A quick read through the Bible confirms that the resistance against God is not a new phenomenon; it has persisted throughout history. This raises the question: Why do we, as humans, exhibit such a strong inclination to resist God’s ways? Unfortunately, we have a fallen nature that is heavily influenced by sin and self-centeredness. When we look at the various distractions, temptations, and societal pressures, it is no wonder that we give into our fears, doubts, and desire for control; putting ourselves first and God last. How can we joyfully choose humbleness and avoid repeating the mistakes of our ancestors?
A Memory Verse
The 7th chapter of Acts reinforces this idea of rebellion and is worthy of memorization and reflection:
You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.
Acts 7:51 (ESV)
Throughout the Bible, individuals are often described as being stiff-necked or hard-hearted, reflecting their stubbornness and resistance to surrendering to God’s authority and lordship over their lives. These terms convey the idea of a defiant posture, a refusal to yield to God’s rightful place as the ruler and guide of our hearts and actions. Such an attitude hinders the transformative work of God’s grace and prevents us from experiencing the abundant life and blessings he desires to bestow upon us.
As we reflect on this verse, we need to recognize this tendency in ourselves, humble ourselves, choose to develop soft hearts, and joyfully submit to God’s loving and wise leadership. Let’s stop the cycle and start following the promptings of the Holy Spirit!
Read: More blog posts from Acts and Acts 7.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean to be stiff-necked or hard-hearted towards God?
- What situations bring out these attitudes in your life?
- Name a time that you have resisted the Holy Spirit. What was the result?
- How can you choose to humble yourself and accept the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
Reflective Prayer
Use this memory verse to pray using the ACTS method: Adoration, Confession, Thankfulness, Supplication
- Adoration: Praise God. Does this verse bring any specific characteristics of God to mind?
- Confession: Tell God that you are sorry for specific sins. Does this verse bring any specific sins to mind?
- Thankfulness: Show gratitude towards God. Does anything from this verse inspire gratitude?
- Supplication: Make requests for yourself and for others. Does anything from this verse inspire a prayer?
If helpful, you can use a prayer journal template.
Respond
As you consider the theme of resisting the Holy Spirit, are there any Bible verses that came to mind? If so, add a comment at the end of this post!
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Related Resources
Visit the Joyful Moments in Christ homepage for all posts, or scroll through other blog posts related to the Holy Spirit:
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English Standard Version (ESV): Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
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