Worship Articles

Michael Cochran writes:"Inspiration for my writings comes from my own life experiences and the lessons God has taught me through each and every one. It is through the things that God has taught me and situations overcome that I pray others will rise above the obstacles that would keep them from victory in their own lives. I write to encourage, inspire and uplift every person who feels their current situation is insurmountable. So, they may know the hope and victory that is theirs through Christ Jesus. I pray above all things that each writing I post will be a blessing to someone and a word of encouragement for the journey ahead!" www.mikecochran.org

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

The world can often be a hostile place for believers. God wants his spiritual children to know, however, that they are not alone. He lives in us through his Spirit. We can be assured, therefore, that no matter what spirit someone else may have, the Holy Spirit of God is greater, more powerful, and more glorious. The victory is ours because God's presence in us is greater than any force that we will ever face. We have our victory assured over all forces, powers, spirits, or opponents.

John is talking to believers, who have repented of their sins, accepted Jesus Christ, and are children of God who have His love in their hearts.

It is so easy for the devil to grab hold of your thoughts, to make you believe false things. Our minds are fragile and like sponges, desiring to grab onto anything that makes us feel something. If we do not have a solid foundation of rock in our faith, it is easy for the devil to sneak sand under our feet instead. Here John is telling believers that we have the foundation of solid rock, of God under our feet. God has overcome all, and if we stay tight with Him, we will not be deceived by the devils tricky schemes that try to lead us astray. The one, who is in you, has overcome the one who is in the world. God has overcome the devil by sending His perfect son Jesus, to willingly die on the cross, in our place, and on the 3rd day raised Him from the dead. The devil has no power over believers, except for what we allow him.

“because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” – Our overcoming is not wrapped up in our faith, church attendance, Bible study or prayer life, but in the one who lives within each one of us. It is not “greater am I than the world”; it is “greater is He”. All things point to Jesus and His greatness.

Paul made a similar promise in Romans 8:31 when he said, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” How true! If God is on our side, having known us in our sins and loved us anyway, who could ever raise a statement of accusation against the beloved? In every one of our issues and difficulties, “We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

It is because of the greater One that lives within me that I am successful. It is because of the greater One that dwells within me that causes me to triumph in every circumstance of life. Some people would say this is bragging. This certainly isn’t bragging on yourself, it is bragging on God and His ability. You’re not saying what you can do but what God in you can and is doing.

When we declare this, we are lining our words up with God’s words. We are giving God a place to work in our lives when we speak what He has told us to speak. This is not presumption it is obedience to His Word. Presumption is to assume something, and I am not talking about that at all. I am talking about acting on knowledge. We are acting on what we know to be true and declaring it to be so. His Word tells us to do this in 2 Corinthians 4:13.

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke,’’ we also believe and therefore speak, 

This will open the way for the greater One to rise up inside of you. When we do this we magnify Him and open the door for Him to give us enlightenment, direction, and revelation to our spirit, healing to our bodies, and help and comfort in every situation of life. 

Hebrews 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

He’s telling us in His Word to come boldly and ask for this help, it’s there when we need it. Some people would say I don’t know if I can do that or not, yet we are told to come boldly and ask. This is telling us to do it, God wants us to have His help. We should receive it and begin to walk in it.

One aspect of this is that we must come to realize that that He is always with us. 

Hebrews 13:5 reads, “Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

We all face life’s trials, yet we can take great comfort in the fact the Holy Spirit of God has taken up residence within us. He’s always present to help, not just when we feel like it but always, whether we feel like it or not. Our faith can not be based on our feelings. It must be based on what we know to be the truth of God’s Word. I would encourage you not to look to the circumstances but to look to the greater one within. The Holy Spirit will quicken God’s Word to your spirit and make it real. It is all too easy to take our eyes off of the one who has set us free and to dwell on the negative circumstances that come at us in life. Look to the inside where the greater one dwells, not to the circumstances.

God’s Word tells us in Romans 8:11 that the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us.

”But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

This is talking about the here and now, our mortal bodies not our resurrected bodies that we will have in Heaven. We won’t need our bodies quickened when we are in Heaven. We need it now. This is part of the Covenant that has been purchased for us. Along with the forgiveness of sin we also have the healing of our bodies. Acknowledging this fact is what brings the manifestation. We will not receive it if we won’t believe it and acknowledge it to be so. This is the same way we get born again. We have to believe it and acknowledge the fact. This is the way God allows our faith to manifest the promises of His Word in our lives.

The Apostle Paul said…

1 Corinthians 13:11, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

We don’t have all revelation now, but we can begin to get God’s revelation and start to walk in it. We must start somewhere, and now is as a good a place as any to begin. The Apostle Paul had great revelation of the mystery of the Gospel, yet this mystery was not just for him. It was given to him for us all, so that we can know who we are and walk in the reality of what God has called us to be.

Jesus said in John 14:16, “I will ask my Father and He will give you another Comforter--the Spirit of truth. He will be with you forever. The people of the world cannot accept him, because they don’t see him or know him, but you know him because he stays with you--he is in you.”

The Holy Spirit always leads us, He never pressures or pushes us. This is contrary to what many Christians believe. The truth is that the Holy Spirit is a Gentleman. He is our guide. If we will not follow Him He will never force us. The Word says He will lead us and guide us into all truth. Our part to play in this is to be obedient and teachable, to have a willing heart to follow after God wherever He leads us. He will prompt us and even urge us, but He will never force us. 

Isaiah 1:19:  "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;"

We see that a willing attitude and obedience will bring the kind of results that God wants for us.

We have a part to play in this just as the Lord has His part to play. He always honors His end of the deal. If we want to get the kind of results that declares to all that we are more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus then we must begin to walk in the light of the revealed Word of God, to acknowledge His truth above all other circumstances, to be lead by the Holy Spirit and walk in line with His Word.

Look to the greater One within. He’s always there to help. He’s our helper, our comforter, and our guide. He is a great gift to us. If you are in Christ Jesus than the Holy Spirit is within you, however if you have never accepted Christ then you need to take the first step and ask Him to be the Lord of your life. He will be happy to oblige, and He will never leave you or forsake you.

(© 2013 Michael Cochran – All rights reserved. Written material may not be duplicated without permission.)