READ – 1 John 4:13-19
The Apostle John was an eyewitness to Jesus Christ. He wrote, “…we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” For three years, John traveled with Jesus. He saw Jesus heal the sick. He was there when Christ commanded his dead friend, Lazarus, to come out of his grave. John saw Jesus crucified; he saw Jesus resurrected; he saw Jesus ascend to Heaven to return to the Father.
As profound as living with God in the flesh was for John, it must have been all the more astonishing to have God dwelling within John. “All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.” God living within his children! Extraordinary!
That is the reality for you and me. If you have placed your trust in Jesus, believing him to be the Son of God, then the Holy Spirit lives within you!
The primary evidence of the Holy Spirit is this: love. “God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect.” Love is the primary trait of a follower of Jesus. Love for each other and love for God. It is no exaggeration to say that Christians ought to be the most loving people on the planet.
This love, John writes, banishes fear, enabling you and I to confidently come before the Father. Jesus gives us access to the Father, for which love is the guarantee.