LEARNING DAILY

1 John 3:8, He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (Darkened emphasis is mine for the purpose of this page of the blog.)

The message this weekend was about the “Mighty God” sent into this world to save and change each person who would believe in Him and truly follow Him in faith. There were so many thoughts or verses referred to that I want to work through in the coming days in this blog. I want to begin with a new Hebrew word I learned about – the word is “Gibbor” which means “Hero, Champion or Warrior”. (from the Listener Guide). Pastor Newton used Deuteronomy 10:17 as one of the verses for this word, “For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and awesome God”. He continued to explain when the word “El” (the shortened form of the word “Elohim”) is put with “Gibbor” it means that God “Mighty God” has “the strength and power to get you out of your situation”.

John wrote in verse 6 and 7 about the deceptiveness of sin and those who would do their best to lead people astray from walking on the narrow way. Jesus warned us about this when He said the narrow way would be difficult. “People who embrace sin are not simply misguided; they are unwitting tools of the devil who uses them to sow destruction in the world (John 8:44)” (David Jeremiah Study Bible). All sin, in all forms is from Satan. This verse has, sometimes, been directed towards those whose sin is habitual and not repented of.

Perhaps John is writing towards those who have taught and lived the idea that after one accepts Christ as their Savior, the gospel gives them a license to sin and live however they want.  Believers are not to submit to their sinful nature, their old self. They are to live their lives by walking the narrow way with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. How can we do that? We do so because Jesus, “Mighty God” is with us and is able to not only save us but to keep us and defend us. Save and defend us from what? He saves us from sin, ourselves, and eternal separation from God (Pastor Newton).

That’s why John wrote the verse we began with. The Lord Jesus left Heaven to come to walk with us. He came “that He might destroy the works of the devil”. Paul writes in the last part of Hebrews 2:14, “that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil”. The Lord Jesus Christ was born into this world as a lowly baby who was place in a manger for a crib. But He came with power and a purpose. It was not what His people were expecting nor looking for. He came to save us. He came with power to be “El Gibbor” who is able to get us out of the situation(s) we face. He came to defend us as we walk with Him daily. We, therefore, trust He is doing so and walk steadily with Him in faith. We can do so because He has the power to keep us from all that is trying so hard to defeat us. In the end He has the power to resurrect us; “Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me though he dies, yet shall he live,”; death does not win! (from the Listener Guide and pastor Newton).

I want to write the takeaway from the message written on the Listener Guide to finish this page of the blog. May it be an encouragement to all who read it. May each of us write it on our heart to remember as we walk through those difficult times. “There is no situation you will ever face that God won’t be strong enough to deliver you from that place.” Stay strong in the “Mighty God”, resist the devil, believe and know He is with you today, the next day, and every day after that. Be thankful for His mercy and His grace as you walk in obedience and in faith on the narrow way into eternity with Him.