It is true that the disciples fled from Jesus because they were afraid,but they did not have the Spirit yet,but love casts out fear,for he that fears is not made perfect in love,and if a person is led of the Spirit,one of the fruits is love,which a Spirit led life would cast out fear.
But we might still fear,but that fear would not have the same impact on us,and not exactly the same kind of fear,for a person without the Spirit,as in the case of the disciples,had fear of the fleeing kind,where they ran fearing for their physical life,but a person led by the Spirit might fear,but they do not fear but say thy will be done,and does not deny Jesus even when their life is threatened.
That is how you know those that have not the Spirit,and those that have the Spirit,for the ones without the Spirit will run and deny when persecuted,and those with the Spirit will not deny although they could still run,but they would not deny.
Jesus said when persecution comes at the end time to run,but if caught do not deny.
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord(Romans 8:35-39).
6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith(2 Timothy 4:6-7).
Those without the Spirit will flee and deny,for they are still led by the flesh and are trying to save their skin,the Spirit not helping them to overcome fear,but the ones with the Spirit will have the strength to overcome fear and not deny if they are persecuted.
20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended(Matthew 13:20-21).
7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9If any man have an ear, let him hear.
10He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints(Revelation 13:7-10).
The saints will go through the tribulation,for the beast will make war against them,and God warns the saints not to fight back,for however they fight back it will come back on them.
We have to make sure we are led of the Spirit so we can overcome fear,so we do not deny Christ when persecuted,and we do not be afraid of starving when no one can buy food without the mark.
