1st John 4:14. “And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.” WE HAVE SEEN…AND TESTIFY. John: He saw the Lord at the beginning of His public ministry – When at the baptism of the Lord all there could plainly see A dove descending and lighting on Jesus but they really didn’t know, The Spirit of God was in that dove testifying to those here below That God was here in the Person of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah had come – And the testimony was seen and now John knew this was the promised One.
John heard Him speak and learned that Christ was here fulfilling the Word. He watched the things He did and knew Jesus was Christ the Lord. He tasted the miracle food and drink, he watched Jesus raise the dead – There was never a question in John’s mind, Jesus was who Peter said – “The Christ, the Son of the living God,” and to that John could say, “Amen,” For he was with the Lord from the first and was there watching Him ascend.
Paul: Never did he think he would be one who would for Jesus testify. But God knows all men and is able to do far beyond what we ask or think – And He chose Paul to take the Gospel to Gentiles and for the Holy Spirit write. We have thirteen letters of teaching from God written through His servant Paul – Who testified of Christ the Savior and was the last person on earth who Jesus saw.
Me: It is not that I have seen the Lord visibly, to that I could never attest But when the eyes of faith are opened by God, something important takes place. An understanding of things I long knew, changed things from obscure to right plain – And the way I Christ saw was through the scriptures themselves, when I was born again. I can truly say in words of testimony that the Savior of the world has come – And the Father knew before He sent Him that among all them – I was one.
How I see now who Jesus is, and what He accomplished while on earth – Is through the Bible as the Spirit reveals Christ, and all the evidences of truth. To apply the things learned and live by the directions God has given Is the way God intended it to be and makes life worth the living. I have seen also, along with all believers who testify of their Savior – Because the Father sent Him, all has been changed, not just outward behavior.
“Father in heaven, I too testify that I have experienced the blessing of the Savior coming to die for me. May I always be available for the Holy Spirit to pass on through me the good news of the Gospel to others. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
False prophets did not confess that Jesus is the Son of God. A confession of that truth is an act of decision, not a casual comment. When that confession is real and personal, that person has the Spirit of God within. "God dwelleth in us" [vs.12] indicates the fact of the Spirit within. We have not only been sealed by the Spirit of God, but the love of the Spirit and the power of the Spirit is demonstrated in this new life in us. The proof of the Spirit and the power of the Spirit that of a Person who has been given and received by us, not just an influence. The characteristics of personhood are in Him and is visibly worked out through us. True, He does influence us and our actions when he uses our bodies to work out the will of God. We have not been given part of the Spirit because He is not given "by measure."
The evidence of the Spirit in us is when we are filled with the Spirit to accomplish His purposes. We do not need more of Him; He just needs all of us. Our responsibility is to not hold back or quench His work. Nor should we impetuously go ahead of His leading on our own, but "yield to the Spirit" and act under His control. These are things we "know and believe." Confidence and realizing the fact of a matter, are both parts of understanding a fact that has been stated. That understanding of spiritual truth when we receive it with conviction, leads us to understanding with confidence. We know something is truth when by faith and experience we prove it to be real in us. That is when the love of God is truly in us, not just for us.