I think I love teaching because I love to understand. 1 John 5:20 says, “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”
This scripture says Jesus came to give us an understanding… but of what? Although any word you could answer with would probably be a good one, I’ve come up with a list of three categories I think most would fall into:
- An understanding of RIGHTEOUSNESS (what you received at and through salvation)
- An understanding of DECEPTION (the strategies of your enemy, the devil)
- An understanding of AUTHORITY (your delegated dominion here on the earth)
Let’s read this scripture again in context (I’ll just back up two verses): “And we know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true….” (1 John 5:18-20).
Interestingly, each of these verses starts with “We know…” First, we know we belong to God and sin doesn’t control us anymore. Secondly, we know this world is controlled by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4 says he’s the god of this world). And lastly, we know Jesus came to give us understanding.
Do we know?
Honestly, I don’t think we know as much as we should, but thankfully, God’s Word helps us– especially when it comes to understanding the strategies of the devil. Think about 1 John 5:19 again: “We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one.“
In this verse, the word “world” is the Greek word kosmos which describes the earth as “the abode of man.” More specifically, it describes this present world, or the present order of things, and therefore, always with the idea of temporary existence. One definition refers to the world as the seat of cares, temptations, and irregular desires (things that conflict with God). And lastly, it’s a symbolic term used to describe people of this world (those who haven’t given their hearts to God), the ones unknowingly subject to Satan, who is himself the ruler of this world.
Definitions can be boring but I wanted to emphasize what John said: “…the WHOLE WORLD is under the sway of the wicked one,” but yet, this is where God’s children live too. So the understanding God wanted us to have is: believers are on the earth operating BEHIND ENEMY LINES. And this would explain why Jesus came to give us an understanding of righteousness, deception, and authority.
Let me give you a few examples of what I mean:
Matthew 4:8 says, “The devil took Jesus up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the kosmos (world) and their glory.”
Matthew 5:14 says, “You are the light of the kosmos (world). A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”
Matthew 13:38 says, “The field is the kosmos (world), the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.”
Matthew 16:26 says, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole kosmos (world), and loses his own soul?”
Are you seeing the emphasis? This world is not our final destination. The phrase “behind enemy lines” is a military term. It means we are on their turf but not on their side. And this is why JESUS told His disciples,“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18).
This would also explain why He prayed this way to the Father: “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one…” (John 17:14-15).
Like a game of chess.
I was praying one day and was led over to my chess board. As I stood there, God gave me a vision of the board being like our world, and the pieces like two opposing sides, and my perspective like His, from above.
Have you ever wondered why chess players just sit and stare at a chess board for long periods of time? It’s because of the six types of pieces, none of them do the same thing. So you have to not only study your best move, but you have to consciously consider what your opponent can do identically from the other side.
This means ONE WRONG MOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING.
As Christians, it is super important that we have a strategic understanding of Heaven’s perspective of this world and the kingdom of light versus the kingdom of darkness because EVERY MOVE, EVERY DECISION, EVERY ACT OF OBEDIENCE HAS AN OUTCOME THAT DETERMINES OUR VICTORY OR DEFEAT.
I want you to be empowered with truth so over the next few weeks, we’ll look more at this teaching from my book, Facing the Enemy.
