Love is war 

• 1^st – Two sides… vs. 1
  • 1^st – Test the spirits…
    • Beloved!
      • BELOVED [ἀγαπητός] – those who have RECEIVED the LOVE [ἀγάπη] of God…
      • John is writing to those who are SAVED – the CHILDREN of God…
      • And he is WARNING us about the WAR we are in…
      • A WAR fought over our MINDS – a BATTLE to not be DECEIVED!
    • Do not believe every spirit!
      • Do NOT [imperative] – BELIEVE [πιστεύω] put your FAITH in…
      • ALL [πᾶς] spirits [πνεῦμα] – ALL those who say they SPEAK for the SPIRIT…
      • There are only TEN imperatives – in FIVE chapters of the book of I John
      • In comparison the book of James – has FIFTY FOUR commands…
      • But John knew it important – to COMMAND us not to be DECEIVED…
      • Because just because someone claims to speak for God – does not mean they are from God!
      • When Eliphaz – could not convince Job he was wrong – he told a STORY…
      • A SPIRIT came to him and told him about the SIN of Job – Job 4:15-17
      • It was NOT true – he was just trying to God to win an argument!
      • Be careful when someone invokes the THUS SAYS THE LORD – be absolutely sure…
      • Because people LIKE to bring God into their arguments to try and END a debate…
      • Or they might be trying to justify their CHOICES – the LORD told me to do it…
      • But God does not take it lightly when we misspeak on His behalf!
      • Deuteronomy 18:20 – “[Anyone] who falsely claims to speak in my name… must die.”
    • Test the spirits – whether they are of God!
      • TEST [imperative] the spirits [πνεῦμα]…
      • There are only TWO options – they are either from GOD – or they are NOT…
      • TEST – verb form of [δόκιμος] – examine someone to see where they are from!

• In Bible times there was no paper currency – all money was made from precious metals…
• As a result – people would shave – steal the edges of the coins…
• But there men who would closely EXAMINE to make sure the coins were complete…
• They were called [δόκιμος] – they took the time to PROVE what was TRUE!

• How do we TEST what someone to see what SPIRIT they are of…
• We take the time to EXAMINE what someone SAYS – and see if it is TRUE…
• God does NOT make mistakes – and He does NOT change His mind – Numbers 23:9
• We know if what someone SAYS was from God – because it happens…
• If it does not happen – then it was NOT from God!
• Deuteronomy 18:22 – “If the prophet predicts something in the Lords name and it does not happen – the LORD did NOT give the message.”
• 2^nd – False Prophets…
  • Because many false prophets have gone out into the world!
  • We need to TEST – because there are many LIARS [ψευδής] in this world…
  • William Miller was a Pastor in the 1800s – he said Jesus was coming in the year 1844… 
  • Millions sold everything to prepare – Jesus did not come – called the GREAT disappointment…
  • This led to the birth of Seventh day Adventists – focused on Bible Prophecy…
  • Which led Charles Taze Russell to start the Jehovah Witnesses – believe Jesus already came!
  • Just because a pastor tells us something – does not mean it is correct…
  • Every Sunday when we get home – even while the Pastor is teaching – check it out…
  • If what he says does not agree with the Word – reject it – it is not true…
  • Too often men believe what they are told – because they are looking to a person…
  • We should not just accept the words of pastor – no matter who is teaching…
  • If we only know what the teacher has told us – then our faith is in HIS words…
  • But if we seek the Bible for the answers – then our faith is in THE Word!
  • Acts 17:11 – “Searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

• 2^nd – What they SAY… vs. 2-3
  • 1^st – Spirit of God… vs. 2
    • By this you know the Spirit of God:
      • John gives us TWO tests – to let us KNOW what SPIRIT someone is of…
      • Are they speaking from the LORD – or are they a FALSE prophet!
    • Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God!
      • The FIRST test we are given – is what someone SAYS…
      • CONFESS [ὁμολογέω] – to AGREE [ὁμοῦ] with what the Bible SAYS [λόγος]
      • EVERY [πᾶς] spirit [πνεῦμα] – that confesses Jesus came as a MAN – is of God!
      • God became a man – came in the FLESH – He was IMMANUEL – Isaiah 7:14
      • Jesus came to do what no one else could – He lived a PERFECT life…
      • Jesus – the only SINLESS man – died to PAY the price for our SIN – Romans 6:23
      • Then came one of the great mysteries of the ages – God gave us His righteousness!
      • II Corinthians 5:21 – “God made Christ, who never sinned – to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
      • Not because we earned it – but it was given to us as a free gift – full of Grace…
      • Now when God looks down on us – He sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus!
        
