December 7, 2008
1 John: Living Victoriously
Steve Lane

A. Introduction/Review
A repeated theme: "does what is right" or "practices righteousness"
Laying down His life; having a holy, eternally focused mission.
The great test: loving the brethren and living to please God.
Are we a people who love?
The revival you need could be connected to loving God, and loving others.
B. The Test Repeated: Obedience, Love, Belief

The interwoven test of obedience, love and belief

1 John 5: 1 - 5
Agapao love for God takes action and bears fruit.
His commands are not burdensome, but unforgiveness is.
To obey brings joy and rest.

John 7
Streams of living water will flow from within us.

Ezekiel 47
Your life will be like a river, always flowing toward God and bearing fruit.

To pass these tests of obedience, love and faith will lead to victorious living.

Verses 4 & 5
Our faith in and commitment to Jesus makes us overcomers of the world.

John 14: 12
A unique position for victory, and for abundant fruit.

I don't care how many times you've failed. YOU CAN LIVE VICTORIOUSLY.

C. A Witness to the World of the Truth of Jesus

1 John 5: 6 - 12
The baptism of Jesus and the cross.
And, the blood and water witness to who He is. (verse 20)

The most powerful present-day witness is the internal witness by the Holy Spirit.
A witness is someone who has personal and immediate knowledge.

A primary purpose of God and the church is to bear witness to Jesus.

D. Things We can Know - Certainties

1 John 5: 13 - 15
If you know you have eternal life...

John 14: 13
John 15: 16 - 17
1 John 3: 22
"As a child of God we have access to Him, and He always wants to hear from us. The confident prayer of the disciple who is in fellowship with the Father... prayer made in these circumstances is always heard."
-EBC

1 John 5: 16 - 17
Acts 5: 1 - 11
1 Corinthians 5: 5
1 Corinthians 11: 30
1 John 5: 19 - 20
"Do my prayers aim at a powerful witness and testimony of Jesus being the truth?"

1 John 5: 21
Satan does not have free reign in our lives as believers.