Stand Fast

            Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.  1 Corinthians 16:13 (KJV)

 

            As I open the Word of God each morning I thrill to “Watch” and see what the Lord will show me. This Greek word, grhgorew, gregoreuo to stay awake, to be vigilant, wake, to be watchful. A soldier on guard duty at night must take care to stay awake and to be vigilant or he endangers his charge as well as himself. We, who watch over the souls of men, must be like minded. Revelation breaks upon us when we are attentive and watchful and our soul is fed, strengthened and encouraged. The watchful are given the ability to stand fast in the faith that only comes by hearing the Word of God.

            We stand fast, sthkw, steko, that is, persevere and persist in the  faith, pistiv pistis that was acquired supernaturally and is maintained by consistent watching in the Word. Oh, granted that there will be many opportunities for faith to be exercised, but don’t think for a moment that you are building your faith as a natural act of the will. When circumstance and situation demand the exercise of your faith, it will be available in its power to the degree that it has been fed and strengthened by daily watching in the Word during the first watch of the day.

            For each of us to make a man of ourselves or to make, or show ourselves to be brave (andrizomai andrizomai = “quit you like men”) is only possible when we are strengthened with His might. You and I are, “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” (Col. 1:11 - KJV).

            Our soul is refreshed and strength comes as we are filled with the very life of God that comes as we faithfully watch.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the,  dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Romans 8:11 (KJV)

 Then, watching for Him in the Book, will we increase in strength (krataiow, krataioo).

 

George

 

Copyright (c) 2009 George M. Stover Jr.