The Path To Spiritual Victory

The love and concern John has for the church is evident as we continue to read this epistle. John loves them so much he now is going to instruct them on the importance of living a life of Spiritual victory.

He began by exalting Christ, reminding the believer of whom they have believed. He offered a challenge regarding our fellowship with the Lord and shared the comfort of knowing we have an Advocate when we sin and come short.

Our last study dealt with the believer’s love for the Scripture and others. Each thought is practical in application, but also essential in our lives.

Now, John continues to exhort and guide the church in our text today. We find guidance and instruction concerning the things of this world. He speaks to a broad audience, but the approach is essentially the same.

Many in John’s day faced adversity and suffered defeat.

The same is true for us as well. Life is difficult at best. We all face seasons of difficulty, times when our faith is tried and we feel discouraged or defeated. Many struggle with true holiness and spiritual victory.

So I believe John is giving us some much needed instruction on how to reach that place of spiritual victory.

Let’s examine the directions John offers as we consider: The Path to Spiritual Victory

I. The Importance of the Right Path

(12-13) – Here John addresses all believers directly.

As he speaks to three specific groups, he covers each phase of our spiritual journey. All believers fit into one of the categories mentioned.

While all believers can be placed in one of the three groups, I really think John is trying to show his readers that in order for spiritual victory, one must first take the right path.

We see here three things about the right path to spiritual victory

A. It’s A Straight Path

(12-13) I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father

1. Little Children

I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. V12

The words little children is a term John used often to refer to those that were born again. The ones that have had their sins forgiven. This is the first step to the right path. Jesus tells Nicodemious in John 3. Ye must be born again.

John is writing to all believers in general here. He is telling them, “Hey, listen up, this is for all of those of you that are born again in Christ.”

If you were to study these words you would see the first use in verse 12 is being used as a form of enderment. The second time he uses it in verse 13 it is being used to refer to a young child, a babe.

What he is telling the new babes in Christ is, “Listen closely, this is for you as well. You may not have much wisdom, you may not have much experiance but you have the one thing that is needed to be on the stright path and that is you have a relationship with the Father.

Ill.

Think of when you were a child. there was a point that you could not even read a book, but you knew who your Dad was. You knew nothing about him other than he was your dad. You couldnt tell others what he did or even help your dad but you knew who he was. You could be in a room of a thousand dads and you could pick out your dad from the whole crowd. No matter how long you did not see him, you knew who your dad was.

John is saying you have the same ability to reach spiritual victory as those that have been in this thing for a while because you simple know the Father.

2. Fathers

13a) – I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning.

John also addresses the wise and spiritually mature. This level of maturity is reached at different times, depending on many variables, but it is safe to say these are not new converts.

These have known Christ in salvation for some time. They have spent time with Him, reading His Word, serving in ministry, praying, all in continued fellowship with the Lord. staying on the right path comes with knowledge and wisdom.

John writing to these older ones in the faith should encourage many that if they can do it so can we.

Paul told Timothy to fight a good fight in his first letter to him then in his second letter he tells Timothy that he had fought a good fight. I think Paul was telling him in the second letter, “ Hey timothy my son I know it may seem tough at times, but I have fought a good fight and if I can do it so can you!

3. Young Men

(13b) – I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one.

Now John speaks to those who are midway through the spiritual journey. He describes them as young men.

This refers to those who have been saved for a while and are growing significantly in the Lord.

They may not have reached absolute maturity, but they have endured some battles along the way and have come through them victorious.

They possess a hunger and zeal for the Lord.

They are strong, ambitious, eager, and committed.

You may have only been in this thing for a short while but you have faced some battles, John is telling you stay strong you have made it this far. Stick with the stuff.

B. It’s A Sharp Path

14b.I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

This may seem as John is repeating himself , but he adds, “..and the Word of God abideth in you.”

He is reassuring the young men, the younger believers, that they are only able to overcome the darts from satan and the trip hazards on the path because they have the Word of God in them.

The right path to spiritual victory may be a straight one but it will be filled with sharp rocks that are the wiles of the devil and John is reassuring his younger readers that there have been those and there are those among them that have faced some of the same obstacles and they have overcome.

Can I encourage you this morning, if you are a child of God and are staying in His Word, you can and will make it.

Hey you may want to give up, you may want to give in, don’t. You have the strength of His word in you, you have His faith in you, hey friend you have the Son of God in you and if He made it all the way to the cross and got the victory, you can make it to the end and have the victory.

C. It’s A Successful Path

(14a) – I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning...

The only way believers can progress on the continuum of spiritual growth— and be successful on the path is through the life-giving, life-transforming application of the Word of God in their lives (2 Tim. 2:15; cf. Ezra 7:10).

By reading, studying, memorizing, meditating on, and applying the Bible’s truth in every situation, Christians are transformed into the image of God (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18) by the power of the Spirit (cf. Eph. 6:17; Col. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19–21).

As they continue to grow in their sanctification, the goal of all believers must be to become spiritual fathers, characterized by an intimate communion with God.

This is a successful path.

 What a challenge that presents to us as well.

It is easy to get complacent as we walk with the Lord.

Most of us have been in Sunday school all our lives.

We have heard the Bible stories. We know the doctrines of Scripture.

We are familiar with the tactics of the enemy and the struggles of life.

We have been through storms and came through them safely.

We are maturing in Christ, but we must not be satisfied with where we are.

There is much more to accomplish, greater heights to reach, and victories to win.

Stay true to the Lord and continue to grow in Him and the path you are on will become a successful one.

