcome because we are God's people. 

God has called us to help Him devastate and destroy the devil's kingdom. So be victorious yourself, and then help other suffering people get out from under the oppression and slavery of Satan.