  • 2^nd – Spirit of Antichrist… vs. 3-4
    • In the PAST…
      • Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God!
      • EVERY [πᾶς] spirit [πνεῦμα] – that DENIES Jesus came as a MAN – is NOT from God…
      • Because they are DENYING what God did – IMMANUEL!
      • This was a FALSE teaching – running through the church in the days of John…
      • GNOSTICS – from the Greek word [γνῶσις] – those who have KNOWLEDGE…
      • PRIDEFULLY believed they had special KNOWLEDGE about God – HIDDEN truths…
      • They believed anything PHYSICAL was EVIL – and anything SPIRITUAL was GOOD…
      • They spread the LIE – that Jesus did NOT come as a man – He was ONLY a SPIRIT!
    • In the FUTURE…
      • This is the spirit of the Antichrist!
      • ANTICHRIST [ἀντίχριστος] – 5x in NT – I John 2:18 – 2:22 – 4:3 – II John 1:7
      • The name means to be OPPOSED to the Christ – to be AGAINST Jesus…
      • The definite article [THE] is before the word – meaning the ANTICHRIST…
      • This does not seem to refer to the MAN who will rule during the TRIBULATION…
      • Instead this is talking about the SPIRIT that will be in that MAN!
      • Since his FALL – satan has always been OPPOSED to God…
      • He knew salvation would come through the SEED of the woman – Genesis 3:15
      • So satan will try and REPLACE Jesus – through his own version of the MESSIAH…
      • Not GOD who became a MAN – but a MAN who will claim to be GOD – Revelation 13:4
    • In the PRESENT…
      • Which you have heard was coming – and is now already in the world!
      • We hear [present] that the ANTICHRIST is coming…
      • But the SPIRIT [satan] of the ANTICHRIST – is already in the world!
      • There is a little village in Bosnia [Eastern Europe] called Medjugorje…
      • In 1981 six children claimed to see the Queen of Heaven – the Blessed Virgin Mary…
      • Since then over 30 million people have made a pilgrimage there…
      • But according to the children – Mary said all religions are equal [no need for Jesus]!
      • Whether it is the PAST – PRESENT – or FUTURE satan does not change…
      • He uses FALSE teachings [Gnostics] – FALSE signs [Medjugorje] – FALSE teachers [antichrist]
      • ALWAYS with one purpose – to DENY the WORK of Jesus Christ…
      • Because there is only ONE way to be SAVED – through the SACRIFICE of our God!
      • II Corinthians 4:4 – “The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not – lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ.”

