Persecution is coming, so we need to put on the whole armor of God to deal with it.  Sometimes the Scriptures reveal to us that, when we are aware, the enemy’s plans have been revealed and we have the wherewithal to escape and move out of the persecution; there are many times that the Holy Spirit tells us to flee persecution.  Most of us here would say, “That’s the one I choose, praise God!” and rightfully so.  Who wants to be persecuted?  Amen?   We don’t want to get into these fights, so we flee!  We need to prepare ourselves ahead of time for some of these things.  We have made preparation, as a community, with places to which we can flee.  It doesn’t mean that it’s a secret place where nobody knows where we are.  It means it’s a place where we can get out of chaos if anarchy arises; we can remove ourselves from these populous areas and still be able to function as the body of Christ.  We have made provision for that and continue to improve on that provision as time goes on.

We need to believe God for the wisdom to order our steps.  There is a time when we flee, all the while believing that God is our Protector (amen?), that God has given His angels charge over us, and that there is a hedge that has been built around us, praise God!  We need to believe that God can blind the eyes of the enemy, so that what we are doing in the light they are not able to perceive.  God can supernaturally blind their eyes to our sharing this glorious gospel in this last hour, praise God!  God can give us that divine favor.  When they were going to take Jesus and throw Him off the cliff because of the ministry He had brought to Nazareth, He walked right through the midst of them; amen?   Do you still believe in that God today?  We are a people who live in that position of power and authority, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20).  They are sure to a thousand generations.  He is the Lord and He changes not.  The same God that delivered Israel from Egypt is here to deliver His people in this hour; amen?   I want you to know that same kind of Shekinah glory can come and stand between our enemies and us and hold them at bay.  Hallelujah!  This is what I mean when I say that we need to prepare ourselves for persecution:  we need to stir up that gift that is in us that we received with the laying on of hands (1 Timothy 4:14).  We need to realize that the Greater One tabernacles within us, praise God!  “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). We need to believe that, and we need to exercise that faith on a daily basis.  Be ready to step out in faith and trust God.

In 1 Samuel, Chapter 14, Jonathan says to his armor bearer, "Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised…”  “It may be that the Lord will work for us.”  Hallelujah!  Now, what does that statement mean?  It doesn’t mean that he’s just randomly saying “Well, maybe we’ll get lucky.”  It means he’s going out there on the promises of God; amen?  He expects to be protected; he expects to be delivered.  “I don’t have a word from the Lord, but I have promises from His Word, and it may be that He will deliver them into our hands.”  Hallelujah!  He goes on in that passage and makes it very clear, “…for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.”  Hallelujah!  Amen?  “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:31).  We need to start looking for these types of people to hang out with; amen?  Get away from the pessimist; get away from the defeatist.  Find men of faith (praise God!) and grab hold of their garments and don’t let them go.