The confidence of a growing faith

1 John 2:13b I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14b I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. When John thought about those in the church who were still working out their faith, he thought of young men who typically are full of energy, tackling the difficulties of life head on, and out to conquer the world. Some of you are in that stage of your walk with Jesus. God grows your faith by trials and suffering. It seems the evil one has been given a long leash or let off the leash, and everyday feels like a battle between darkness and light. You are learning that the only way to overcome the devil and the temptations and trials in this worlds to hold fast to the word of God. May I make a suggestion to you? I suggest that the word of God that John had in mind was the command of Jesus to believe in Him as God and to love as He loves (John 13:34 and 14:1) and the promise to live in you as your helper and never leave you. I say this because Jesus said it in John 13-16, but especially in John 15:4-12. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” Within minutes Jesus then let them know they were going to be in a fight for their lives as they abided in Him and His word abided in them. As they lived to love with Him, they would have to overcome the world and the evil one. He said, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.” So it is the those who are young men in the faith. They are in the process of overcoming the world with all of it’s temptations and trials. The honeymoon is over. As little children, when we first believe, the love of God fills us and we experience a spiritual high and protection so the young seed of our faith can get planted. Then comes the season for intense growth, and that’s the season that John has in mind when he wrote to the young men. Those of us who are seasoned in faith have the same trials and struggles, and in fact, they can be more intense, but by God’s grace and experience, we’ve learned to rest in Him who has been from the beginning. We let Him do the battle. Be encouraged by this. If you will let Jesus’ word abide in you—the call to live to love with Him for His glory—you will overcome both the evil one and the world. Find your satisfaction in Him. He is life. The world has no life. Your faith will grow and you’ll know Jesus and how He trusts the Father.