1 John 4:6: But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.
When Jesus came to earth, He was the embodiment of TRUTH. There are many people in our world that have knowledge of the truth, but He is the truth. Everywhere He traveled during His life on earth, He preached the truth to those who would listen to His Words. One day as He was speaking, some Jews believed the words that He spoke, and Jesus told those who believed that if they would continue in His Word, they would become His disciples and know the truth.
Just like the Jews, who believed in Jesus, but had to be persuaded to continue walking in it, we, too, must learn how to place our complete faith and trust in God’s Word as the absolute truth. It’s one thing to say that you believe in God’s Word as being the truth, but it’s another thing altogether to say that you now trust in His Word as the truth. This place of confidence is established by living according to God’s principles on a daily and consistent basis allowing those truths to become a part of who you are.
As you and I continue to receive the truth of God into our hearts, we will grow past the initial stage of “just believing in His word” to walking in truth. Once the truth of God’s Word is believed and acted upon, it begins to change us by changing our hearts. The truth of God’s Word is far more than words in a book; they are living and will live in us. Once we learn how to walk in the truth (or the light of His Word), then we will be kept alive spiritually by His Word in us.
Jesus ministered for forty-two months before He was crucified. However, before He departed, Jesus told the disciples that He would not leave them (us) as orphans. He prayed to the Father and asked Him to send us another Comforter. This Comforter is called the Holy Spirit of God—we also know Him as the Spirit of truth. As Christians, we must die to the self-nature and become one with the Spirit of truth through our new nature.
We will know that our hearts have been changed by the Word of God, and that we’re walking in the truth when we can begin to recognize when someone is walking in the truth or in error. In order for the Word to keep us from deception or from becoming deceived by people and the lies of the enemy, we must become one with God’s Word. Take the time that is required to build your confidence in God’s Word so that you can walk in the spirit of truth. As you grow in the Word spiritually, then your knowledge of the truth will move from your mind and will become a part of who you are in your heart. Other people will begin to see that you walk in the truth without you having to quote one verse. It’s a heart thing! —submitted by Asa Dockery, US
