Be On Guard, Stand Firm In The Faith, Be Courageous, Be Strong
Be Free
1 CORINTHIANS 16:13-14
“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.
”I Corinthians 16:13-14 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/1co.16.13-14.nkj
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Paul wrote to the Corinthians, giving them wise instruction as they waited for his next visit (v5-14). They was directed back then, and we are today, to watch, to be on constant guard, alert and ready for attacks from spiritual enemies that may try to slip in and destroy us.
Though we are often attacked through people, even believers or our loved ones, our response should be through prayer and wise words, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
Whether that be by temptations, division, pride, sin, disorder, or false teaching, we must be watchful and ready to rebuke the devil’s plans.
Therefore, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
I Peter 5:8 NKJV
The devil is never far away, watching, waiting, and listening; he is very able and constantly whispers deceit. His purpose is to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (JOHN 10:10); he comes to steal your peace and destroy your relationships, particularly marriage; and he’s good at it.
His ultimate plan is to take you into the depths of hell forever with him.
Furthermore, when one comes into agreement with him through sin or deception, he shall enter in through one’s flesh and manipulate his mind, will, and emotions, one’s very soul, to bring about such things fear, confusion, schizophrenia (double mindedness), inappropriate sexual thoughts and behaviours, fuelled by lust, and perversion. They bring about addictions,sicknesses, torment, nightmares, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts.
Once in, the devil, like squatters, makes your body his home. From within he deceives with lies and whispers.
His victims often hears voices from within and are convinced that they are hearing God, but actually they are being led by the demonic to bring about the devil’s plans.
Furthermore, the demonic enter through the sins of our ancestors (EXODUS 34:7), bringing all kinds of generational curses on our lives from the moment we are born.
“”Yet you say, ‘Why should the son not bear the guilt of the father?’ Because the son has done what is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes and observed them, he shall surely live. The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”
Ezekiel 18:19-20 NKJV
My beloved, because of this Scripture, many say, generational curses don’t exist. But our children are sinners and cannot be saved by works. The Scripture is talking about Salvation, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 NKJV)
Hereditary diseases are real, and we see in this world today, that behaviours, addictions, and mental illnesses are passed down from parents to children like curses.
Therefore, these curses need to be dealt with through deliverance.
Don’t be deceived, but rather be free, “Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”
John 8:31-36 NKJV
Pauls said, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
Ephesians 6:13-20 NKJV
If you struggle in any of these areas you are most likely demonised (possessed) in need of deliverance. “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
James 4:7-8 NKJV
But like a fox or stray animal, or squatters, that enter a property and make it their home, they will not leave unless they are commanded to leave. They very rarely get up and go without being commanded, therefore deliverance is needed.
Once free from these demons, it’s important to stay free.
Jesus said, ““When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.””
Matthew 12:43-45 NKJV
My beloved, Paul tells us, “Stand fast in the faith”-that is the gospel of truth that brought them and us today to salvation.
He said, “be brave”, courageous to stand firm against false teachers, to deal with sin throughout the congregation with loving discipline, and deal with any other problems that may arise.
He told us, “be strong”; to be strong with the power made available to us by the Holy Spirit, who not only gives us His right desires, but empowers us to do His will and make right choices (PHILIPPIANS 2:13).
And finally, Paul tells us, “Let all you do be done with love .” Love must be the motivation of all we do; that is to selflessly serve God within the Christ ministry with loving care toward others, giving help, encouragement, and discipline where needed without any expectation of something in return, simply because you care for them as you care for yourself.
For we are one body in Christ, of which He is the head; “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV
My beloved, without love, we are wasting our time and energy; we are nothing.
My brethren, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
I Corinthians 13:1-3 NKJV
God is love (1 JOHN 4:8), and all the Law and Prophets hang on His two great commandments (MATHEW 22:40).
Therefore, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Matthew 22:37-39 NKJV
If only we could all simply obey these two great commandments, this world would soon become a better and safer place to live.
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
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