Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Knowing God- 1 John 4:4-6 – The One Who Is In You – Growing As Disciples
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1 John 4:4-6 (NIV)
Recognize And Reject
What will you believe? What will accept as true? You are living in the world. You are not of the world. My Spirit is living and dwelling in you. My Spirit has made you to be an overcomer. You will you overcome the world. You will overcome what the world attempts to teach you. You will not accept it. You will not take it in. You will not make it your own. I’m not sure what you mean. How will overcome the world? Let’s go back to my first two questions. What will I believe? What will I accept as true? Yes, that’s right. The world will attempt to teach you its values. The world will want you to think, speak and act according to its principles. How will be able to recognize and reject what is false? That is a very good question.
I have given you my word. I have filled you with my Holy Spirit. I have placed you in a body of believers. These are what will teach you. Accept my word. Take my word in. Make my word your own. What does that mean? Live your life according to my word. Let my word dwell in you richly. My Holy Spirit will help you to put my word into practice in your life. My Holy Spirit will bring my word into your remembrance and apply it to your life. My Holy Spirit will use my word to teach you and counsel you and guide you. As you study my word you will know the truth. As you study my word you will know what is false. I understand. Your Holy Spirit will use your word to teach me. I will be able to recognize false teaching and false teachers as I compare the content of what I have been taught by you with what the world and its false teachers attempt to teach me. Yes, that’s right. But there is more. On your own you might be led astray. On your own you might accept what is false. On your own you might not recognize a faIse teacher. I did not make you to live alone. I did not make you to live in isolation. I have placed you in a body of believers. In my body of believers you will teach others and also be taught by them. You will encourage and strengthen each other. You will watch out for each other. You will guard and protect each other from false teachers and their false teachings. Together you will overcome the world with my word and my Holy Spirit living and dwelling in you. Now do you understand? Yes Lord, I do.
Lord, thank you that the Holy Spirit living inside of me has made me able to recognize and reject false teaching that is in the world. Help me to listen attentively to all you want to teach me. Help me to both know the truth and put it into practice as I follow you. Amen
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Knowing God – 1 John 4-4-6 – The One Who Is In You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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