In The Word
Read: 1 John 5:4-21
4 For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.
5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 If we receive the testimony of people, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 The one who has the Son has the life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.
This Is Written That You May Know
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
16 If anyone sees his brother or sister committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will, for him, give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death; I am not saying that he should ask about that.17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.
18 We know that no one who has been born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Most people in the world would not want to admit this, but it is true. Their messed-up lives prove which master they serve. However, we who put our faith in Christ the Son of God have passed from bondage into freedom. We are no longer under the power of Satan but walk in the power of God, which comes from our faith in Yeshua. We have divine protection and strength that allows us to overcome the world and live victoriously. We have a hope of eternal life which is the reward of our faith.
Because we are children of God, we can ask anything according to His will and know that He hears us and will grant our request. John tells us to make sure to use this power to help rescue those that have slipped into sin. How do we help them? By leading them back to Christ and His teachings, back to faith and walking by the Spirit. What John is saying is that part of the way God protects us from the evil one is through helping one another. In his last sentence of this letter, John tells the followers of Christ to be careful to not place anything above Christ.
We must continue not only to put our faith in Christ and stay focused on our mission, but also to help each other and reach the world. We can do this through the power we receive in Christ.