The punches are everywhere
They come in all shapes and sizes, little, big and everything in between
They can be longer-lasting or repeated
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39
Jesus said that in The Sermon on the Mount
Jesus had to live those words when He was being mocked
and persecuted and put to death
Judas betrayed Him,
the people rose up against Him and His disciples fled from Him
These words, like all His words, reverberate throughout the centuries
Turn the other cheek? What do you mean, God?
This is us not fighting against flesh and blood:
(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal,
but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 2 Corinthians 10:4
How can we love our enemies when we are fighting back?
That question is difficult to answer
There were times in the Bible, where God did instruct His people to fight
There were other times in the Bible where God fought for His people
He did miracle after miracle that way
He is the reason the Israelites were released from Egypt
Their part was obedience
Uncle Mordecai didn’t fight against Haman, he let God fight for him
Joshua believed the Lord to tear down the wall
So, shall we defend ourselves?
Who is to say that is wrong?
The most important thing is to be in tune with the Holy Spirit, as always
He gives all of us bountiful wisdom, sometimes instantaneously, as it’s needed
Knowing Jesus and hearing when to move or not is very important in our walk
Paul and Silas were beaten with many stripes and imprisoned and bound:
And suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken:
and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Yet they still had compassion on their enemies:
And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying,
Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling,
and fell down before Paul and Silas,
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
And they said,
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Acts 16:26-31
Do you suppose the jail keepers would have been saved
if they did not feel the love? Not likely. Stay in tune with the Lord
Jesus is working even when we can’t see it
The idea of Rolling with the Punches is one way to look at things
God is our defense
Seek the Lord, He might just say:
The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace. Exodus 14:14