Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. (1 Cor. 16:13)
As we go throughout our lives, we are all going to face situations that require a great amount of determination. The idea of strength in the face of adversity is no stranger to us. This thought has been ever present in American literature and even cinema for years. While we are inspired and entertained by the stories told, they pale in comparison to the charge of the Bible, as it declares for our focus and determination to be doing God’s will.
We must always keep present in our minds that we have a focused enemy (2 Pet 5:8). Therefore, my determination level must match his and I can do this by having faith in God as I fight the good fight. Romans 8:31 tells us, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” This is where we often lose ground and are not as determined as we could be. We forget God is with us. Certainly, hiding this verse in our heart will strengthen us as we battle the foe. Even our great heroes of the Bible, like Moses for example (Exodus 3 & 4), sometimes forgot or failed to realize this but when they finally put all trust in God, God working with them, all that was needed was accomplished.
The determination required is not completely physical (Eph. 6:12). In many ways a physical battle might be easier. We are in the midst of a spiritual battle (2 Cor. 10:3). We are given the example of the Christian armor in Ephesians 6:10-18. Determination is a great thing but for it to be effective we need to equip ourselves with what is needed. As the scripture illustrates, a good soldier prepares him or herself completely for battle by totally relying on what God has provided us to do his will.
Another wonderful thing about this illustration is it is all for advancing or moving forward. There’s no armor for the back, no shield for running away. One thing today, in the mind of many, is fear concerning possible persecution. That is and always has been a concern for Christians but we see by examples in the Bible (Acts 5:29) that holding our ground and boldly proclaiming God’s Word is our greatest and most effective defense.
Which brings us to this. Removing doubt and having total focus will help me to stand fast when I otherwise wouldn’t. One who wavers and is not stable is called double minded (James 1:6-8). I always am encouraged when I hear someone say “I’m trusting God. I know his will is going to prevail.”
By trusting in God, keeping our hearts ready with His Word, and being faithful in prayer, we can all live with a level of effective determination to fully do what is our reasonable service to Him (Rom. 12:1).
By Jason Barger