Introduction: Shrike System
The ancient sport of falconry used trained hawks or falcons in the pursuit of wild game. When the “educated predator” was allowed to fly, however, it often rose too high for human eyes to see it. So a hunter often carried a small caged bird called a shrike. By watching the antics of the little bird, the man could always tell where his hawk was, for the shrike instinctively feared the predator and cocked its head to keep it in view.
The Christian desperately needs the alert perception of the shrike when it comes to detecting his spiritual enemy. Our adversary, Satan, “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). Our responsibility, according to the apostle Peter, is to “be sober, be vigilant.” We’re to be always on the alert.
It would be nice if God had giant sirens to warn us of an attack by the devil. But the Lord doesn’t operate that way. Instead, we must read the Bible regularly, meditate on its truths, maintain a prayerful attitude throughout the day, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only then will we be sensitive to an imminent onslaught of the evil one, and be armed by grace to meet it.
Is your spiritual “shrike system” working well?
The devil is clever, deceiving us all,
He subtly causes the strongest to fall;
But we his sly methods are sure to discern
By making God's warnings our daily concern. —DJD
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. —1 John 4:4
Source: Mart Dehaan, Our Daily Bread
I. You Are Of God 4
4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
A. You Are Of God 4a
You are of God, little children
1. We are kind of back to square one for a moment.
a. John is calling his readers “children” again.
b. It is a term of love and affection.
2. The term “children” appears 1200 times in the Bible (OT and NT)
a. That would be an average of about 18 times per book.
b. “Children” occurs in the letters of John 18 times.
c. Consider that we are speaking of 18 occurrences in 7 small chapters.
3. Definitions:
a. Children – children
b. Children – children of Israel
c. Children – beloved ones
4. But if we are going to get hung up on something, let’s get hung up on this:
a. You are of God!
b. If you receive
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
—John 1:12
c. The spirit bears witness
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
—Romans 8:16
d. Shining Lights in a dark world
that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
—Philippians 2:15
e. You are of God!
B. You Have Overcome Them 4b
and have overcome them
1. I believe there is a large distinction to be made here.
a. You HAVE overcome them.
b. You have conquered them!
c. You have carried off the victory!
d. You have held fast your faith even in the face of death
i. against the power of their foes
ii. against temptations and persecutions
e. If we see it in a legal sense, when one is arraigned or goes to trail
i. You win the case
ii. You maintain your cause
2. But who exactly have we won the victory over?
a. Those false spirits
b. Those false prophets
c. Those false christs we found in the preceding paragraph.
C. He Is Greater 4c
because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
1. We did not accomplish that victory alone!
2. Rather, He who is in us is greater that he who is in the world!
3. Jesus defeated Satan on the Cross!
4. Jesus defeats Satan in our lives!
D. Application To The Church
Illustration
II. They Are Of The World 5
5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.
A. They Speak As The World 5a
1. It is very interesting that John used the word “world” exactly the same number of times as he did “children”
a. When John writes children he means believers.
b. When John writes world he means unbelievers.
2. So when John writes, they speak as of the world he is saying a couple of things
a. They are unbelievers…
b. They speak as their father speaks…
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
—John 8:44
c. There is NO godliness in them.
3. Does John equate the world with false spirits, false prophets and false christs?
a. I think that case can be made.
b. I think an equally viable case can be made…
i. To look out at the world at large.
ii. John previously was looking INSIDE THE CHURCH and found false spirits, false prophets and false christs!
iii. How much more can be seen when we look out of the church!
B. The World Hears Them 5b
1. There is a siren call false gods and the world hears in perfect pitch.
2. When you want to do something wrong you don’t need much encouragement.
3. But if you hear the voice of false spirits, false prophets, false christs and the devil himself…
a. If you are a Christian, you should resist and overcome.
b. If you are an unbeliever, you will listen to the voice of you father.
C. Application To The Church
Illustration
III. We Are Of God 6
6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
A. Who is the We John Refers To? 6a
We are of God.
1. Here are a few examples
a. John plus God the Holy Spirit equals WE.
b. John plus God the Church equals WE.
c. John plus God the Apostles equals WE.
d. John plus God other ministers equals WE.
2. I think you can take your choice and not be wrong.
a. We John, Holy Spirit, Apostles, other ministers are writing to you.
b. What we are writing is truth born of the Holy Spirit aka Scripture.
B. Believers Hear Us 6b
He who knows God hears us
1. It is proper to say, “Believers believe us”.
2. You have heard sermons that thrill your soul – God is speaking to you!
3. You have heard sermons that make your skin crawl – God is not speaking to you!
a. Is your pastor having an off day?
b. We do!
c. Or is something more sinister at work?
d. If you ever hear a preacher preach and it makes your skin crawl – take your skin and run away!
e. Joseph knew there was something wrong with Potiphar’s wife when she constantly propositioned him.
i. When she finally cornered him – he ran!
ii. I know! I know! He spent the next few years in prison on a trumped up charge.
iii. After he was freed from prison, he spent the rest of his life as the PM of Egypt!
iv. Better a few days in the slammer than a ruined life!
4. The devil does this dead level best to ruin you every single day!
5. You know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error!
a. Follow the spirit of truth!
b. It will never fail you!
C. Application To The Church
Illustration
IV. Conclusion
