1 John 4:1-6: a reflection

1Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3and every spirit who doesn’t confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is the spirit of the Antichrist, of whom you have heard that it comes. Now it is in the world already. 4You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. 5They are of the world. Therefore they speak of the world, and the world hears them. 6We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

As John warns his readers to test the spirits, because many false prophets have gone out into the world, he gives them a word of strong assurance in the midst of the warning. You are of God, little children, he says, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. Facing false teaching and opposition, God's children are not left to their own strength; the One who is in them, God himself, is greater than any power ranged against them in the world. Whatever opposes them, whatever spirit of error or falsehood is at work in the world, the God who dwells in his people is greater. Their overcoming rests not on their own strength but on the One who is in them, who is greater than he who is in the world. Greater is he who is in us than any power that opposes us.

Notice the assurance John gives: greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. God's children face real opposition, false prophets, spirits of error, the pressure of a world that does not know God; but they are not left to face it in their own strength. The One who is in them is greater than the one who is in the world. Their security and their overcoming rest not on their own power but on the greater power of God who dwells in them. However strong the opposition seems, the God in his people is greater. This is not a boast in ourselves but a confidence in the God who is in us, greater than anything ranged against us. We do not overcome by being stronger in ourselves than the world, but by the One in us who is greater than the world. The comfort is not in our strength but in his, dwelling in us, greater than every opposing power.

That is worth resting in, for greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world. We can feel outmatched by the opposition we face, the pressures and errors and hostile forces of the world, as though they were stronger than we are; and in ourselves they may well be. But John assures us: greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. Our confidence rests not on our own strength but on the God who dwells in us, greater than any power ranged against us. When you feel outmatched by the world's opposition, remember that the One who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Rest in the assurance that greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world, so that whatever opposition you face, the God who dwells in you is greater than any power ranged against you, as John assures God's children that they have overcome because greater is he who is in them than he who is in the world; for we do not overcome by our own strength, which may well be outmatched, but by the One who is in us, greater than the world, and our confidence rests on his power dwelling in us rather than on our own.

Lord, as John warns his readers to test the spirits, because many false prophets have gone out into the world, he gives them a word of strong assurance in the midst of the warning. You are of God, little children, he says, and have overcome them, because greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. Facing false teaching and opposition, your children are not left to their own strength; the One who is in them, you yourself, are greater than any power ranged against them in the world. Whatever opposes them, you, who dwell in your people, are greater. Their overcoming rests not on their own strength but on you who are in them. Show me the assurance John gives: greater is he who is in you than he who is in the world. Your children face real opposition, false prophets, spirits of error, the pressure of a world that does not know you; but they are not left to face it in their own strength. You who are in them are greater than the one who is in the world. Their security and their overcoming rest not on their own power but on your greater power dwelling in them. This is not a boast in ourselves but a confidence in you who are in us. The comfort is not in my strength but in yours, dwelling in me. Let me rest in that, for greater are you who are in me than he who is in the world. I can feel outmatched by the opposition I face, the pressures and errors of the world, as though they were stronger than I am; and in myself they may well be. But John assures me: greater are you who are in me. My confidence rests not on my own strength but on you who dwell in me. When I feel outmatched by the world's opposition, help me remember that you who are in me are greater than he who is in the world, Lord, so that whatever opposition I face, you who dwell in me are greater than any power ranged against me.