Strong

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:10

Over time older homes begin to wear down from all the storms that have occurred. Pain chips, leaks in the roof, holes in the walls, shifting foundation, and more wear the house down.

Some people will just tear the old house down to build a new one. Others, seeing great hope in it, will restore it, making it strong, safe, and secure.

As Peter brings his letter to a close, he tells the people that after having to suffer for a while, God will, in His grace, restore them, making them strong, firm and steadfast.

Lives of people are often just like an old house. In the storms of life, they break down and wear down, getting weary and worn out.

Life as a believer is not always easy. There are the normal struggles of life that every one goes through, plus there is the suffering for being a believer. All of these struggles take a toll on the life of a believer.

Some will lose hope and just quit, tearing down what was left of their life as a believer. They forget that Jesus will return some day and restore them. Restoration that God promises may happen in this life, but if not it will definitely happen in eternity in heaven.

Everything that a believer goes through is for the purpose of building him up in Christ, making him stronger, more firm and more steadfast than ever before. This is for his own life and to be a witness and strength to others.

Instead of giving up, the believer must hold on to the hope that Jesus will return and restore him.

You may feel worn down, tired and of no value, due to the struggles and suffering in your life. Do not allow yourself to give in and quit. Look forward to the hope you have in Christ Jesus.

This life and its sufferings are only temporary. Soon Jesus will restore you and make you strong. These sufferings will only help to make you more firm and steadfast in your belief in Jesus and your witness of who He is.

Hold on to the hope you have of restoration in Christ Jesus your Lord and Savior.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will strengthen you in times of suffering; that God will restore you to full strength; that you will be firm and steadfast in Christ; and that you will know the hope you have in Jesus.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Very few people like the idea of going into a battle. Fewer yet prepare themselves for any type of battle. They sit back believing that they will never have to go into any battle or that the battle will never come to them.

Others are naive or will turn coward and run away fleeing any type of battle. Some will go into battle, but will lack the strength or wisdom in how to fight the battle.

As Paul closes out his first letter to the Corinthian church he gives them some guidelines to live by and be ready for. He tells them to be on their guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous and be strong.

Any soldier who is in a war zone must always be on his guard. He never knows when, where or how the enemy will attempt to attack. He needs to use all of his senses to remain alert.

Every believer is a soldier in God’s army. There is a battle going on for his soul and the all the souls of every other person. All of his senses, along with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, must be used to keep him alert and on guard as to what the enemy is trying to do.

Along with being alert, all throughout the bible believers are told to have faith, be courageous and be strong.

The faith is in God’s word, abilities and strength. The courage is that God is on his side and as long as he does what God leads, he cannot fail. The strength is found in what God gives him the ability to do by His Holy Spirit–to do the impossible.

As a believer, you are enlisted into God’s army and are in the battle for your life and soul. The world does not care about you, nor love you in any way. All the world wants is to see your destruction.

Allow God’s Holy Spirit to open all of your senses to be on your guard for the enemies attacks in your mind, physical and spiritual realms.

Trust and have faith that God will give you what you need in the time of battle. Don’t back down, but go in with the courage and strength of the Lord. With God, all things are possible and God never fails.

Are you ready for battle?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will allow God’s Holy Spirit to keep you alert to the tactics of the enemy; that you will have faith in God’s abilities; that you will have God’s courage to stand and fight the battle; and that you will have God’s strength to continue the battle until it is won.