…I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
1 Corinthians 9:26-27
fight
The Stroke of the Pen and the Sword
Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto those that hated them. Esther 9:5
Mordecai, is now the second in command under king Ahasuerus. The king’s command given through Haman could not be reversed, but with the stroke of a pen Mordecai with the authority of the king wrote another command that allowed the Jews to protect and defend themselves.
And, they did. If you will notice the law that was given the evil ones attacking them could be killed, and all their possessions taken as well, but they did not take possessions.
This shows us that when evil flaunts itself against God’s people to steal, kill, and destroy God’s people have the right to defend themselves. That is so in any era of time. Not to provoke a fight, but to fight when they are provoked and life and property is on the line.
Jesus even told His disciples at one point to get some swords (Luke 22:36-38). We do not go looking for a fight. We are to be faithful to God in doing what He has given us commandment to do, and commissioned to do as well.
Remember Nehemiah while building the wall armed the workers even while they worked. They were working, not looking for a fight, just being faithful to do the work of the Lord.
Be faithful to do the work of the Lord, and do not fear, be courageous, and stand and fight if you must. In the name of our blessed Savior who died on the cross for our sins, was buried and He rose again. He fought that battle for us, and when we are faithful in service to Him He is faithful to fight for us now.
Dealing With The Enemy
Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Psalm 35:1-3 (KJB)
Division of the Mount
“Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle.
And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” Zechariah 14:1-4 (KJB)
STUDY HELPS: Isaiah 13:9, 16; 64:1; Joel 2:1; 3:2; Malachi 4:1; Matthew 24:28; Revelation 19:17;
Our GOD to Help Us
“Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: with him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 (KJV)
Hezekiah was a faithful king doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD (29:2). Yet, he was not perfect, because he got full of himself (v. 25); as sometimes great leaders do.
The above words were spoken by the king when the city of Jerusalem was being threatened by the Assyrian king.
They are words not just for the army, the people of Judah, but for all God’s people down through the ages.
For Christians today we need to be strong and courageous. It is not the time to be silent. It is time to let the light of Jesus Christ shine. When people tell us, “Go away Christian” because we take a stand on the Biblical definition of marriage; and/or any moral issue; such as abortion, adultery, etc., we stand anyway. We speak what God speaks. We do not make decisions based on culture, society, or what might be popular. We make decisions based on Christ Jesus and His Word; the word of God.
The gods of the world are already defeated. They are mere stone, wood, stubble; but GOD is God of all that is. He has made all things, and loved us enough to send us His Son as our Saviour that we might be delivered from our sin and its condemnation; putting to death our sin on His cross.
Christian; BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS. Begin now. Begin today.
Dealing with the Enemy
“Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.” Psalm 35:1 (KJV)
Titled as “A Psalm of David” we can assume that at least one of his enemies was king Saul. David never lifted a hand against Saul. Saul was his king. David loved Saul. Saul did not, however, love David.
Like David we, as Christians, are to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35), and trust that the LORD will deal with them in His own way.
It does not seem, by this verse, that David considered anyone his enemy. He just asked the LORD, “Plead my cause…” and “Fight against them…” It is a tough thing sometimes not to strike back when we are attacked, by words, accusations, or physically assaulted; but the child of God needs to remember what God says, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” (Romans 12:19).
Let the LORD God do your fighting. He handles it so much better.
Broken Pieces 