The greatest power source in life

1 John 4:3-4 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. There are two spirits operating in history: the spirit of antichrist, which is not from God, and the Holy Spirit, which is from God. They are both power sources to which people look to navigate through life. The power of the antichrist is based on lies, and the power of the Holy Spirit is based on truth. Those who are from God recognize Jesus as God in the flesh, who laid down His life in order to bring them to God and fill them with His eternal life. His life is their power source like the vine is to the branches. The fruit of the Spirit is love, God’s love, which is the sustained direction of the will toward the highest good of another no matter what the cost in the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. In contrast and in opposition, those who are not from God look to themselves, to the flesh, or to something or someone other than Jesus as their power source and satisfaction in life. They do not confess that Jesus is the only Christ, Messiah, Anointed One sent from God as the way, the truth, and the life. The fruit of spirit of antichrist are the deeds of the flesh: “immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these” wrote Paul in Gal. 5:19-21. John said this spirit was foretold, is already in the world, and will always be in the world because it is from the world. These two powers are at war with each other. As Paul wrote to the Galatians in 5:17, “For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another.” We are encouraged by John that the power source of the life of Christ is greater than the power source of the antichrist. He has overcome the world. He has won the victory by defeating sin and death at the cross and through His resurrection. Jesus in his last hour with His disciples spoke of this victory. John 16:33. “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” As we live to love with Jesus, we are walking in His victory over the anitchrist, the flesh and its idolatries. Our flesh was crucified with Him so that we might no longer live according to the flesh, and we were raised with Him that we might live to love with Him in the power of the Spirit. I encourage you today to walk in confidence with Jesus as your power source. In and through Him, you overcome everything that the world can throw at you. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.