“Victorious Christian Living” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 “Victorious Christian Living”

1 Cor. 16:13-14 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.

“Continually be on Guard!” “Be on the Alert” “Keep your eyes open for spiritual danger…” (Living Bible) 1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. gregore;w “Arise” “Stir Up” “Stand Watch” NIV: “Be on Guard” gregorei'te Present Imperative Active Voice: “Continually be on Guard!”

“Stand Firm in the Faith” 2 Peter 3:11-12 “Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God...” 1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. sthkw “Don’t Give Ground” A Military Term

“Act Like Men”

“Act Like Men” 1 Cor. 13:11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.

“Be Strong” Ephes. 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might.”

Victorious Christian Living: Spiritual Alertness Firm in the Faith Acting Like Grown-ups Strong 1 Cor. 16:14 “Let all that you do be done in love.”

“The High Water Mark” by M. Kunstler This was at the battle of Gettysburg, depicted by Mort Kunstler, showing Pickett’s ill-fated charge. You can see how the Confederates are running directly into a blazing wall of firepower, surrounded on 3 sides. It was a massacre. In the center, you see the consequences of charging your enemy’s position: a cannon is firing with what they called “double canister”, which is basically the cannon stuffed full with a double charge of huge metal pellets…it was dangerous to fire a cannon this way, because it often just blew up, killing everyone around it…but when faced with being overrun like this, you have to do it. The point is this: many people have thought General Lee was out of his mind to order “Pickett’s Charge”, but in truth, he had some logical reasoning behind it. You see, the North was rather infamous for being routed in past battles -- where everyone just breaks ranks and runs. This is how so many of Lee’s battles were won. But after almost 3 years of ware, the Northern soldiers learned not to run…that it was in fact safer to stand there and fight rather than turn and run…and by this point in the war, the Northern line stood…to the amazement and great peril of Generals Lee and Pickett. The point is, this is a rather dramatic illustration of what’s true in real life also: it’s those who stand firm, resolute, unwavering, with convictions to their faith who actually succeed. When we waiver, shift ground, give ground when the din of war get confusing or tiresome, then we’re guaranteed to fail.