Friday, May 31, 2013

When Do We Fight, When Do We Flee & When Do We Rest

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

One day, we will flee from all adversity....forever.

Until then, what do we do?

When To Fight

1. Fight for our people and God's cities
Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight. 2 Samuel 10:12

2. Fight for your faith and your ability to speak it to others
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12

3.  Fight to keep your personal faith until your race is complete
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
2 Timothy 4:7

When To Flee

1. Flee from sin, it is under God's wrath
As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”
Genesis 19:17

2. Flee to the Lord when you need to take refuge
In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain."
Psalm 11:2

3. Flee from sexual immorality.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.
1 Corinthians 6:18

4. Flee from idolatry.
Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:12

5. Flee the devil by submitting to God.
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

6. Flee from youthful desires to pursue Godly attributes of righteousness, faith, love and peace.
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
2 Timothy 2:22

Sidenote: You cannot flee God's presence.  He is everywhere.  
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
Psalm 139:7

When To Rest

1. Rest on the Sabbath
Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
Genesis 2:3
but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.Exodus 20:10

2. Rest When God Provides Rest.
But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster.

3. Rest Until God Restores
The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness.
Psalm 41:3

4. Rest in God's Presence
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence:
1 John 3:19

5, Eternal Rest Will Be Provided To Those Who Remain Faithful To Jesus
And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” Revelation 14:11

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
Revelation 14:13

sidenote: Make sure your resting is in the hope and grasp of our Eternal Father.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.
Psalm 62:5

*All Titles, subtitles and organization to this writing are words moved by thoughts in my personal reflection.  All biblical references are God's words spoken through His Prophets that hold the test of time and keys to life itself. I have quoted God through the NIV Version.  I believe this post was God inspired.