1 Corinthians 16:13-14
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
14 Let all that you do be done with love.
Paul is closing this first letter to the Corinthians.
He is warning them and encouraging them with these verses.
Verse 13 says these things to us.
Watch: Be alert and watchful, be on guard against evil.
Stand fast in faith: Persevere, do not give up your faith in the Lord.
Be brave: Be a man. Be courageous in the Lord. (Know He is with you.)
Be strong: Be strengthened (by your knowledge of God.)
The warning, to be alert and watchful, be aware evil exists and will try to destroy God's people.
We must stay watchful and in the God's word to identify what is from God and what is not.
Persevere, stand fast and firm in persecution, in the difficult times.
Do not give up or let your faith waver.
The Lord is still on the throne and still has all authority.
Be brave and courageous, act like a man of war, a soldier.
Hold the line for Jesus.
Remember the Lord is with you, you are victorious in Him.
Be strong in God, in your knowledge of God and His word.
Use your knowledge of God's word to test the spirits.
Identify what is wrong and deal with it in the Lord's strength.
The strength of His word.
We must be strong in the word of God to deal with the sins of the world.
It is challenging but we use must our knowledge of God from the Bible to confront sin.
Then in Verse 14 we are plainly told to do everything in God's love.
His unselfish, care and concern for others.
So, we must do these things in love.
Be aware and on guard in love, watching out for others.
Stand firm and persevere in God's love.
Be brave, do not shrink from our responsibility to call out sin in love.
Be strong in God's love, knowing there will be resistance, we can still be strong in God's love toward that resistance.
We do not need to argue and rail against those in the world.
We just need to present the truth in love and do not waver.
Promote the gospel because we want people to be saved and in heaven.
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