1 Corinthians 16:13, 14

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous and strong. Do everything in love ~ 1 Corinthians 16:13, 14
Paul sounds like a drill Sargent here: Be on Guard, Stand Firm, Be courageous, Be strong! These are commands to lead us to be at attention. The enemy is advancing and one must be prepared for them. Only by careful attentiveness to these positions can one protect themselves and others from the onslaught of the enemy. Too often we are careless and too easy about our faith. Our Christian life is one of disciplines: of daily reading our Bible, of daily at minimum talking with our Lord, of constant listening for His voice in our life. We are called to a life of vigorous warfare against the spiritual realm which exists around us. It is always there, never leaving, yet we forget that we have a charge to fight against that which tries to destroy the Christian life in God. Not only are we to watch for the outward enemy, but we are to guard our own hearts as well. Evil can creep in so unobserved in our own life and heart, and daily we must examine our own mind and heart so as not to allow our motives to become tainted and distorted. Stand strong in your faith, in your belief, and in that we will stand our ground when we are assaulted. That faith is dependent upon God which holds us fast. Paul concludes these words with doing all in love. If we love God and are consciously thinking of Him, will we be overcome by temptation? Will evil have any power over us? No. His power will give us the courage, the faith, the shield and the strength to overcome and be victors.
Devotion by Pastor Julia

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