Description:

This five-lesson study guide examines the five commands given by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, and how we can learn to enact them in our lives on a daily basis.

Message from Marsh: “May your personal walk with the Lord lead you to be transformed, renewed, and blessed.”

Marsh

Founder/President

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Five Challenges for Men

Lesson 4 – Be Strong

(www.mensgroup.org – “Original Study”)

Lesson Focus: It’s about God’s strength being applied to our lives so that we can be strong.

 “May God give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.” –C. Marsh Bull

Starting Prayer: God I pray that you would allow all the men working through this lesson to understand what it means to grow strong in their spiritual life and be leaders of their families. I pray your Spirit will build strong men to help their churches and encourage other men.

Opening Questions:

1.      How is the word “strong” used in our culture?

2.      What are ways our culture tries to convince us that physical strength is the measure of a man?

Scripture Passage: “Be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Story: Paul spoke about many things both doctrinal and practical in the book of Ephesians. He loved this church and spent much time and effort making sure it received a good start and had capable leadership for the people to follow. He usually had a final reminder at the end of his letters, and Ephesians is no different.

After completing his discussion on Spirit-guided relationships in Ephesians 5:21-6:4, he said, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10) After this, he laid out the seven parts of the armor of God which were to be worn. The preface is important to understand because there is a big difference between merely putting on the armor without having God’s mighty power compared to doing so “in His mighty power.”

Challenge Explanation:

In the fourth challenge to the church at Corinth, the two words “be strong” were used. He was not referring to being strong physically, rather it was a challenge to start strengthening themselves spiritually and included the additional idea of being mighty in the Lord. These words suggest the fact that they could not do this on their own, they needed the Spirit of God and the men around them to help each other be strong and mighty in God.

This strength would be active rather than just possessed but never put into action. This was not the exercising and building up of spiritual muscles just to lay around and do nothing with them. It was maturing to the place they could use their strength to further the cause of Christ. Earlier, Paul wrote to them about growing into maturity, he said, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” (1 Corinthians 13:11)

He wanted them to grow up in all areas of their life, to spend time in God’s Word, seek to understand what they were reading, create ways to be an example to others, make hard decisions, and be disciplined, as every man would be if he wanted to win in a sport. He wanted them to do mighty acts through the strength they received from God.

Said another way, show strength in your actions and be a victorious overcomer as you live your life. So, in challenge three, it was to be brave and courageous in your faith, and here it went one step further to being mighty and victorious.

Discussion Questions:

1.      We do not grow in every aspect of our lives at the same pace, some parts of us are less mature than others. What area(s) of life are you still working on to catch up to the rest?

2.      What do you think it would look like to do mighty things for God?

Application:

1.      How are you seeking to be strong in your life?

2.      What do you think would help you to grow more mature in your faith?

3.      What would you do next to implement the action of being strong?

              

Closing Prayer: Father we know that it is hard to be strong as believers, but we are thankful that you are the one who brings strength to us. Help us to recognize this gift and allow free rein of your strength in all areas of our lives.

 

Additional Resources:

Read similar “be strong” verses for a better understanding of this phrase: Psalm 31:24; Isaiah 35:4; Daniel 10:19; Haggai 2:4-5; Romans 1:11, 15:1-4; 2 Corinthians 12:10, 13:9; 2 Timothy 2:1; 1 John 2:14.

Continue to Lesson 5 – Do Everything In Love

Or use these links to navigate to various parts of this study:

Intro | Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Lesson 5 | Summary

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