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We live in an age of information. In every corner, you can find people speaking with absolute confidence on any perspective; it’s hard to tell what’s true.
It can feel like we’re being pulled in every direction in this cloud of confusion. Even as believers, it’s easy to get disoriented, because lies often disguise themselves as truth.
But this war for our attention and allegiance is more than just differing opinions and new information. It’s a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:11) against a real spiritual enemy (1 Peter 5:8). That’s why the Apostle John is so adamant in his letter that we test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1).
As he prescribes a litmus test for knowing the true nature of spirits, John makes a pretty serious claim: any spirit that confesses a true Jesus is from God, while any spirit that does not is from the antichrist (1 John 4:2–3). This “antichrist” figure in John’s letter is not a specific person devoted to tearing down Christians at the end of time, but rather the devil himself propelling a false Jesus to the world today.
But then, John’s letter shifts. After sharing this seemingly devastating news—that this spirit of the antichrist is already here in the world (1 John 4:3b), spreading lies about Jesus—John reassumes a fatherly tone to speak assuring truths over his spiritual children:
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
John goes from saying something dire to something triumphant. After warning his readers about the antichrist, he turns attention to our identity instead. But here’s the thing: it’s not an identity we’ve crafted ourselves but one we’ve received.
John doesn’t say, “The spirit of the antichrist is here, but don’t worry because you are faithful,” or “you are righteous,” or “you are good,” or even “you are strong.” No, he roots our confidence in the fact that we are from God.
John wants you to draw great confidence in the reality that you are God’s. He is your eternal life source—someone you not only originate from but are sustained by. This truth gives us real confidence over our spiritual enemies. Instead of relying on your own strength, goodness, or ability to remain steadfast in a hard battle that, mind you, isn’t even purely physical but ultimately spiritual, you can rely on the God of the universe.
Your identity isn't based on God designing you to be faithful and strong; rather, it’s because He is all the things you cannot be. Being from God means He supplies you with everything you need to live godly lives (2 Peter 1:3), armor to stand against the enemy’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 10:4), and wisdom for any situation (James 1:5). These are real promises for God’s people!
How good would a solid identity be if it didn’t mean anything for our future? John shows us that because God is our life source, the outcome of any spiritual battle is certain. He quickly follows the truth that “you are from God” with “and (you) have overcome them.”
Who have we overcome? The spirit of the antichrist: the one whose primary purpose is to turn our hearts away from the true Jesus, whether that’s toward something else entirely or toward a false Jesus that traps people in lies.
But John says we’ve already overcome this seemingly powerful spirit, which means we’re fighting a battle we’ve already won. The outcome is a promised victory, no matter how you spin it. John writes this so Christians wouldn’t fear in a world where spiritual enemies pull us in every direction, and so we would have hope and security in our identity as God’s children.
This means that no matter how many hits you’ve taken, how weak you feel, or how scary the enemy seems, if you are in Christ, you can always be certain that you will win the battle.
To be honest, it’s hard to hold this certainty for long. Each step between us and the future makes victory seem impossible.
How can John promise a victory when the future seems so dim and distant? How can we have confidence that we’ve already overcome the spirit of the antichrist? Surprisingly, it’s not because the spiritual enemy is so weak. He’s actually very powerful. He can blind people to the truth (2 Corinthians 4:4); he has his grip on the world at large (1 John 5:19); and he is actively working among people so they will deny and disobey Christ (Ephesians 2:2).
So, if the promise of victory lies not in our strength nor in the enemy’s weakness, there’s only one obvious answer: “for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Who is in you? The Spirit of God (1 John 3:24). Who is in the world? The spirit of the antichrist (1 John 4:3b). The Spirit of God is greater than the spirit of the antichrist.
But we will only have assurance if we stay fixed on God. Just as Peter walked on water and began to sink when he took his eyes off Jesus (Matthew 14:28–31), so we will falter in our confidence during spiritual battles when we take our eyes off Him. The secret to your confidence lies in God Himself.
Confidence cannot survive by our own strength or reason—for that is far too small compared to the enemy’s schemes. Instead, we hope in God, Creator of all things and sovereign King over the entire world who dwells within us. Nothing happens in this world without His permission (John 19:11). Every single part of creation lies in the palm of His hand (Job 12:10). With a snap of His fingers, He can call down legions of angel armies to fight whomever He pleases (Matthew 26:53). One word of His mouth created the beginning of life as we know it (Genesis 1:3).
Can you imagine what it would be like to truly believe that the Spirit of THIS God lives in you?
While we may have many spiritual enemies (Ephesians 6:12), not one of them is greater than our God. The assurance of our future victory is rooted in the steady presence and power of our King. Therefore, the answer is simple: hope in God, and put away fear. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Want to dive deeper into the sermon series? Check out our sermon series guide on The Letters of John, or watch the most recent sermon from The Letters of John sermon series.
