“He That Is In Us Is Greater Than He

Who Is In The World”

(I John 4:4-7)

 

Introduction.  This is a beautiful and encouraging text which would have us to understand the glorious position that one is in when they are in Christ.  The problem is that as Christians…

 

I.  We Often Don’t Feel This Way.  Instead we feel…

A.  Weak—Like Moses (Exodus 4:10-17).  Maybe you feel like you have struggled with sin and lost.  We may feel that the force of the whole world is against you.  Look what God did through Moses!  As Christians, as long as we don’t give up “Greater is He that is in us.”

B.  Mistreated—Like Naomi (Ruth 1:19-21).  Life is not fair.  We suffer when we should

C.  Outnumbered—Like Andrew (John 6:5-11).  In our lives sometime whether it is bills or hardships we feel as if there are “thousands of mouths to feed” (so to speak) and we just don’t have what it takes to meet the need.  We must do our share, and try our best but the Christian can know “Greater is He that is in us.”

D.  Alone—Like Elijah (I Kings 19:1-10).  Elijah was told that he was not alone.  There were 7000 in wicked Israel that had not worshipped Baal.  Often our sense of isolation and loneliness is unfounded.  In Christ (yes we have struggles, yes brethren aren’t always what we wish they would be, but even so) “Greater is He that is in us.”

 

II.  We Need To Remember… That God’s word is offered to give us encouragement, examples, and hope when we see the lives of those who have gone before us.   There is nothing that we feel that other servants of God have not felt.  We must remember when we feel…

A.  Weak—Servants like David (I Samuel 17:40-46).  What are the Goliath’s in your life?  Do you face them with the confident trust that God will help you overcome them—or do you fear them?  We can’t forget “Greater is He that is in us.”

B.  Mistreated—Folks like Joseph (Genesis 50:15-21).  Joseph’s treatment was not just imagined, it was real abuse, neglect, and hatred.  What a wonderful example he is to us in Christ.  Will we be the kind of people who allow the sinfulness of others to control our view of our life, our attitude, or even our eternal destiny?  Or, will we remember, “Greater is He that is in us.”

C.  Outnumbered—People like Elisha’s Servant (I Kings 6:11-18).  There is a spiritual condition in which the child of God operates that can’t be perceived with the human eye.  Example: C.S. Lewis story Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Lewis used a number of things as allegories of life in Christ.  In this imaginary world of Narnia, Christ is figured in the form of a lion (cf. “Lion of Judah” whose truest disciples is a little girl named Lucy.  One of the greatest scenes in the story is when the entire army of the enemy stands before this sole Lion and the little girl who stands beside him with a little sword.  In Christ we have the greatest power in the universe by our side, if we will only recognize it—“Greater is He that is in us.”

D.  Alone—Our master Jesus (Matthew 26:31; 36-40).  Jesus, while God in the flesh knew the betrayal and treachery of facing the most horrible isolation in the universe, only to go on to face the highest glory.  We have before us a similar hope because, “Greater is He that is in us.”

These examples should give us hope.  They should move us to see the outcome of their faith.  It should encourage us to remember that “He That Is In Us Is Greater Than He

Who Is In The World.”  We will forget this if we fail to remember who we are.

 

III.  We Must Recognize…

A.     We are “Children of God” (I John 3:1-2).  This is that unseen condition again.  We don’t look like royalty.  We are lowly.   We are frail.  We are looked down on and pitiable.  But if we are in Christ “Greater is He that is in us.”

B.     We “Sit Together With Christ” (Ephesians 2:4-7).  This is a present condition.  Example: Many of the figures in the book of Revelation are like this.  John is allowed to see the spiritual condition of the child of God, who may face persecution, hardship, and trial in the flesh.  The spiritual condition of the child of God remains, “Greater is He that is in us.”

C.    “Our Citizenship is in Heaven” (Philippians 3:18-21).  When we obey the gospel we change our allegiance.  As the song we sing declares, “This world is not my home.”  We must cling to this idea.  We must relish it.  If the Christian changes his or her allegiance but then scratches and claws to hold on to this life they will rob themselves of the joy and comfort God would have us to enjoy.  As a citizen of heaven, it is ever true that “Greater is He that is in us.”

D.    “We are more than conquerors” (Romans 8:36-39).  We may not feel this way.  We may feel like “the conquered.”  Don’t look at your life that way!  We are on the winning side.  One day, when the heavens are parted and the Lord returns—one day when all men stand before the throne of God, something will become to all the universe what was true every minute of every day for the soul in Christ—“Greater is He that is in us than He that is in the world.”