Now John goes into some problems that he wants to warn his readers about. Notice secondly....

II. The Importance of Rising Problems

(15-16) – In these next two verses John deals with some problems and the resolve every believer ought to possess.

We must desire the Lord above all else.

We cannot allow the desires or hindrances of life to keep us from following the Lord.

We will never achieve true holiness, true spiritual victory ,apart from a consistent, continual walk with the Lord.

Along the path to spiritual victory you will face problems, John is establishing some boundaries here to help believers overcome these problems before they become a problem.

Consider:

A. The Problem of Love

(15a) – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

Now love is not a problem in and of its self. I love my wife and kids, I love each one of you. Love is a good thing its what you show that love to, that causes love to become a problem.

John well understood the continual struggle we face while living in a body of flesh. The world and all it offers appeals to the flesh. As believers we must rise above those desires, seeking the ways of God instead of the things of the world.

Colossians 3:2 KJV 1900

Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Now John is not telling his readers to not have anything to do with the world. We should have a care for the world and it’s lost condition. we should love sinners as Christ does, what John is saying is don’t love the things that the world has to offer. We know this from the second part of the verse.

(15b) – If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

John speaks boldly, but his words are necessary. Many today will not embrace such thinking, but it is true nonetheless. We cannot love the world, continually seeking to please the flesh without any remorse or sensing the need to repent, and have the love of God within us.

Matt.6:24 James 4:4

Matthew 6:24 KJV 1900

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

And as we read earlier in James 4.

James 4:4 KJV 1900

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

So, loving the world as far as wanting all to come to repentance is not wrong, but loving the things of the world is enmity with God.

Now I believe John is telling his readers, “you need to examine yourself and see wither you are one of His.” Because, What we possess on the inside will eventually be revealed in the life we live.

This mark serves as a good indicator of salvation.

If a man’s heart is continually on the world and all it offers, never considering the holiness of God or the sin he commits, the love of the Father is not in him.

A Christian cannot live in sin and be comfortable.

It may appeal to flesh, but within his heart he will be miserable.

If one can love the things of the world without any thought or conviction, he needs salvation.

B. The Problem of Lust

(16) – For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,

Here we discover the utter corruption of the world. (John speaks of the world in reference to the world system, what it offers, its ideas and philosophies.)

The world is full of sin and wickedness. If we love the world, that is what we love.

We desire the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life but not the Father.

Such desires are not of God, but of the world and the prince of darkness.

Cohabitation with the world will leave your garment spotted.

David lusted and it cost him a son and he almost lost his kingdom.

lust is a dangerous thing.

 There is much in this one verse concerning sin.

We must understand sin always defiles and corrupts.

Any and all sin originates with the devil; they never come from God.

A lost man will definitely be characterized by these attributes, but believers must guard against them as well.

If Satan tempted Jesus with them, you can rest assured he will tempt us with them also.

We must be close to the Lord if we are to overcome!

C. The Problem of Life

and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

Pride is one of the biggest problems humans have to deal with and it seems to hinder believers more then anyone else.

You know what prevents a believer from coming to an alter, pride

do you know what prevents a believer from admitting wrong doing to another, pride

Do you know what prevents a believer from gaining spiritual victory, PRIDE.

When we are pressing on and walking the right path, we must be aware that there are problems out there that will arise and if we do not know what they are and how to deal with them before they show them selves, we will never reach our goal of spiritual victory.

The last verse in this section of verses, for the most part is John just reiterating the importance of staying away from the problems and the importance of being on the right path, but we can also see John telling them about the ....

III. The Importance of Realizing Potential

(17) – And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

A. Realizing the Potential for Failure

17a And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof

John offers a stirring challenge in this last directive concerning our Holiness and Spiritual victory.

Those who seek to please the flesh are concerned with the here and now.

They give little thought to the life to come.

Their main desire is to please the flesh as much as they possibly can while in this life.

We discover the danger and futility of such thinking.

The world and all it offers will one day pass away; it will be destroyed with a consuming fire.

The things men pursued and placed such emphasis on will not last.

If you as a believer seek to please yourself and run after the world and love the world you will fail. John is telling his readers that everyone has the potential for failure. But, he also brings encouragement. He tells them they should

B. Realizing the Potential for Success

17b but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

If you are ever going to succeed at this Christian life you must realize that no matter your level of Christian experiance, every believer has the potential for success.

John writes”he the doeth” Which means if you do Gods will you will succeed.

 The believer has hope. We are not dependent upon this world or anything it offers. Our hope and assurance is in Christ. Those who belong to Him will live forever with the Lord.

 All need to understand this powerful truth. Our lives will culminate in one of two places. All who ever lived will be judged of the Lord, just as He will judge the world, or be accepted of Him because of a relationship with Christ, with the guarantee of eternal life. We cannot have it both ways. All fall into one of two categories, saved or lost. Each category has eternal implications with vastly different surroundings.

Conclusion:

John has covered quite a bit of ground in our text today. We must have a relationship with Christ if we are to enjoy spiritual victory over sin and possess eternal life. Every believer ought to continually grow and mature in the Lord. I fear that many in our modern culture never progress from the childhood stage. I pray that we will strive for maturity, seeking to know more of Christ, and desiring a closer walk with Him.

We cannot look at this passage and escape the reminder of the end times. The Lord is coming again for the redeemed and the lost will stand before Him in judgment. I pray you know the Lord as your personal Savior. If not, I urge you to respond as He leads. This ought to challenge the hearts of believers to share our faith with the world. Those who die apart from Christ will face eternal condemnation and judgment in hell.

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