• 3^rd – What they HEAR… vs. 5-6
  • 1^st – Spirit of Error… vs. 5
    • The SECOND test we are given – is what someone HEARS…
      • As with the FIRST test – there are only TWO options…
      • Either someone LISTENS to the WORLD – or the LISTEN to the LORD!
    • They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world – and the world hears them!
      • Those who are of the WORLD [κόσμος] – in contrast to being of God…
      • They always [present] TALK about the things of the WORLD…
      • OTHERS who likewise belong to this WORLD – always [present] LISTEN to what they say!
      • Talk about the latest NEWS – popular BANDS – the juiciest GOSSIP…
      • And the WORLD has no PROBLEM hearing – they are EXCITED to LISTEN… 
      • In fact you can even talk about RELIGION – just NOT Jesus – and the WORLD is OK!
      • Luke 6:45 – “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
      • You can tell a LOT about a person – by what they TALK about…
      • You can tell even more about what they will LISTEN to…
      • Those who are FULL of this WORLD – and ONLY listen to this WORLD – are of this WORLD!
  • 2^nd – Spirit of Truth… vs. 6
    • We are of God. He who knows God hears us!
      • We are of GOD – the inference is we belong to GOD and not the WORLD…
      • Anyone else who KNOWS God – will LISTEN to us…
      • KNOW [γινώσκω] 25x in I John – indicates a relation – knowing a person!
      • If I started telling you stories about Mike – how he got saved…
      • You would likely pay attention – because you KNOW him – and are interested!
      • In the same way – if we KNOW God – we are going to TALK about Him…
      • And others who also KNOW Him – are going to be interested in LISTENING!
    • He who is not of God does not hear us!
      • Those who do NOT belong to God – cannot HEAR …
      • HEAR [ἀκούω] – 437x in NT – to NOT be DEAF – have the ability to LISTEN…
      • Do not miss this – unbelievers CANNOT hear what we have to SAY…
      • They are NOT able to HEAR it – because they are spiritually DEAF!
      • Do you ever wonder why people in the WORLD do not LISTEN when we talk about Jesus…
      • When we talk about our FAITH – those who are NOT saved cannot HEAR…
      • We are literally talking in a different LANGUAGE – and they do NOT understand!
      • I Corinthians 2:14 – “People who are not [Christians] cannot understand these truths from Gods Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means.” [NLT]
  • 3^rd – How we KNOW… vs. 6
    • By this we know the spirit of truth!
      • The SPIRIT of TRUTH [ἀλήθεια] – is the WORD of TRUTH…
      • The TRUTH is – we are SINNERS in need of SALVATION…
      • The TRUTH is – there is only ONE way for us to be saved..
      • The TRUTH is – God LOVES us so much He was willing to DIE so we could go to heaven…
      • The TRUTH is – God will not MAKE anyone believe – we all have to CHOSE…
      • The only way to know the TRUTH – is by getting into His Word…
      • The Word is the TRUTH – it is how we know the TRUTH from ERROR – John 17:17
      • II Timothy 2:15 – “Study to show yourself approved unto God – a workman that does not need to be ashamed – rightly dividing the Word of Truth.”
    • And the spirit of error!
      • The SPIRIT of ERROR [πλάνη] – noun form of the word [πλανάω] – PLANET…
      • The SPIRIT of this WORLD [πλανάω] – wants us to be DECEIVED!
      • The ERROR is thinking somehow this life is about LIVING…
      • Our lives CONSUMED in the pursuit of happiness – possessions – relationships…
      • We WASTE every moment with no thought of what happens at the END…
      • Only to end up SPEECHLESS – before the WHITE throne of God – Revelation 20:13
      • When we will have to LISTEN to our JUDGEMENT – cause we would not LISTEN to GRACE!

• 4^th – Victory… vs. 4
  • 1^st – Overcomers…
    • You are of God – little children – and have overcome them!
    • We are of GOD – the inference is we BELONG to God – because we are LITTLE Children…
    • Little Children [τεκνίον] – 7x in this letter – speaking to DISCIPLES of Jesus – John 13:33
    • And because we are FOLLOWING Jesus – we have OVERCOME the WORLD…
    • OVERCOME [perfect]– from the root word NIKE [νίκη] – to have VICTORY…
    • Overcome THEM – those who would try and DECEIVE us!
    • Ephesians 6:12 – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood – but against principalities – against powers – against the rulers of the darkness of this age – against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
    • We are in a Spiritual WAR – but we often miss who the real enemy is – we look at the people…
    • But people are puppets – BLINDED by the God of this world – DEAF to the TRUTH…
    • The key is to ATTACK at the one who is in control – go to the root problem…
    • The power behind the people – the spirit of ANTICHRIST – the spirit of ERROR…
    • Because when we realize we are in the WAR – and understand who the ENEMY is…
    • We will have VICTORY – because our ENEMY has been DEFEATED!
    • Hebrews 2:14 – “By dying He [broke] the power of the devil – who had the power of death.” ^[NLT]
  • 2^nd – God is greater….
    • Because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world!
    • We did NOT win the WAR – because we were STRONG…
    • We WON the WAR – because Jesus who is in us – is GREATER than satan!
    • II Corinthians 10:4-5 – “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds – casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God – bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
    • In military battles – the hardest target to defeat is a fortress…
    • A high walled – well-defended city – was ready to repel any enemies attack…
    • If we come at them with sticks and stones – we are doomed to fail…
    • We needed specialized tools – siege ramps – catapults – to tear down the fortress!
    • If we come at satan in our own POWER – we are doomed to fail…
    • The only way to take on our enemy is with the POWER of God…
    • Then our enemy does NOT stand a chance – Jesus is the ultimate POWER…

In Christ we have VICTORY – no weapon can defeat us – Isaiah 54:17