Subject: Standing Strong In a World of Temptation
Text: 1Corinthians 16:13-14 “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”
Introduction: How do you stand strong against temptation? It’s not surprising for a church to have sin problems. A church is a group of sinners—saved and repenting sinners, yes, but still tend to sin. If that’s the case for a group of longtime Christians, imagine a church consisting entirely of baby Christians. When Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians to the church at Corinth, the believers had been Christians for no more than three years. They were all recent converts. They didn’t have generations of Christians in their culture. None of them grew up in a Christian home. So it isn’t surprising that the early Corinthian church continued to share some of Corinth’s worldly values regarding leaders and sex and other issues. After Paul heard troubling reports about the church in Corinth and received a letter that the church wrote him, he responded by writing 1 Corinthians. His most basic purpose is to exhort the Corinthian church to live like who they are: “saints” or God’s holy people.
The Bible exposes several characters who fell into temptation because they did not stand strong. Adam and Eve were given a proper warning and a word to obey yet they chose to fall into temptation pursuing knowledge that was reserve for God. Cain ignored God’s warning and gave in to the temptation of jealousy, anger and finally murder. David a man after God’s heart, in a moment of weakness gave in to the temptation of lust. It led him into adultery and finally murder. Samson, God’s strong man gave in to the temptation of pride. He thought he was stronger than he was, and his passion blinded his eyes from Delilah's Deception. Judas Iscariot, a disciple and treasurer of Jesus Christ, gave in to the temptation of greed, lost his soul and finally his life. We all remember Peter, a disciple of Jesus who boasted of his love and devotion to Jesus. He ignored Jesus’ warning and gave in to the temptation of fear and denial. 1Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” In every case, these men walk pass the door of escape. You see, you can be chosen, gifted, talent and blessed by the best, but none are beyond temptation.
If we are to successfully overcome temptation, we must armor ourselves with pray, avoid environments where we are easily tempted, refuse to do as the wicked do, and refuse to follow the path of evildoers. When facing temptation, get away quickly. Replace tempting thoughts with God's Word. Pray for God to help you. By putting on the Armor of God and cultivating a solid prayer life, you can find the strength to resist temptation and walk in righteousness.
Using these verses of Scripture, I want to address the subject: Standing Strong In a World of Temptation. Paul calls every believer to live victorious life that honor Christ. This is the challenge of every believer. How do we stand strong in a world of temptation in a generation that is not willing to stand for much? In this closing chapter of I Corinthians, Paul gives directions to the saints and expresses his desires for the Corinthian Church. He promises to visit them, and even to winter with them. He closes the book with a series of tender personal references and bids them farewell. First, he is concerned about the ministers who would follow him, especially Timothy. He encourages the church to receive him, help him and be a blessing to him. Then Paul encourages the church to “Standing Strong In a World of Temptation.” Apostle Paul warns the Corinthian Church that Christian believers are always in danger of attack. Satan, the adversary, comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Satan has a way of attacking us on many fronts. He attacks us spiritually causing us to struggle in our relationship with God. He attacks us socially causing us to struggle in our relationships with each other. Satan attacks our finances, physical bodies and our minds to cause us to faint, to give up or to quit. Paul knew that this church was in need of encouragement, especially while he was absent from them. The Corinthian Church had been plagued by division and factions. Some claimed to follow Paul, some Apollos, others Cephas and Christ. There were also irregularities in their worship and shameful practices during communion. There was confusion about the resurrection. Some of the Corinthian Christians were practicing open sin. In such an environment, Paul sends this wonderful exhortation for those who were faithful in Christ Jesus. The faithful Christians in the service of the Lord must not allow themselves to be shaken by the practices of those around them. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). Paul understood that Christians sometimes become weary. They become weary because there is so much opposition; there is so much to be done; there are so many calls on their time and their money; and there is so little appreciation and gratitude shown them that they become disheartened. Paul exhorts them and us, not to give up nor stand down, but to stand up and persevere. Listen to the scripture again:
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. Let all your things be done with charity” (I Corinthians 16:13, 14).
If we are going to “Standing Strong In a World of Temptation,” Paul challenges every person to do several things: (1) be watchful, (2) be steadfast, (3) be strong and (4) be loving.
