1 JOHN 2:12-14

⇒ They overcome by clothing themselves with the armor of God.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in
the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Eph.6:13).

⇒ They overcome by being on guard and watching for the tempter’s temptations.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pt.5:8).
“Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led
away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness” (2 Pt.3:17).

⇒ They overcome by not giving in to anger nor giving place to the devil.

“Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place
to the devil” (Eph.4:26-27).

⇒ They overcome by submitting to God and resisting the devil.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”
(Jas.4:7).

⇒ They overcome by not giving in to the enticement of sinners.

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not” (Pr.1:10).

⇒ They overcome by not entering into the path of the wicked.

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men” (Pr.4:14).

2
(2:14) Growth, Spiritual—Maturity—Diligence—Faithfulness: second, remember your great relationship to God
over and over again. Note the emphasis in this second exhortation to each of the believers: the stress is upon the believ-
er’s relationship to God and His Word. What John has written has been written to stir up their relationship to the Father. Be-
lievers, no matter their stage of spiritual growth, must never forget who it is they know: God the Father. They have the great-
est privilege in all the world, the privilege of knowing God Himself, of being adopted into the very family of God and of be-
coming a son or a daughter of God. The believer receives the great privilege of calling God “Father.”
1. Little children, young believers, must remember that they have known the Father. They have just been adopted into
the family of God. God Himself, the Supreme Force of the universe, the Supreme Intelligence and Power of the universe, is
not some abstract energy way off in outer space. God is a Person, the Supreme Person in all the universe, the only living and
true God. And He desires the most wonderful thing in all the world: to relate to man. He wants to become a Father to people.
He wants to adopt people as His children, to have people believe in Him and trust Him to look after them. Young believers
know this; therefore they have come to God through Jesus Christ, and they have experienced the privilege of adoption. They
now know God as their Father.
But note: young believers must remember this glorious truth. They must remember and focus upon God as their Father;
they must not let the thought of God slip from their mind. They must come to God day by day as their Father. They must...
• bring their needs to Him
• trust Him to look after them
• ask and depend upon Him to teach them
• trust Him to discipline them when they need it
• study Him and His Word, and listen and do what He says
• fellowship and commune with Him
• love Him and receive His love
• do nothing that would shame Him
• share with others what a wonderful Father He is

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy
name” (Mt.6:9).
“If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more
shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Mt.7:11).
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with out spirit, that we are the children of God: and if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with
him, that we may be also glorified together” (Ro.8:16-17).
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch
not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be
my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor.6:17-18).
“But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman,
made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the
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