"Watch ye,
stand fast in the faith,
quit you like men, be strong."
I Corinthians 16:13
The American Standard Version
stand fast in the faith,
quit you like men, be strong."
I Corinthians 16:13
The American Standard Version
We are in a war! Not just in Iraq, but in spiritual warfare. War is not for the faint of heart, cowardly or fearful. Our enemy, the Devil, will not give up, until at last, he is cast into the bottomless pit! Once you name the name of Christ, it’s all out war. Throughout the scripture, we are warned to be on guard against the tricks, plots, schemes and wiles of the enemy. I Peter 5:8 says, “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” He is not playing ‘pick-up-sticks’ with you; Satan is out to utterly consume you!
Ultimately, the battle has already been fought and the victory won over 2,000 years ago on Calvary’s cross! Jesus fought the battle and gave us the victory. However, we must yet be sober minded and vigilant, lest the enemy come and steal our faith in God.
We are instructed in the word of God to watch. But, what are we to watch? Almost every single scripture reference regarding this refers to watching for the coming of the Lord. Why is it important to watch for the coming of the Lord? Mark 13:35 says, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.” If we are watching for the Lord, we will be ready when he comes. In watching, we will not enter into temptation or be ignorant of Satan’s devices.
Paul’s next directive is to stand fast in the faith. In these last days, there are various FALSE doctrines that may sound right, but we are to ‘contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints' (Jude 1:3). We cannot waiver in our faith, but stand firm, persevere, persist and keep our feet rooted and grounded in the faith. In your faith and all that it teaches be absolutely firm, absolutely unyielding.
The phrase, “quit ye like men” is a military term that means, ‘to behave courageously; do not let yourself become wimpish, a weasel, a girly-man! Be real, authentic, a credit to your company.’ You cannot quit at every turn and be weary and faint in this battle. In today’s vernacular, Paul was saying, “MAN-UP!”
Finally, Paul says ‘be strong’. The tense, mood and voice render the text, “you be strong and keep on becoming strong!” It is not advice, it is a direct order. In this war, we must learn to strengthen ourselves in the Lord through His word.
Whether we like it or not, It’s all out war! So, “be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him which His boundless might provides” (Ephesians 6:10).
Ultimately, the battle has already been fought and the victory won over 2,000 years ago on Calvary’s cross! Jesus fought the battle and gave us the victory. However, we must yet be sober minded and vigilant, lest the enemy come and steal our faith in God.
We are instructed in the word of God to watch. But, what are we to watch? Almost every single scripture reference regarding this refers to watching for the coming of the Lord. Why is it important to watch for the coming of the Lord? Mark 13:35 says, “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.” If we are watching for the Lord, we will be ready when he comes. In watching, we will not enter into temptation or be ignorant of Satan’s devices.
Paul’s next directive is to stand fast in the faith. In these last days, there are various FALSE doctrines that may sound right, but we are to ‘contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints' (Jude 1:3). We cannot waiver in our faith, but stand firm, persevere, persist and keep our feet rooted and grounded in the faith. In your faith and all that it teaches be absolutely firm, absolutely unyielding.
The phrase, “quit ye like men” is a military term that means, ‘to behave courageously; do not let yourself become wimpish, a weasel, a girly-man! Be real, authentic, a credit to your company.’ You cannot quit at every turn and be weary and faint in this battle. In today’s vernacular, Paul was saying, “MAN-UP!”
Finally, Paul says ‘be strong’. The tense, mood and voice render the text, “you be strong and keep on becoming strong!” It is not advice, it is a direct order. In this war, we must learn to strengthen ourselves in the Lord through His word.
Whether we like it or not, It’s all out war! So, “be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him which His boundless might provides” (Ephesians 6:10).
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