Bible Studies

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As humans, when are confronted with great adversity, we face a fight or flight scenario, in which we choose to either stand and fight to hold our ground, or we seek the nearest and quickest means of escape. The same principle applies to spiritual combat that an advancing disciple faces every day.

We must discern when it is the time to remain where we are, hold our ground, endure the adversity, and when it is the time take the next step in the individual plan that God has in mind, leaving the present adversity behind.

Neither leaving the adversity nor taking a stand will do one any good if that is not what God has in mind.

Dealing with adversity is what makes us strong. Fleeing the adversity (when Go wants us to stay and deal with it) will only result in being returned to the same type of scenario somewhere else, until the objective, that being our elevation to the next level of spiritual maturity, is accomplished.

Finding oneself facing the same type of adversity over and over again (same problems, different people, new location) is a good indicator that we have a lesson that God wants us to learn that we are fleeing from, and not dealing with for our benefit and His glory.

The individual who has unresolved issues with compliance with authority, low self-esteem, resentment, the unwillingness to forgive, jealousy, self-centeredness, bitterness, revenge. and comparison with others, is going to take them with him or her wherever he or she goes or remains.

There are times when it is His will that we remain where we are, take a stand, and fight the good fight (Acts 5: 40-42 ), and there are times to flee in haste in order to escape an impending disaster (Gen. 19: 17), and or to move forward in the plan of God.

After decades of preparation, there came a time for Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2Pet. 2: 5), and his wife, their three sons and their wives, to board the ark and leave the “world” that they had known behind.

The bottom line is to ask oneself, which response (fight or flight) would advance me in the plan that God has in mind.

This reminds me of a story I heard about a man who was living comfortably in his home environment and had no desire to leave. One day, when there was a threat of severe flooding, evacuation advisories were being issued. As the flood waters began to fill the roadways, a national guard truck pulled up and advised the man to board the truck and be taken to an emergency shelter. The man refused, stating he was all set, that the Lord would provide. Hours later the flood waters were reaching the top of the stairs and beginning to enter the first floor. A rescue boat from the sheriff’s department pulled up to take the man out, but again he refused, stating the Lord would provide. Finally, the flood waters were reaching the roof tops, forcing the man to get up on the roof. A search and rescue helicopter spotted the man on the roof, but even then, the man waved it off, stating the Lord would provide. Finally the man drowned when he was unable to tread the rising flood waters that covered the house. Upon arriving in Heaven, he was grateful to be there, but had one question to ask the Lord. Why was it that after making a public stand, expressing my full confidence and faith in You, that You let me drown? The Lord replied, “Let you drown? Who do you think sent the truck, the boat, and the helicopter?”

The lesson here is don’t be so “heavenly-minded” that you can not to see the will of God being revealed to you through circumstances and practical provisions.

Every act of divine intervention and guidance is not manifested by such things as a flash of light, a thundering voice, or an earthquake. For the advancing disciple with an edified soul structure (Matt. 7: 24-27), the answers can come by way of a gentle, inaudible, whisper.

It takes courage when it is the time to confidently face a fiery furnace (Dan. 3: 17-18), a den of hungry lions (Dan. 6: 16), or a fearsome giant (1Sam 17: 11,32), real or proverbial. It takes courage to step out of the boat (Matt. 14: 29-31) of one’s comfort zone in and engage in an act of faith. At times, it takes even more courage to see it through.

In either scenario (fight or flight), one MUST seek the will of God. Keep in mind the faith/fear see-saw . As faith goes up, fear goes down, and as fear goes up, faith goes down. When in fear, you are NOT likely to make the best decision. In fact, you are not likely to make any decision at all, spinning your wheels, going nowhere, in fear of making the wrong choice.

Our faith and accompanying actions MUST be based on accurate Bible Doctrine, otherwise our well-intended actions (or inactions) could end up in disaster.

As in the case of conventional warfare, accurate intelligence (information), leadership, and preparation can predetermine the outcome of our spiritual battles.

Experience teaches us to thank God for His “No” answers to some of the prayer requests we have made for ourselves and others, as they would otherwise have turned out disastrous for ourselves or others, had we or they gotten what we or they  wanted, or thought we or they needed, at the time.

End of Part Two

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