“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1 ESV)

The things of God are spiritually understood

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14 ESV)

Test to discern the will of God

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)

Test everything

“But test everything; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thess. 5:21 ESV)

A man of understanding walks straight

“Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense, but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.” (Prov. 15:21 ESV)

“I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8 NIV)

God is our everlasting rock

“Trust in the LORD forever, For in GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock.” (Isaiah 26:4 NASB)

He sets your feet upon a rock

“He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.” (Psalm 49:2 NASB)

We have an everlasting foundation

“When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation.” (Prov. 10:25 NASB)

 He establishes you according to the gospel

“Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past.” (Rom. 16:25 NASB)

Keep standing firm

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1 NASB)

We have an anchor of the soul

“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.” (Heb. 6:19 NASB)

Stability of our faith in Christ

“For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” (Col. 2:5-7 NASB)

Firm until the end!

“For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” (Heb. 3:14 NASB)

"Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Tim. 6:6-11 ESV)

Be content in every situation

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” (Phil. 4:11-12 ESV)

Be content with what you have

“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

(Heb. 13:5 ESV)

When you are weak you are strong

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor. 12:10 ESV)

Therefore

“And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.” (Matt. 6;28-34 ESV)

“For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.” (Prov. 3:26 NASB)

We can draw near with confidence

“Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 NASB)

Our confidence comes through Christ

“Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” (2 Cor. 3:4-5 NIV)

There is strong confidence and refuge in God

“In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, And his children will have refuge.” (Prov. 15:26 NASB)

We can ask anything with confidence

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14 NASB)

“For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.” (Rom.  2:13 NIV)

Obedience to God’s Word is like building your house on a rock!

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matt. 7:24-25 NIV)

Obedience to God’s Word brings blessing

 “He replied, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." (Luke 11:28 NIV)

“But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (James 1:25 ESV)

Obedience to God’s Word makes you complete!

“If anyone obeys his Word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him.” (1 John 2:5 NIV)

Obedience to God makes you a treasured possession

“Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine.” (Ex. 19:5 NIV)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor. 1:3-4 ESV)

God exchanges sorrow for rejoicing

“The young women will dance for joy, and the men--old and young--will join in the celebration. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will comfort them and exchange their sorrow for rejoicing.” (Jer. 31:13 NLT)

God is with you!

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 NIV)

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (2 Cor. 15:58 ESV)

Work hard and serve God

“Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” (Rom. 12:11 NLT)

Learn to devote yourself to good works

“And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.” (Titus 3:14 ESV)

Focus on eternal value

“Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” (John 6:27 NASB)

Find satisfaction in your labor

“This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them--for this is their lot.” (Eccles. 5:18 NIV)

“LORD, you will grant us peace; all we have accomplished is really from you.” (Isa. 26:12 NLT)

You should enjoy God’s gifts

“And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. (Eccles. 3:13 NLT)

God will lift you up at the right time

“So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor” (1 Pet.  5:6 NLT).

There is laid up for you a crown of righteousness once you’ve “finished the race”

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7-8 NKJV)

Because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” (Phil. 3:7-8 NIV)

“Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.” (Dan. 6:3 KJV)

Greater is He who is within you!

“You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 NASB)

You are a temple of God!

“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16 NASB)

God has put His spirit within you

"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” (Eze. 36:27 NASB)

The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in you!

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Rom. 8:11 NASB)