1. Be Watchful or Watchfulness. Being watchful is a necessary duty because we cannot be safe one moment without it. The Bible teaches us to watch and pray! There are some things that we must watch over: our relationship with God, with others and ourselves. We must be honest and truthful with God, with others and with ourselves. There are some things we must watch against: sin – the appearance of sin, the occasion to sin and the temptation to sin. We were taught to pray, “Lead us not into temptation.” And finally, there are some things to watch out for: Opportunities to glorify God and to benefit mankind. Another writer has said, “Watch ye for you have many enemies; be continually on your guard: watch against evil; watch for opportunities to receive good, to do good and watch over one another in love. To Watch means to be continually on your guard, lest you be surprised by your enemies; keep your scouts out and guard up.
2. Be Steadfast - Standing fast in the faith has to do with where you are standing, how you are standing and why you are standing. To stand fast means to keep in your ranks; do not be disorderly; be determined to keep your ranks unbroken; keep close together. We are standing on the word of God. We are standing because we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. We are standing in unity and harmony. “Together we stand and divided we fall.” We are called to stand up for God, on the word of God, and with the saints of God. If our enemy succeeds in breaking our ranks, and dividing one part of our army from another, our defeat will be inevitable.
“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). This proverb declares how necessary it is, that men should live in society and stand together. We are called to be watchful, to keep our scouts out, and guard up and to be steadfast, to stand up for God and with each other. The third command is to be strong.
3. Be Strong - Quit yourselves like men. Paul is talking about Christian fortitude and holy courage. Successful Christians must develop a warfare mentality. In other words, be manly, brave, firm and fixed. You see, as Christian laborers in the army of the Lord, we are in a war and we will be attacked. When you are attacked, do not flinch; maintain your ground; resist with all your might; and then press forward. Be strong for God, be strong for His cause and be strong for one another. Man your post and accept your responsibility. Deliverance belongs to us, but we must fight for it. Healing belongs to us, but we must fight for it. Salvation belongs to us, but we must fight for it. Every good and perfect gift has been given to us in Christ Jesus, but do not expect Satan to give up without a fight. We must fight for our homes, our children, our marriages and our very lives. Be strong for each other and help one another. You are doing a good work! Your cause is a just cause. Your faith is grounded in Jesus the Christ. He is the Captain of your salvation, the chief shepherd of your soul and your battle-axe in the time of battle. And the victory is sure!
Be watchful because every day the enemies of your soul will try to stop the work of God in your life, stop God from working through your life and stop God’s working for your life. Be steadfast and immovable because you are working for God, on behalf of His kingdom and for the benefit of humankind. Then, be strong and full of courage. Act like a man who accepts responsibility and steps up to the plate. Work in such a way that God is glorified, Christian brothers and sisters are inspired and Satan is terrified. Finally, love!
4. Be Loving – “Let all your things be done with charity” (I Corinthians 16:14)
“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (I Peter 4:8).
We should let our love for God, our love for mankind, and our love for one another, be the motive of all our work and activity. Paul addresses this same subject in I Corinthians 13-14 where he calls love a more excellent way. Now he reminds us that the sum of all the commandments towards God and towards our neighbor is love. All the work of God is important: praying, listening to the word, receiving communion, singing on his choir, ushering in his temple, identifying with Christ through baptism and doing good deeds. But walking in love is sum of all the commandments of God. Any duty or service rendered without love can never be pleasing to God nor does it fulfill his commandment. When any Christian service or duty is done in love, that act will bring glory to God and benefit to mankind.
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (I John 4:7-8).
Where there is love, there is concern. Where there is concern, there is kindness. Where there is kindness, there is harmony. Where there is harmony, there is helpfulness. Where there is helpfulness, there is
Christ. Where there is Christ, there is love. --William Arthur Ward
LOVE is the lubricant that makes everything run smoothly; the seasoning that makes everything taste better; the glue that holds everything together; the medicine that heals every wound; the light that brightens the darkest corner; the food that satisfies every hunger; the drink that quenches every thirst; the gift that’s perfect for every occasion; the weapon that conquers every enemy; the nutrient that makes everything grow.
The hymn and the Apostle Paul charge us to “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus!”
(1)Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross; lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss. From victory unto victory, His army shall He lead, ‘til every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.
(2) Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey; forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day. Ye that are brave now serve Him against unnumbered foes; let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.
(3) Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in his strength alone; the arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own. Put on the gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer; where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.
(4) Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long; this day the noise of battle, the next the victor's song. To Him that overcometh a crown of life shall be; He with the King of Glory shall reign eternally.
He calls us to (1) be watchful (2) be steadfast (3) be strong and (4) be loving.
