1 John 4:4-6:  
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 

1 John 5:1-15:
1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is He who came by water and blood–Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 

I began reading today in 1 John 4 and just kept on reading into chapter 5 because it was so good!  There seems to be so much negative information feeding into our hearts and minds these days.  It does a heart good to know the powerful Truth that comes from being in Christ.  The facts are that the needs about us are great.  Many are addicted to life-controlling substances.  Innumerable people about us, many of whom are in the Church and in Christ, are chronic carriers of burdens, from illness, lost loved ones, financial hardship, and cares of this life.

The fact is that the need is great.  But the Truth is “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).  John goes on to remind us that “whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.”  Where does your faith lie today?  In facts or in Truth?  And what are you asking of Him today?  John reminds us that if we know that He hears us, we KNOW that we have what we’ve asked of Him.

I meet saints regularly who genuinely love God and claim to believe His promises.  But somehow they don’t apply those promises to their daily situations.  I hear them constantly speaking more often of the illness they must tolerate or the constant struggle to pay their bills than of the assurance that God will provide a way out.  Your confidence in His commitment to fulfill His Word is the engine that drives your life to victory.  It is YOUR FAITH!

Confess today what you are believing God to do and leave the doubting behind.  GREATER IS HE!

Yours for Souls,
Bridgette Tomlin