4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, 82 but test 83 the spirits 84 to determine 85 if they are from God, because many false prophets 86 have gone out into the world. 4:2 By this 87 you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses 88 Jesus as the Christ 89 who has come in the flesh is from God, 4:3 but 90 every spirit that does not confess 91 Jesus 92 is not from God, and this is the spirit 93 of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.
4:4 You are from God, little children, and have conquered them, 94 because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 4:5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world’s perspective and the world listens to them. 4:6 We are from God; the person who knows God listens to us, but 95 whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this 96 we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit. 97
After the grind of the semester has come to a halt, it is refreshing to see that God is a 'big picture' God, to say the least. While we were frantically trying to juggle school, our spiritual and familial lives, and stay healthy, God was keeping us under the shadow of his wings all the while. If there is one thing I have learned this semester, it is that God wants us to take it one day at a time, not letting a single one pass where we are not constantly thanking and praising him for his overflowing mercy.
With the commercial christmas inundating the world around us, we must be acutely aware of God's presence and truly believe the 'One who is in us is greater than the world'. I know that being around my family it is too easy to get back into my frame of thinking that, 'I have nothing to say that can bring others to God'. With many people in my family who are not saved or on the fence, this is not a time to be playing games. Even though there are many things that could have been better this semester (like my grades =) ), my biggest drawback is that I let my heart become hardened at times....and I knew in my spirit something wasn't right. Once again, the solution is not as complicated as I make it out to be...I keep running toward the arms of our Savior, knowing all the while that I am in his presence always. The ways of this world are stronger than we give them credit for, and only a hunger for justice and praise that supercedes this can we remain victorious.
May your hearts be blessed this holiday season and evermore~
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