Stand!

Stand!

1 Corinthians 16:13 AMP

[13] Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong. [Ps 31:24]

We read of Paul, the man who was inspired to write this letter to the church in Corinth, and we see the grace of God upon his life. He was not always the man used mightily of God in the early part of his life, but by the grace of God, he became an instrument the Lord could use to bring the gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles at the time. The past does not always have to be a burden or a curse; in the hands of the Most High God, the past is just the foundation for the amazing things that God is able to do in a life that is totally submitted to Him. The fundamental question then is: "Am I totally surrendered to God? Does He own and hold all of me?". Until you are sure, there is no guarantee of an eternity with God. There is no way a man can stand the right way, if there is no help from God. 

The verse above lays emphasis on the help that only God can give, to enable a man take hold of that which he cannot get by himself. It is critical to be on your guard, but you can only plan and prepare for that which you know is coming. If a man is prepared for a thief, the thief will not succeed in his evil plan. Asking me to be on guard is a clear indication that there is danger all around me. Asking me to stand firm in the faith is a clear indication that there will be threats to my confidence in God. The devil is smart, and knows how to make alternative options look attractive. When I am firmly rooted in Christ, it is not possible for the wind and waves stirred up by the devil to uproot me. Like the wise man who built his house on the rock, the winds and the waves will definitely come. How I survive will be determined by the quality of my roots. 

I must spend time on the things that matter, and help to deepen my knowledge and experience of God. How would I respect His precepts or keep His doctrines if I do not take time to read, study and personalise them? It is what you have that you can draw on when the demand is made. You cannot give what you do not have, and you cannot fake it till you make it here. When the verse above charges us to 'act like mature men and be courageous; be strong, it shows that this is a process that takes time, effort and commitment. Fear is the usual, normal process for the natural man; only those who have taken on the God's offer of the supernatural nature can aspire to the ideals of eternal impact. None belonging to, or under the control and influence of the natural man, can ever attain or claim such. Do you know who you are? God's time of favour is here.