1 John 5:1-5 (NLT)
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

As this chapter of John begins he lays out the idea that because of the eminent relationship we have with God and Christ we are to follow God in our love for others. John reminds us keepings God’s commandments are not there to place burdens on us, but instead help us through life. This world is full of sin and the only way to victory is through our faith in the Father and in the Son.

In a battle the enemy plots how they might overrun those they are attempting to overtake. There are strategies for war and how it will proceed. The enemy attempts to create snares and paths of resistance in order to move those they oppose to the place they want them to be. Surrounded they become captive to the enemy and those who remain become fewer in their fight. We have an enemy named Satan. Satan is out to overtake us and our lives. He plans strategies that bring temptations into our lives that we may fall into snares. He attempts to lure us away from God in hopes there will be fewer and fewer who stand up for God and Christ. But John tells us through faith we can have victory. Through faith in Christ we can stand firm to defeat the evil in this world. And through faith in Christ we can will the battle against the world. Pray God will help you to stand firm. Pray Christ might strengthen you and keep you from temptation.