¹³. . . I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one.

Many Christians fall in between being spiritual children and fully spiritually mature. These are the ones the apostle John calls “young men,” and to these, he now writes. In a sense, everything in this letter applies to all believers regardless of their stage in the Christian life; our author wants to make sure each is taking these things to heart.

New believers should focus on learning well the foundational truth of what salvation means (as embodied in forgiveness). Spiritually mature “fathers” have become seasoned from a lifelong pursuit of the knowledge of God. Spiritually “young men” are those who fully engage in the task of spiritual service; they are in their prime, fighting in hand-to-hand combat, so to speak, with spiritual forces of darkness.

Behind the scenes of the Christian life, there is a spiritual battle. In the OT, the servant of Elisha became frightened by the surrounding armies out to capture the prophet. Behind the military threat, Elisha’s defense (namely the spiritual army of God’s angels) was bracing itself for the unseen but very real spiritual battle behind the scenes. Elisha prayed:

“O Lord, I pray, open his [my servant’s] eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:17)

So also the apostle Paul tells us:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (Eph. 6:12–13)

The Christian life is a spiritual war, and we must engage. Spiritual children are training for it. Spiritual fathers have spent the prime of their life doing battle. Now they are like Moses on the mountain praying to the God he knew well, while Joshua and the younger men were engaging the enemy in the valley (see Ex. 17:10–12). The younger men have taken up the baton of ministry, replacing the older ones who are slowed because of their age and declining energies. As they grow older, the younger men are joined by the spiritually trained new believers who take up their place and join in the spiritual battle.

PRAYER: Lord, help me do my part in the battle for souls, whether in training, serving, or praying.