I am Born of God & Protected from the Evil One

Expectation and excitement.   

When my wife and I were pregnant with our first child, we lived in a state of expectation and excitement. We were excited because we were going to meet this tiny little human God had been growing for 9 months. The funny thing is that when we arrived at the hospital late that night, Jen suddenly informed me: “I’m not doing this.”  Honestly, I wasn’t sure how to respond.  

The reality was that our expectation was coming to fulfillment, and there were implications.   

Whether we’re waiting to meet a child, move across the country, start a new job or something else, we all know what it feels like to be in a state of expectation.  

One example in the church calendar is Advent. Advent, which simply means “coming” or “arrival,” is four weeks of anticipation and expectation. It’s a time to remember the arrival of Jesus Christ and look ahead to His second coming.  

Since Jesus has not yet returned, we are in a constant state of expectation and anticipation. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16, “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangels’ voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will always be with the Lord.” (HCSB) 

Talk about implications! When Jesus comes the second time, there will be dramatic implications for everyone. 

But let’s not miss the fact that there were huge implications the first time He arrived, once He completed His work and accomplished His Father’s will (see John 4:34). 

1 John 5:18-20 states, “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5: 18-10 ESV)  

These verses say that just as certain as Jesus’ arrival was the first time, so is the believer's union with Christ. Once we put our faith in Jesus, “we are in him who is true.” Not only that, but “he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.”  

This matters because we live in the midst of an epic spiritual war and face battles every day. Our enemy is a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Knowing that our soul is guarded and protected by God is incredible news!  

So, while we expectantly await Jesus’ second coming when He will make everything right, don’t forget that Jesus’ first coming has implications for your life today.   

His life, death and resurrection opened the way for us to experience true security and protection that comes from being born of God.  

Dear Saints, believing lies and living in unrepentant sin make you vulnerable to the enemy. But Christ is our sanctuary, and we are already in Him.  Therefore, at any moment in time, you are secure because you are a child of God, and the evil one does not touch you.   

Thank God that He sent Jesus, “the true God and eternal life,” so that you may experience His protection from sin, deceit, and the power of the evil one who is the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4).  

Jesus is your Sanctuary!