When we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the prick.'

Moreover, see: God is with us in the forward; and his priests, and the roaring trumpets to cry alarm against you. Ye children of Israel, fight not with the LORD God of your fathers: for it will not prosper with you."

There is no wisdom, there is no understanding, there is no counsel against the LORD.

Take your counsel together, yet must your counsel come to nought; go in hand withal, yet shall it not prosper. For God is with us.

Forasmuch then as God gave them like gifts, as he did unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ: what was I that I should have withstood God?"

The kings of the earth stood up and the rulers came together against the LORD, and against his Christ. Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn: the Lord shall have them in derision.read more.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure,

The ungodly despaireth all the days of his life, and the number of a tyrant's years is unknown. A fearful sound is ever in his ears, and when it is peace yet feareth he destruction. He believeth never to be delivered out of darkness; the sword is always before his eyes.read more.
When he goeth forth to get his living, he thinketh plainly, that the day of darkness is at hand. Sorrow and carefulness make him afraid, and compass him round about, like as it where a king with his host ready to the battle. For he hath stretched out his hand against God, and armed himself against the Almighty. He runneth proudly upon him, and with a stiff neck fighteth he against him:

"Ye stiffnecked and of uncircumcised hearts and ears: ye have always resisted the holy ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

But O man what art thou, which disputest with God? Shall the work say to the workman, "Why hast thou made me on this fashion?"

"Can he that striveth with the Almighty be at rest? Should not he which disputeth with God, give him an answer?"

Woe be unto him that chideth with his maker, the potsherd with the potter. Sayeth the clay to the potter, "What makest thou?" or "Thy work serveth for nothing?" Woe be unto him that sayeth to his father, "Why begettest thou?" And to his mother, "Why bearest thou?" Thus sayeth the LORD, even the holy one and maker of Israel: Ask me of things for to come, concerning my sons; and put me in remembrance, as touching the works of my hands.

And the multitude cried out, and the people wept throughout that night, and all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron. And the whole congregation said unto them, "Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt, either we would that we had died in this wilderness. Wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land to fall upon the sword, that both our wives, and also our children should be a prey? Is it not better that we return unto Egypt again?"read more.
And they said, one to another, "Let us make a captain and return unto Egypt again."

This is the water of strife, because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified upon them.

Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works.

but and if it be of God, ye cannot destroy it, lest haply ye be found to strive against God."

Then said David to the Philistine, "Thou comest to me with a sword, a spear, and a shield: But I come to thee in the name of the LORD of Hosts, the God of the host of Israel whom thou hast railed upon.

this is the answer, that the LORD hath given concerning him: Despised art thou, and mocked, O daughter of Zion, he hath shaken his head at thee, O daughter of Jerusalem. But thou Sennacherib, whom hast thou defied and blasphemed? And against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice, and exalted thy proud looks? Even against the holy one of Israel. Thou with thy servants hast blasphemed the LORD and thus holdest thou of thyself, I cover the high mountains, and sides of Lebanon with my horsemen. And there will I cut down the high Cedar trees and the fairest Fir trees. I will up into the height of it, and into the chiefest of his timber woods.read more.
If there be no water, I will grave and drink. And as for waters of defense, I shall dry them up with the feet of mine Host.

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" And he said, "What art thou, Lord?" And the Lord said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it shall be hard for thee to kick against the prick."

and tarried behind; himself alone. And there wrestled a man with him unto the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he smote him under the thigh, and the sinew of Jacob's thigh shrank as he wrestled with him. And he said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." And he said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."read more.
And he said unto him, "What is thy name?" He answered, "Jacob." And he said, "Thou shalt be called Jacob no more, but Israel. For thou hast wrestled with God and with men and hast prevailed."

The LORD hath a court to hold with Judah, and will punish Jacob: After their own ways and according to their own inventions, shall he recompense them. He took his brother by the heel, when he was yet in his mother's womb: and in his strength he wrestled with God. He strove with the angel, and gat the victory: so that he prayed and desired him. He found him at Bethel, and there he talked with us.read more.
Yea, the LORD God of hosts, even the LORD himself remembered him:

And therefore study I to have a clear conscience toward God, and toward man also.

"Strive with yourselves to enter in at the strait gate: For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin: because I know not what I do. For what I would, that do I not: but what I hate, that do I. If I do now that which I would not, I grant to the law that it is good.read more.
So then, now it is not I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me, that is to say, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. To will is present with me: but I find no means to perform that which is good. For I do not that good thing which I would: but that evil do I, which I would not. Finally, if I do that I would not, then is it not I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me doeth it. I find then, by the law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. I delight in the law of God, as concerning the inner man. But I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind, and subduing me unto the law of sin, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am: who shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord: So then I myself in my mind serve the law of God, and in my flesh the law of sin.

Every man that proveth masteries abstaineth from all things. And they do it to obtain a corruptible crown: but we to obtain an uncorruptible crown. I therefore so run, not as at an uncertain thing. So fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I tame my body and bring it into subjection, lest after that I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

in knowing him, and the virtue of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his passions, that I might be conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained to it, either were already perfect: but I follow, if that I may comprehend that, wherein I am comprehended of Christ Jesus.read more.
Brethren, I count not myself that I have gotten it: but one thing I say: I forget that which is behind me, and stretch myself unto that which is before me; and press unto that mark appointed, to obtain the reward of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

For therefore we labour and suffer rebuke, because we believe in the living God, which is the saviour of all men: but specially of those that believe.

For ye have not yet resisted unto blood shedding, striving against sin.

Epaphras the servant of Christ, which is one of you, saluteth you, and always laboureth fervently for you in prayers that ye may stand perfect, and full in all that is the will of God.

There is no man that calleth upon thy name, that standeth up to take hold by thee. Therefore hidest thou thy face from us and consumest us, because of our sins.

And he was in agony, and prayed somewhat longer: And his sweat was like drops of blood, trickling down to the ground.

Moses returned unto the LORD and said, "LORD wherefore dealest thou cruelly with this people: and wherefore hast thou sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath fared foul with this folk, and yet thou hast not delivered thy people at all."

Wherefore hast thou brought me out of my mother's womb? O that I had perished, and that no eye had seen me.

Then thought I to understand this; but it was too hard for me,

LORD, why abhorrest thou my soul, and hidest thou thy face from me? I am in misery, and like unto him that is at the point to die; even from my youth up, thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind. Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me; and the fear of thee hath undone me.read more.
They came round about me daily like water, and compassed me together on every side. My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me, and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight.

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? How long shall I complain unto thee, suffering wrong, and thou wilt not help? Why lettest thou me see weariness and labour? Tyranny and violence are before me, power overgoeth right: for the law is torn in pieces, and there can no right judgment go forth. And why? The ungodly is more set by than the righteous: this is the cause that wrong judgment proceedeth.