1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Those who belong to God as His little children have already overcome their opposers, because God Himself, Christ dwelling by faith in the heart with the Holy Spirit, is in them and is greater than Satan with his hosts and wicked agents who rule in the world. There are only two classes in the world, those who are of God through obedience to Christ and seeking to do His will for the salvation of souls, and the children of disobedience who are of the world, mastered by it and alienated from Christ. Therefore one who fears God and stays true to Him need fear nothing else, for no power of earth or hell can move him from gospel hope, destroy his peace in Jesus, or do him lasting harm, and when invincible forces seem arrayed against him he is to look away from them to the One he serves who is greater than them all. Christ's presence preserves believers in the furnace fire of temptation, persecution, trial and suffering as the burning bush was preserved, consuming only the dross while faith shines as purified gold, and even the afflicted and weak whose courage wavers may dismiss fear and doubt, for One stronger than the enemy has their case in hand with God's everlasting arms beneath them. Because God with His child is stronger than all wicked men and devils, His children can discern the child of God from the child of the wicked one without depending on the world's praise, and in humble obedience, prayer and study of the Word they can remain calm and steadfast, bring light to those in darkness, and boldly reprove sin and advocate truth even when Satan marshals his larger army against the small remnant.
Promise and Two Classes
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, for greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. Those who belong to God are thereby separate and distinct from the world and from unbelievers around them, while those who belong to the world speak from its outlook and the world listens to them. The contrast in the following verse sets worldly speech welcomed by the world against overcoming by the indwelling power of God.
There are only two classes in the world, those who are of God and the children of disobedience. Those who are of God are obedient to Jesus Christ, seeking to do His will and working for the salvation of their own souls and of all associated with them who name the name of Christ. The children of disobedience are of the world, alienated from Christ and mastered by the world, chasing its delusive flattering mirage with the fear and love of God having no controlling power over them, and souls under that influence are being deluded.
The One within believers is God, even Christ, the risen Saviour dwelling by faith in the heart, with the Holy Spirit abiding with them and having charge of them. The one in the world is Satan with his agents, hosts and powers of darkness, including wicked men and devils, ruling in the world and controlling the hearts of unbelievers. Those who are of God have overcome that worldly class and its influence because Christ living in them is stronger than the satanic power working through the world.
Courage Through Indwelling Christ
Those who fear God and stay true to God and to themselves need fear nothing else, for pleasing Him secures everything the soul requires. No power of earth or hell can move such a person from the hope of the gospel, destroy peace in Jesus, or cause lasting injury, even when threats come and a course is prescribed and Satan and hell seem bent on destruction. Faith that lays hold of God's promises comes off triumphant. When invincible forces seem arrayed against him, the believer is to look away from adverse powers and cry out that the One he loves and serves is greater than them all, and what is needed is trusting faith. As long as he is true, no adverse powers of earth or hell can destroy his peace or make him unhappy, for unhappiness is of his own creating and nine-tenths of trials are born of imagination. He can maintain cheerfulness in God even with far greater real troubles, because faith, patience, forbearance, heavenly-mindedness and trust in the wise heavenly Father mature amidst clouds and disappointments and bereavements as the discipline of adversity.
This assurance gives courage to remain calm and firm and steadfast in faith amid threats, persecution, apparent defeat, conflict and difficulty. Christ leads His followers, gives them strength to remain steadfast, and brings them to victory. Christ dwelling by faith in the heart, with the Holy Spirit given to abide with the faithful, is greater than the power ruling in unbelievers and controlling the hearts of unbelievers. His presence enables believers to endure the furnace fire of temptation, persecution, trial and suffering while preserving them as the burning bush was preserved from being consumed. Only the dross is consumed and faith shines brighter as gold through purification. Therefore the believer should not complain bitterly of trial but look to Christ, who clothed His divinity with humanity and identified Himself with suffering humanity, tasting human sorrow, afflicted in all our afflictions, made perfect through suffering, and tempted as humanity is tempted in order to succor those in temptation.
One who is afflicted and weak, whose courage and hope waver and who will have conflicts with the enemy, need not fear but should be comforted that One stronger than the enemy, He who has charge of him, has his case in hand. God's arms are beneath His afflicted servant, and God pities, loves and cares for him. He is to dismiss fears, anxiety, doubts and unbelief, calmly trust in the great yet merciful God, and by faith rely on the evidences God has given, and he will gloriously triumph in God with God glorified in his restoration to health in answer to prayer. Though Satan makes cruel, fierce attacks to crush out life, bringing excruciating pain and a death grasp on the heart, and men place themselves under his rule, Christ's power is above Satan's power. By faith believers cling closely to Christ, hold His hand, ask to be kept by His power, leave themselves in the Saviour's hands and follow closely the path He leads, and He frees them from Satan's grasp. They do not fail or become intimidated, and their message and work of giving decided reproof to those who have gone against light does not cease.
Faithful Witness and Endurance
The verse calls for true spiritual discernment to tell a child of God and heir of the kingdom from a child of the wicked one and enemy of God. There are only two classes, those of God through obedience to Jesus Christ who seek to do His will and labor for the salvation of their own souls and of all associated with them who name the name of Christ, and the children of disobedience who are of the world, alienated from Christ and mastered by the world. Those of God have overcome worldly influence because Christ living in them is stronger than the satanic power working through the world, and discernment keeps believers from being swayed by the voice of the world. They are not to depend on its praise and flattery and favor for strength and success, nor to feed Christian experience on human appreciation instead of the fear and love of God. Overcoming the forces of darkness by abiding in Christ depends on humble reliance on God and obedience to His commandments, since Christ's power is greater than Satan's. Prayer and careful study of God's word help believers resist Satan's deceptions and remain secure in that victory.
Because believers as Christ's little children have One in them greater than the power in the world, even when truth is opposed by the world they can still bring the light of truth to those in darkness. They win souls to Christ in meekness and lowliness of heart, refusing to take part in the wolfish spirit around them. Christ as Helper lets His glory rest upon them, speaking and shining through them. Because God with His child is stronger than all wicked men and devils, His child can be ardent and zealous, fearless and bold in reproving sin and advocating truth. So Luther knew God was with him as One stronger than them all, and for that reason did not care for wicked men and devils arrayed against him.
The verse applies at the stage of the work when souls are deciding to become loyal and true to all the commandments of God, when satanic agencies appear with vitalizing power to work against God. Christ living in believers is stronger than the power controlling Satan's agents who oppose them, so the verse is ground for faith and good cheer. It calls believers to grasp heaven's abundant resources and to trust God's health-restoring power for strength and grace in labor. Satan is preparing his forces to overcome the remnant who love God and keep His commandments, pointing to their small numbers and flattering his followers that his larger army can outnumber them. Yet believers have overcome them because He that is in them is greater than he that is in the world, for God is more powerful than the hosts of Satan and the risen Saviour in believers is all-sufficient for their needs, and the Lord will do a quick work in the world.