I Corinthians 16:13-14 says, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.”
The Greek word for “stand firm” in 1 Corinthians 16:13 is stékó which means to persist, persevere, and stand fast. The Greek word for faith is pistis which means belief, trust, faith, and confidence. As believers in Christ, in addition to being watchful, we are to stand firm in the faith – that is, stand firm in our belief, trust, and confidence in Christ and in the word of God. Did you notice that I didn’t say stand firm in people?
My brothers and sisters, we are able to stand firm NOT because of ourselves or other people, but because of who we trust — Jesus Christ.
You and I both know that humans are extremely temperamental and consistently moody. Our emotions shifts like the wind and the waters in the sea. Unfortunately, when our emotions change or shift we tend to change how we behave and what we believe as well. God knew that we’d be fickle and ambiguous when he gave us emotions and hormones; Yes, He truly does understand the strengths and weaknesses we face. In fact, Jesus experienced the same emotional battles that you and I are going through right now: “For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Hebrews 4:15
At the end of the day, I pray this message helps someone today who is buckling under pressure. If that’s you, as I close this message, I want you to know to “stand firm” also means following God despite your emotions or the obstacles before you (I John 4:4, Joshua 1:9). The issues of life and the enemy’s attack will try to knock you down, so it’s imperative that you stand firm in your faith. Be encouraged today and know that God is moving powerfully in your situation right now, so don’t give into doubt and remember God uses the crises of life to expose your true faith and who He is! As it stands, a faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted!
4GIVEN 