Victory in Faith

Intro

To be known. To be known is a basic want of every individual who has ever lived. Whether we want to be known by masses or just by those who know us best, we want to be known.

When we are known, then we can feel loved, we can know love, we can know that we are seen and heard genuinely.

But, to be known by something. Oh, how much more valuable is that?! We are all known by something. I have friends who did ONE really dumb think in college, and they have become known by that thing! Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum we know missionaries and preachers who have gone down in history due to great acts for the Kingdom. Why? Because, when we do significant things, we are going to be remembered or known by those significant things.

I am not saying that in 100 years if you aren’t in history books that you lived a poor Christian life; however, I am saying that now, right now, you need to be known by your faith for as we will see today, there is victory over the world in and through faith and faith alone.

1 John 5:1-5

Love

We have talked about love a lot, and as we come to an end to this series in the next few weeks, we all need to take a real assessment of ourselves and ask: Do I really love the way I am commanded to in 1 John?

We know that a mark of a true Christian is love. But, where does your love reside, where does it abide, where are you placing your love for the long haul?

We love, we are creatures designed to love. I have no doubt this morning that each of you have love in your life and that it is plentiful … somewhere

However, John is very clear and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he gives us a place, or a person, wherewith we can place our love and where we can place it for an eternity.

We live in a very temporary and quick world, not just in the fact that the Lord is coming back, but everything we do is quicker now than ever. We communicate quickly, we watch short TV shows, we watch short videos online, we do things in a very quick manner and we often love quickly.

We are quick to love something or someone, but we don’t allow that love to last, we don’t allow that love to take root and stay for a long period of time.

John tells us that we ought to, but that our love isn’t for menial things, but what does he say in verse 1?

We ought to love the Father, and the Father begot Jesus; therefore we should love Jesus as well.

This is where our love begins, this is where it ends. This is where it can rest. This is where it can root and blossom. If your love doesn’t begin, root, and end with first the Father and Jesus, then your love for God creation, people, will be void of any genuineness. It will be vapid.

And, if we want to have victory over the world, we must develop a love for God, the things of God, and God’s creation.

Yes, you are called to love, it is a commandment! But, unless your love comes from the main source, God, your love will fail. And your love for God cannot be vapid, no it must be eternal.

We must love those around us, we must love ourselves even, but we cannot love properly until we first experience the love of God in our lives and love Him back.

You can have a type of love. But it will never be the true love that looks at people around you and sees someone Jesus died for. That type of love will cause us to do crazy things in the pursuit of helping people as God commands.

And God does command us to pursue others for the cause of Christ and we are called to obey His commandments.

Obey His Commandments

Obey His commandments… Man, don’t we hear that a lot?

And, when we hear it, let’s be honest at times it instills a feeling of dread! Why? Because often, we have been taught only the hardships of that obedience!

Yes, you have to sacrifice your will and way in order to obey His commandments, and yes at times it may be hard due to your sin nature; however, listen to what John says: 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

His commandments are not grievous. His commandments are not burdensome!

Oh, but pastor what about don’t have sex before marriage? What about don’t partake in homosexual actions? What about don’t hate your brother? What about put God and others before me? What about love people that make me uncomfortable? What about those commandments?

When you are truly born again, these commandments will not exist as burdensome behaviors. These will be the love of God on your life overflowing on those around you and ultimately back to God.

Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John We Obey His Commands (1 John 5:2–3)

John is saying that in the new birth I receive a new nature. With this new nature comes new affections, passions, treasures, and values. Because I now love God instead of hating Him, I treasure and value Him above everyone and everything else. And because I treasure and value Him above everyone and everything else, I delight in obeying Him. Now I find His commands not to be a burden, but a blessing. They are not drudgery, they are a delight. John Piper is right: “What you desire to do with your whole heart is not burdensome to do” (“Regeneration, Faith, Love”). My heart desires to love and obey my Lord.

His commandments exists to make your life easier, not more difficult.

The Psalms are full of testimonies of God’s people finding true joy in following His commandments.

Psalm 1:1–2 “Blessed is the man That walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

Psalm 112:1 “Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, That delighteth greatly in his commandments.”

Psalm 119:14 “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, As much as in all riches.”

Psalm 119:47 “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, Which I have loved.”

Psalm 119:143 “Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: Yet thy commandments are my delights.”

Psalm 119:174 “I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; And thy law is my delight.”

And, commandments aren’t just a list of “no’s.” Listen to these beautiful words from Matthew.

Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Isn’t that beautiful? Ask God and you will have it. Seek God and you will find Him. Knock and He will answer!

Beautiful and simple… However, we tend to make it difficult.

One pastor worded it this way “When we pray [or follow any of God’s commandments] we don’t have to do so as if we have to convince God to be good to us”

When you pray, expect. When you seek, expect. When you knock, expect. When you follow the commandments of God, with a right spirit that says “this is not burdensome because God has a plan in this that is for my good,” then we can expect God’s goodness and we will delight in His commandments.

His commandments are not burdensome when we understand that they are for our good!

Follow the commandments of God no matter where they lead, what you expect to find, or the danger that may lie ahead. Just like Jonah, a great blessing may be on the other side… and just like Jonah you may miss it if you don’t realize that the commandments of God are for good.

When we follow God’s commandments, it must start in His word. His word is clear on many things, and in those things, we should follow the Word of God down the letter. But, at times, God is going to command you, call you, impress upon you to do something. To act. To sow. To participate in something great that may even make you uncomfortable. In those moments, we must, too, be willing to follow God’s commandments wherever they lead. Because, in those moments, God is still working things together for your good!

Victory over the world in and by faith continues when we follow the commandments of God with a pointed desire for the things of God.

Believe on Jesus

1 John 5:1–5 (KJV 1900)

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

And this is the greatest commandment of all and the one that works toward your good the most. The one that leads to victory. The one that leads to salvation. Believe on Jesus as the Son of God. Place your faith in the One!

Victory. Conquering. These are terms that, in our world, kind of offend folks. Why? Because, over the centuries, nation has conquered nation and people have been the cost. Cultures have been ruined. Lives lost. Lifestyles obliterated. Scorched earth.

So, why would we want to have victory over the world? What even are we obtaining victory over?

1 John 2:16 “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

We must obtain the victory. Your life must be the cost. Your culture must be ruined. Your life must be lost. Your lifestyle must be obliterated. Scorched earth.

But, the victory isn’t ours, the the losses we experience are replaced with blessing upon blessing, grace upon grace.

Believe on Jesus and have life made totally new.

Believe on Jesus and overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These aren’t from the Father! They are of the world.

And, as we battle against the world and the things of the flesh, we have weapons, chief of which is our faith in Jesus Christ. Without faith in Jesus, 1) you won’t want to overcome the world, and even if you did 2) you would be unable

Friendship with the world is enmity with God, therefore friendship with God must be enmity with the world.

Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John We Believe Jesus Is the Son of God (1 John 5:5)

Adrian Rogers said, “Faith in faith is just positive thinking, but faith in Jesus is salvation”

Folks, you are going to face moments in your life when you feel depression, anxiety, failure, there are going to be times when you truly feel you cannot go on. There are going to be times when you doubt your faith. There are going to be times when overcoming temptation seems impossible. There are going to be times when you struggle to forgive. There are going to be moments in your life when you realize, “I need help.”

That help must be Christ.

True help is found in Christ alone.

Christ alone is the victory.

Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John We Have Overcome the World (1 John 5:4)

Faith sees that Jesus is better. That is why faith conquers the world. The world held us in bondage by the power of its desires. But now our eyes have been opened by the new birth to see the superior desirability of Jesus. Jesus is better than the desires of the flesh, and better then the desires of the eyes, and better than the riches that strangle us with greed and pride

You want to have victory in your faith? Love. Love truly. Get your love from the source. Keep the commandments, and realize that they are not burdensome, they are for your good. Delight in them. And above all else in this world, if you want victory in your faith, believe on Jesus… it’ll change your life.

SONG

Conclusion

Victory over the world and the things in the world. This is the goal. Why? Because by definition, wordly things are sinful things and sinful things exist in opposition to God.

You want to have victory over opposition toward God? You want victory over temptation? You want victory over the desires of your flesh, the desires of your eyes, and the pride of life?

Get your love from the source. Love that source. Delight in His commandments. And believe on Jesus.

Loving God and delighting in His commandments may seem foreign or impossible to you this morning, but, to the true follower of Christ, the desire to do both comes more and more as we keep our faith in him and our hearts set on His Word.

*Salvation plea*

Maybe you don’t love like you should. Maybe you took my challenge seriously and really assessed your love this morning and you are lacking. Come seek the Father. Maybe you struggle keeping the commandments, that is more normal than you may think, come get strength from the Father. Maybe you need to believe on Jesus for salvation by repentance. Come to the Father.