1 Corinthians 16:13-14
”Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.“
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
Here are a few things that Paul says to the church of Corinth, which seems to be a timely Word for our day. Be on the alert. We never know where temptation and sin will come from, nor when they will hit us. However, we can learn from our failures and mistakes. We can figure out that being tired makes us vulnerable to impatience. We can be alert to what we know. We do not need to be surprised by everything.
Stand firm in the faith. Many people attack our faith in many ways. We must stand firm in believing in creation, the great flood, and all the miracles of the Almighty God. We must retain confidence in the God who cannot lie. We must believe in the accuracy of the Bible. We must trust in Jesus Christ, even when others waver.
Act like Christ’s disciples. Our world needs those who are willing to walk courageously. The body of Christ needs those who are willing to be brave. We must take initiative to protect and provide for others. We must approach life with courage and a sense of responsibility.
Be strong. Our strength comes from reliance upon God. We become strong by reading and studying intentionally and intimately about the messages from God. We become strong by praying and by noticing God's answers to our prayers. We become strong from the support and encouragement of other believers. With strength, we can approach life with confidence. In addition, we are prepared to carry out the next command.
Let all that you do be done in love. We can find ways to live in a way that benefits everyone. We can be kind and patient. We can make the sacrifices. We can honor Jesus Christ through the way we live our life.
Love is our most disarming weapon against our real enemy, Satan. Our love for God is essential. Our love for our neighbors is also essential. And, our love for each other is crucial to our survival and our witness.
So, don't think that Paul went soft all of a sudden in his list of key preparations to triumph over Satan. He didn't. The battle over lies, hatred, and murder are the key attributes of the evil one.
Specifically, won by our loving relationships with others, whether brothers and sisters in God's family, neighbors around us who have not come to faith, or those who hate us, even if they long to see us dead.
Remember, the greatest missionary in the history of Christianity began as a hater of Jesus and his followers. However, his heart was turned by the example of someone he had killed and the grace of a man on his probable hit list who came and shared Christ with him.
All of the preparations and weapons Paul listed are important for us as we face challenging times and battle the hosts of hell. However, building loving relationships is our greatest weapon against evil and our most remarkable testimony to goodness.
Remember what the apostle Paul said, Three things will last forever faith, hope, and love and the greatest of these is love. And, Paul didn't know this just because the Holy Spirit inspired this truth in him. He had experienced this powerful weapon of grace at work in his life from the examples of those he persecuted.
We will never be able to agree on everything with everyone, we're not supposed to, and that's not really the goal. We should never long to look just like the world out of the fear that we look too different than those around us. We should not be persuaded to live in shades of gray because we don't want to step on any toes. We're here to be salt. We're here to be light. We're here to make a difference, to point others to Christ. We can be all that God calls us to be, staying strong, standing firm, living aware, walking in love, being people of courage, for this is what matters most anyway!!!
Father, thank You for this day and Your goodness to us and for instructing us on how to live godly lives to Your praise and glory. Lord, open the storehouses of Your abundant blessings over my friend and family today. Lord, may we stand firm in the faith and act in a way that does not dishonour Your name. Lord, may we be alert to the evils that surround us and my brothers and sisters in Christ. May we never compromise the truth of the glorious gospel of grace but be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Lord, help us to withstand the wiles of the devil and be alert to his evil ways. Lord, use us to be a light that leads others out of the darkness of this world to You.
Father, we love You. Amen !
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