1. 1 Cor. 16: 13-14

2.   Be on your guard- imperative voice  Stand firm in the faith- imperative voice  Be men of courage- imperative voice  Be strong -passive voice  Do everything in love -imperative voice Paul’s final words…

3.   Watch! Be watchful! Pay close attention!  Spiritual indifference and ignorance were root problems in the Corinthian church.  Knowing facts & having right behaviors v. a focused awareness of His truth, righteousness, and standing against the enemy of Christ and His church. Be on your guard

4.   Stand fast, persevere, don’t deviate in faith & trust.  Jude 3 “…contend for the faith which was delivered to all the saints…”  Eph 4:14 “…carried by every wind of doctrine…”  “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” ~Lincoln~ Stand firm in the faith

5.   Act like men! (Man up!) An allusion to an experienced soldier, courage gained from being proven on the battlefield.  The culture does NOT set the standard for our battle strategy, the Word and Spirit do.  CC’s leadership will always be at the front of the battle line; trust that they are hearing from the Captain of the Host. Be men of courage

6.   Be strengthened…allow God to strengthen us. It is not something we do, He does it in us.  Eph 6:10 “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”  It is about a submission that relinquishes self to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Be strong!

7.   Loving Christ fully is a radical choice. Only then can we truly love others as HE requires of us, and in the manner in which He dictates to us by the leading of His Holy Spirit.  Love never fails. (1Cor 13:8) Do everything in love

8.   God, in His great grace to us at CC, has taught us how to be His family.  Are you willing to allow Him to now teach us how to be His army?  Every soldier must be willing to sacrifice all for the sake of winning the war.  Are you willing to lay down your life for the sake of the Kingdom? The challenge…

9.   Acts 2:4, 14 “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…Peter, taking his stand (refusing to back down or be silenced) with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them…” Be blessed!