Be Strong

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the fourth command.

4. Be strong

Paul told the Corinthians to grow up (act like men) and now he tells them to get strong. Paul here isn’t referring to growing strong physically, rather growing strong spiritually. Paul is saying: Become strong in your spirit so that you can resist the urges of your sinful nature. Throughout his letter Paul mentions that the Corinthians are still controlled by their sinful nature (3:3), that they lack self-control (7:5) and that they need to stop sinning (15:34). Paul says the answer to these problems is to grow strong in spirit. 

In the book of Galatians we read of the battle between our flesh (that part of us that desires to indulge sin) and our spirit (that part of us that desires to please God). Galatians 5:17 says “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other...”  

Well how do we become strong spiritually so that when we're tempted our spirit overpowers our flesh and not the other way around? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Paul is saying here that athletes become strong by going into strict training. And this is the same way that we become strong spiritually - by going into strict spiritual training. 

I would encourage each and every one of you to write out on paper (or on your computer or phone) your spiritual training plan. And I would encourage you to include in your training plan these three things: 

1. Bible reading 

2. Prayer 

Let me explain this real quick. As you spend time with Jesus through Bible reading and prayer, you become strong spiritually. Isaiah 40:30-31 says, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength...” You see, we become strong spiritually as we spend time with the Lord. Psalm 27:14 says “Wait on the Lord...And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” As we read our Bibles and pray we become strong in spirit.

3. Fasting 

Why fasting? Because if you can say no to food, you can say no to temptation. This is why Jesus instructed us to fast. Denying your flesh food prepares you to deny your flesh sin. The same resisting muscles you use to say no to lunch or dinner (or whatever it is you are fasting) are the same muscles you’ll use to say no to temptation. 

Develop a plan that works for you in order to become strong in spirit, so you can resist temptation.