In our study, we have been looking at three different tests of showing if our love is real
- Obedience to what God tells us to do.
- Social test on how we relate to each other
- Doctrinal test of who we know Jesus to be.
Now we are going to see how these three test work out in our lives.
1. DIFFERENT SPIRIT
1 John 4: 3 there is a different spirit that motivates each person. It is either an antichrist spirit or the spirit of Jesus.
Antichrist means instead of Christ.
1 John 4: 4 The Spirit of God is in you and you possess the nature of God. We have a different spirit.
EXAMPLE: Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies who felt that they could take the promised land no matter how many enemies were there. (See Numbers 14) God spoke that Caleb had a different spirit. (Vs 24) The result of this different spirit was Joshua and Caleb were the only two that entered all the promises God had for them.
2. DIFFERENT SPIRIT STARTS WITH JESUS
Our own power and striving can’t get this different spirit. It comes from Jesus.
1 John 4: 9, 10 This is John 3: 16 rewritten.
God did this because He is Love (1 John 4: 16)
EVERYTHING GOD DOES IS MOTIVATED BY LOVE.
1 John 4: 12Our love is made complete as we love each other.
Love to know God is a corporate pursuit. (Ephesians 3: 17 – 19)
Then God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask Vs 20
3. DIFFERENT SPIRIT IS TENDER
2 Chronicles 34 and the story of Josiah
- Became king at age 8
- Father and Grandfather were worst kings Judah had
- Sought God at age 16
- At age 20 he rid the land of all idols even those in the temple
- At age 26 he restored the temple
- They found the book of the law
- Shapha, Josiah’s adviser stated that he found a book (the law was just a book to him)
- Josiah was cut to the core by reading the law
- He sought God and God said He would spare Josiah and his generation because he was tender before God.
We are asking God to spare this generation.
1 John 4: 20 unless we love each other we are just liars.
Key Point: As we know love we can be Jesus in this world.