Defend Yourself

                                    

Defend Yourself

Are you Packing? Have you ordered your gun?

I am not suggesting that you buy a gun, but there are definitely times when you need to be ready to defend yourself.  The Bible tells us to equip ourselves with Spiritual Armour because our battle is not with flesh and blood.  Today we are going to take a look at defense, and both sides of the war.

'Speak softly and carry a big stick' 

'Speak softly and carry a big stick' is a proverbial saying advising the tactic of caution and non-aggression, backed up by the ability to carry out violent action if required.

And Jesus Christ said to them (his twelve disciples), "When I sent you (on training missions) without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything? . . . But now you need to carry your purse and your bag and be equipped . . . he who has no sword, let him sell his cloak and buy one . . . For the things concerning Me have an end." So they (the disciples) said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." 

And Jesus said to them, "It is enough" (Luke 22:35 - 38, NKJV).

Notice that Jesus told his disciples in Luke 22:36 that it was so vital that they had swords that they should sell their cloaks to get one. This clearly expresses urgency and importance. The cloak was among the last thing one would want to sell in Biblical times, especially travelers were very vulnerable without cloaks. Jesus isn’t expressing long-term usage of swords, but that they immediately needed to have them around.

If you will remember when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off a soldier's ear. Jesus rebuked Peter and said “put your sword away,” then Jesus picked up the ear and put it back on the man.

The Bible tells us of stories regarding many believers persecuted for their faith and forbid to preach, teach and heal in Jesus Name. We are reminded that there may be times in today's world, we are told not to pray, not to attend church, not to sing, and other requirements mandated by Governors and local bodies, or else we will be fined or arrested.

Daniel was fully aware that King Darius had written a new law; not to pray or else; but he prepared himself in his usual place and prayed as he always did. The result was Daniel was cast into the Lion's den, but God send an angel to protect him and shut the lion's mouths.

We see this protection again with Daniel's three friends who were commanded to bow down, but they refused to bow and chose to suffer death; if needs be; as they disobeyed the command of the ruler.

God has unusual ways to protect His people, especially those who set aside time to pray and seek His face; usually in the secret place.

Queen Esther was divinely placed in the position of queen of the nation, and her uncle Mordecai told her, “who knows but God has a reason for all this and you are here for just such a time.” A jealous and wicked Haman planned to extinguish all the Jews, and after listening to his clever words the King wrote a law to set this in motion not realizing Esther, his wife the queen was a Jew. Queen Esther revealed her linage and prevailed upon the King to save her people, but the laws of the Medes and Persians could not be changed.

So what to do?

The King gave Mordecai permission to write a new decree to allow the people to defend themselves.   Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service. The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and then to take for themselves the property of their enemies.

The Jewish people celebrated this new decree and were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere.  It so happened that many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.

How are we to apply these Biblical happenings to our situations in life today? Definitely we are to be in submission to authority, live peaceable lives and pay our taxes, but there are times we must obey God rather than man. Our preaching of the gospel must not be muzzled like the oxen.

We are called to stand up boldly for righteousness. We do need to loudly voice our declarations, but for the most part this is done spiritually in prayer, and not with physical violence. Those who join a “Cause” often get so involved that all their time is taken up with a driving force taking all their energy, instead of turning the problem over to the Lord.

Praying in the Holy Ghost in other tongues is our most powerful weapon and should be our weapon of choice. 

The situations we face today are being agitated by foul and wicked spirits in dark places. We as believers can and should take authority over those spirits that are ruling over the instigators of evil. Many of our citizens are hounded by spirits of fear, depression, anxiety, as well as habits that bind them. You and I must take authority over the spirits and not judge the persons themselves.

Let us first watch our personal attitude and not allow anger to rule us. May we position ourselves, armed with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, and go forth in prayer to defeat the enemy of our souls. Let us be bold as we take authority over the spirits that drive those who are working so feverishly to destroy our people and our land.