Discernment to Flee, Discernment to Resist
October 23, 2022      |     By: Jonathan Brickley      |      Category: Sermons      |      Location: El Dorado
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Jonathan shares a short prophetic primer from Esther, based on a play his kids acted out the day before. Then, starting in 1 Peter 2:11, he reminds us sinful desires actively ‘wage war’ against our soul. We have been born into a cosmic battle, and as good soldiers, our objective must be to please our Commanding Officer - whether the directive is to flee or stay & resist. There are times we must Flee Temptation, and times we must Resist the Devil and he must flee from us!

1 Peter 2:11 (NIV)
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

Wage war
Make military expedition
Conduct a military campaign
Lead soldiers into battle
Fight

We were born into a cosmic battle

Good soldiers do not do the same thing every time
They carry out their commander’s will

2 Timothy 2:4 (NIV)
4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.

Good soldiers do what they’re told to do when they are told to do it

Listening ears & discernment are required

Sometimes Stay - Sometimes Flee
1) Flee sexual immorality
1 Corinthians 6:18 (NIV)
18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

2) Flee idolatry
1 Corinthians 10:13-14 (NIV)
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

3) Flee from the love of money
1 Timothy 6:11 (NIV)
11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

4) 2 Timothy 2:22 - Flee youthful passions / lusts
2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV)
22 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.

We must run from Temptations

Why?
- they make you to exit the path of faith
- flee FORWARD!
- they short circuit / disconnect us from God’s good work fulfilled in & through us

Think - small hook in the nose

Sometimes Stay/ Resist
1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV)
8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

We flee Temptations
The Devil flees when we resist

James 4:7 (NIV)
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

How to resist?
- Submit to God‘s authority
- “it is written”

Why must the Devil flee?
Revelation 20:11 (NIV)
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

- no limping gazelle outruns a lion
- no lion outguns a team of big game hunters

- Think loud roar to frighten you to get you to RUN from the hill of victory

Why flee Temptations?
- because WE (not God) are susceptible to them

Why stand & resist the Devil?
- because we cannot outrun him
- because God the mighty warrior is on our side

Discernment is needed in this hour
- sobriety & alertness are needed in this hour