Note for 20241229 - The Gospel of Jesus Christ - Part 30 - 1 John 4 - Try Every Spirit
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
According to John
Read Through The Bible
“As it Happened” Bible Reading Plan
Day 043
Exodus 39 and 40
Part 30 - 1 John 4 - Try Every Spirit
The Audio Version of today’s note
1 John 4:1-21 KJV
[1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. [2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: [3] and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. [4] Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. [5] They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. [6] We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. [7] Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. [8] He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. [9] In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. [10] Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. [11] Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. [12] No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. [13] Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. [14] And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. [15] Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. [16] And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. [17] Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. [18] There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. [19] We love him, because he first loved us. [20] If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? [21] And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
https://bible.com/bible/1/1jn.4.1-21.KJV
Note for 20241229
We have looked at what love is in 1 Corinthians 13, and know what that love is that we should have for one another. First and foremost, we must test if that love is in us. How can we recognise what love is, if it is not in us first? And now we know where love comes from, and that the opposite of that stems from an anti-Christ spirit. This world has done its best to redefine love and has been successful to deceive many. Love is not lust after the flesh, which this world promoted broadly. It is not defined by who you love and who you hate. This world, especially of late, has blurred the lines of morality, given ear to abominations and spoke well of what is evil. Truly, it has called evil good and will call good, evil. Take divorce as just one example, not only has it become acceptable, this world has made it profitable. Is that love? Robbing someone whom you claimed to have loved?
1 John 4:1 KJV
[1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
https://bible.com/bible/1/1jn.4.1.KJV
Now, I have taken an extreme example of trying a spirit to see if it is of GOD. Do you remember Ephesians 6? How, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood?” Which spirit is it then that is coming at you? Better yet, and far more prudent; in which spirit do you respond? Are we not to love our enemies, is that not written too? Now if hate comes at you, and you respond in hate, then only hate exists in that moment. But, if you respond in love, then love can cover a multitude of sins. Then there is love. Then there is hope, if that love is in Truth.
The thing about the Truth is that it is not dependent on debate. Truth exists within itself, that it is true. All that investigation can do is to discover the truth, but the truth existed even before it was discovered. Truth does not come in by reason, it simply is what it is. Any modification, whether it be a justification or an excuse, only places a lie in the place where once the truth stood. Love is the same, and is defined by love itself. All other forms are some sort of substitutes that stand in the stead thereof, which is not love at all. It cannot be love if it is covered with a lie.
GOD is love, and the Truth is of GOD. If you stand for the Truth, then it will include the Truth that a lie has deceived many after that which is not the Truth or Love at all. There is no love in deception, it only serves self interest. It is the veil that has been placed over the truth so a lie may be believed instead of the truth. Herein can we know that this world does not know love, nor truth; for it holds on to a lie and seeks all that it seeks in self-interest. The world is a "for-profit" thing, while love is an all giving thing. GOD gave His only begotten Son in love, so we may live, and in love did Jesus Christ go to that cross and suffer the penalty of sin, while He was without blame.
Did Christ not say that we must love one another even as He loved us? But, man stands up for himself and throws his neighbour under the bus. "Try the spirits, if they be of GOD," even that which is at work within yourself. Are you capable of that? In love, can you consider first what your own intentions are, before you mow your brother down? First deal with the beam in your own eye, so you can see clearly, before you attempt to remove a splinter from your brother's eye.
If love is established in us in truth, then we are of GOD. Then God will be with us, and with God comes both love and truth. Then, we will never come short of either, for we will be the vessels of it, having it with us wherever we go.
In closing then, I bring your attention to the last section of this verse...
1 John 4:1 KJV
[1] Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
https://bible.com/bible/1/1jn.4.1.KJV
Where do false prophets go out from, into the world? And who is a false prophet? Why should we try the spirits, and how is it compared in a single verse to false prophets? Can Ephesians 6 be ignored then? Do we need the whole armour of GOD in everyday life then, knowing now, that we face off against evil spirits, who are the spirits that lead the false witnesses out into the world? If you make a man your enemy, then you miss the real enemy. Then you are misled, and those Trojan horses, which direct the unprotected flesh, can come at you, and you will have no defense. And if you respond in kind in hate, then have you left a breach in the hedge of your protection. Then the city gates stand wide open, for you work by the forces of the enemy. Then, is the city at risk, and dare I say, maybe even overrun by enemy forces.
Considering all of this, is it then not a miracle that we may still know moments of peace? My friends, that is GOD'S protection standing for you. That is what it is to be blessed and kept by GOD. So we know that we are still in a period of grace and mercy.
Staying in the example that was used, we have to fortify the city walls. We have to mend the breaches and secure every port into the city. The hedge of protection must stand tall, and that only happens when we bring love into the city walls and keep it in truth. If God is for us, who can be against us, for the heavens will stand in defense of us, if we have become the dwelling place of GOD.
Do you now understand why we must purify ourselves, for GOD is pure? Do you now understand that we must become holy, for GOD is HOLY? Do you now understand why we must know love and remain in love, for GOD is Love. If we love one another, then love is in us. And love is charity and charity is love. Love does not lack care or compassion, but gladly gives a gift freely.
So have we now come to the time where the truth will be revealed in us, by the Truth that is in GOD, for GOD is in us, Who gave us of His Holy Spirit to dwell with us, in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. The only Begotten Son of GOD, that He sent for exactly this purpose. To undo the works of the enemy, even those works of the enemy he performed in us. That we may be purified by the Love of GOD and the enemy be expelled, that there will no longer be a foothold in us.
Selah, Shalom
Verse of The Day
From the YouVersion Bible App (Expanded from verse 1)
Colossians 3:1-4 KJV
[1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. [2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. [3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
https://bible.com/bible/1/col.3.1-4.KJV
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