Be Brave & Be Strong

1 Corinthians 16:13–14 NKJV

13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.

pray

Confession of Faith

I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the WORD of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus Name

INTRODUCTION: One of the greatest tests for each of us today is to operate in the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual space called “Strong in the Lord”.

There are many Scriptures in the bible that talk to those who are saved to be strong in the Lord.

This morning I want to encourage everyone, to be “Strong in the Lord”

Be Strong In The Lord

Ok let’s look at the text

Here we see Paul's speaking words of encouragement to believers.

There are five charges in this exhortation, or these words of encouragement and all five are in the present tense;

That means we are to do these things continually, We are to live like this day by day … Moment by moment

Watch

1. "Watch"

Watch means to be awake,

Watch means to alert,

Watch means to be constantly on guard;

Watch means to never to be sleepy-eyed or sluggish;

Watch means to never to let your guard down

Matthew 26:41 NLT

41 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

all of us have two who really know us 1. The first is God, The second is yourself

1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT

12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

The moment you think....

Colossians 4:2 NCV

2 Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God.

The bible reminds us to continually....

1 Thessalonians 5:5–6 NLT

5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. 6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.

We must challenge ourselves to do right and be right! We represent God...

Stand Fast In The Faith

"Stand fast in the faith":

Do not listen or follow false teachers

Do not listen or follow false doctrine;

Do not question the Word of God

Do not question the Truth of Christ.

Stand against those who mishandle and abuse the Word of God.

1 Corinthians 15:58 NKJV

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:1–2 NLT

1 Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

Be Brave

3. Be brave or in the King James Version it says :

"Quit you like men" means either to be courageous as real men or to quit living like immature men .

It means to live as courageous men of God.

2 Corinthians 6:17–18 NLT

17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. 18 And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

1 John 2:15–16 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

Ezekiel 22:30 NKJV

30 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

Be Strong

"Be strong":

to grow in strength;

to be men of real strength;

to stand against the world and its enticements.

2 Timothy 2:1 NKJV

1 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6:10 NKJV

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Do All With Love

Do all in love: the word "with" should be translated "in."

We are called to live "in" love

We are called to do do all "in" love.

1 Corinthians 13:1–13 NKJV

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 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. 3 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. 4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

The greatest answer to the division and other problems within the families, marriages, neighborhoods, communities, cities, states, countries is Love

Love must prevail in our hearts

Love must prevail in our behavior

Love must prevail in our church.

Join us next week as we continue our series Be Brave & Be Strong