Tag Archives: 1 John 4:4-6

The One Who Is In You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises - 1 John 4:4-6 - The One Who Is In You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – 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) 

Overcoming Evil

There is evil in this world, are you watching and on guard against it? Yes, I’m watching and on guard. What do I need to be on guard against? What do I need to be watching out for? Those are good questions. You need to have an attitude of watchfulness. You need to have ears that are attentive to my voice. You need to be listening to all that I want to say to you. You need to be watching for all that I want to show to you. Does this sound like something that will be hard for you to accomplish? It sounds easy. But, I’m not foolish enough to think that it will be easy. Why is that? It’s easy to be absorbed in all the activities of life. It’s easy to race through life and forget to listen to all that you want to say to me or to fail to watch all that you want to show to me. It’s easy to become conformed to all the patterns, practices and values of the world. If I am not very careful, I could become unaware of how the world is continually trying to shape me into its mold. It’s much harder to be attentive and watchful to all that you want me to hear and see. Yes, it is.

Let’s talk about the focus of your attention. Alright, go ahead. You have my full attention. Good, that’s what I want. You have mentioned two possibilities. You can either focus your attention on the world or you can focus your attention on me. If I focus my attention on the world I will have a very difficult time listening to what you want me to hear or watching what you want me to see. Yes, that’s exactly right. I will have a very difficult time identifying what is true and what is false. Does that sound like an understatement to you? I will have an impossible time identifying what is true and what is false. That’s more like it. If I have the focus of my attention on you, I will be able to know what is true and what is false because my eyes and ears will be open to you. That is also correct. As I continue to have my focus on you I will grow in my ability to listen to what you want me to hear and to watch what you want me to see. How do you know that? That has been my experience as I have had my focus on you. That is very good.

Let’s talk about overcoming evil that is in the world. To overcome evil in the world I must be able to identify it. I also must have the strength and desire to resist it. Can you identify or overcome evil if your focus is on the world? Certainly not, if my focus is on the world then I will be wrapped up and enticed by evil. That is not my will for you. It is my will that my Spirit living in you will make you able to overcome evil that is in the world. Do you believe that my Spirit living in you will make you able to overcome evil in the world? Yes, I do. Why do you believe? You have changed the desires of my heart as I have had my focus on you. You have given me both the desire and strength to do your will. You have made me able to overcome evil in the world. Yes, I have.

Holy Spirit, thank you that you live inside of me. You have made me able to know what is true and what is false. You have made me able to recognize and overcome evil that is in the world. Help me to hear and really listen to you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – 1 John 4-4-6 – The One Who Is In You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

How We Recognize The Spirit Of Truth

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - The Holy Spirit - 1 John 4:4-6 - How We Recognize The Spirit Of Truth - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – The Holy Spirit – 1 John 4:4-6 – How We Recognize The Spirit Of Truth – 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) 

Overcoming The World

How is that I will come to know you? How is it that I will come to live in an intimate relationship with you? How will I know your voice? How will I be guarded and guided by you? How will I be able to distinguish between what is true and false in the world? I know that the world and all that is in it is waging war against my soul. Day by day, my life is being bombarded by the thoughts and opinions and values of the world. My life is under the constant assault of passions and evil desires that come from the world. How will I be able to stand against them and even overcome them? You say that I will know the truth. You say that I will be able to identify and distinguish between what is true and what is false. You say that I will be able to overcome the world. How will all these things be possible? You have asked many good questions. Let’s talk about them. I’d like that.

You have repented and turned away from your sin. You have given your life to me. You have said that you will follow me as your Savior and Lord. Yes, all of this is true. I have forgiven all your sins. I have cleansed all of your unrighteousness. My Holy Spirit now lives and dwells inside of you. I have given you a completely new life to live. Do you believe all of this to be true? Yes, without a doubt. That’s good, because it is true. You are continually putting off your old life. You have left your old patterns and practices. You are allowing my word to dwell in you richly. My word is changing your heart. My word is transforming your mind. My word is guarding and guiding your life. My Spirit that is in you is taking my Word and using it to fight in you, with you, for you and through you. The power of my Spirit and my word is helping you to continually put on the new life that I have given you to live. You are thinking my thoughts. You are speaking my words. You are doing my deeds. Is all of this true? Yes, it is. Am I doing all of these things perfectly? No, I am not. But, I love you with all my heart and mind and soul and strength. Yes, you do. I am seeking you with all that is within me. Yes, you are. When you do make mistakes, take missteps and sin against me, you are confessing and receiving forgiveness and cleansing of all your sins. Every day, you are coming to know me better and follow me more closely. Yes, I am. Every day, I am making you able to overcome the evil in the world. Every day, I am helping you to see what is true and false in the world. Yes, you are. Do you have any remaining questions? No, I do not. I am so very thankful that you are working in me, for me, with me and through me. You are making me able to overcome the world. I will live my new life with and for you That is very good.  

Holy Spirit, use your word to guide me in the truth. Help me to distinguish between what is true and false. Thank you that you live inside of me. You make me able to overcome all the evil in this world. I will listen carefully to you as guard and guide me in life. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Holy Spirit – 1 John 4-4-6 – How We Recognize The Spirit Of Truth – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional  Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

The One Who Is In You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Knowing God- 1 John 4:4-6 - The One Who Is In You - Growing As Disciples

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

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Knowing God – 1 John 4-4-6 – The One Who Is In You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com