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The Secret Place
Episode 3: Is God Resisting You?
Could God actually be resisting your efforts? The Bible says in James 4:6 that God resists certain people. Join us today and find out if God is resisting you!
Key Takeaways:
- Feel like your prayers aren’t being heard, maybe they aren’t.
- God rushes toward certain people, but resists others.
- Are you afraid of what others may think about you?
- How do you get God to stop resisting you?
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Is God Resisting You?
Did you know?
The Bible says “God resists, (opposes) the proud.“ Let those words sink in for a second.
Now let’s be honest, aren’t most churches full of pride-filled people? Come on, you know this is true. We think we are right, and that we have it altogether. We have all the answers and we know better than anyone else, yet we have never really dealt with the darkness in our own hearts. That’s pretty prideful, right?
No wonder people are sick and hurting. No wonder our prayers aren’t getting answered. The problem isn’t all those nasty sinners out there. The problem is us. We go to church full of ourselves, full of pride, putting up a strong front so no one will see our weaknesses. We hear the word of God but don’t respond because pride keeps us locked into our pews afraid of what others will think, afraid that they will find out we aren’t as great as we portray we are. “Oh surely this message is for those weak people, not for me.” We know we need to deal with our hearts, but we let our pride and fears keep us locked up to God.
Seriously think of this… it’s Sunday morning and service starts. You try to come near to God, you sing and worship, but it feels like nothing is coming back from Heaven. You feel nothing. Sadly, God is most likely resisting your efforts. Not only are you pushing God away with your prideful attitude, He is actually pushing you away. All the prayer and worship you send up is being resisted by Heaven, and probably not just you. God could be resisting the whole church. Don’t get mad at me, I’m just telling you what the Bible says. We aren’t being honest with God or ourselves.
But What Will Others Think?
So what’s the solution? Well, the Bible says what, “If my people would do what?” Yep you got it, HUMBLE themselves. Why did He say humble? Because we are all so prideful. God knows us all to well. He’s saying, I want to help but I can’t. I’m resisting you. But if you would just humble yourself, I would be there in a second. But we think we know it all. That we have it all figured out. We are so put together. We give the appearance of strength, while deep inside we know we are a mess.
And get this, when someone finally breaks and says “I DON’T have it all together, it’s me! I am in need of You Lord,” and falls on their face before the Lord. Heaven not only notices, but Heaven no longer resists and rushes toward that person. We may look down at them and think they are weak, but while we are thinking that, God is resisting us and rushing towards them.
God Opposes The Proud
Still don’t believe me. The Pharisee and the tax collector. Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
The Pharisee thought he was doing great. He thought he was doing his religious duty but really he was just wasting his time. God was resisting his efforts. Honestly, he might as well stayed home. Don’t just waste your time going to church thinking you’re justified because you showed up and God will be obligated to answer you. But the tax collector went to church knowing his condition, knowing he desperately needed God to do something.
Just like James 5:6 says “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.”
Just Be Honest
God wants to lift you up. He wants to pour favor out on your life. He wants to hear you and do good. Just be honest, admit maybe you don’t have it all together. Admit you really need God. That you need to deal with your heart and change some things. Stop acting like it’s ok. Stop being afraid of what others think let yourself open up and say “God it’s me. I need you God.” Lower yourself, so in due time God can actually lift you up. You won’t have to lift yourself up anymore. God will be doing it. What a better way to live.
Churches all over are full of people trying constantly to lift themselves up constantly trying to prove their worth imagine a church where God is actually lifting you up. Where God is no longer resisting us, but rushing towards us.
What stands in the way of God in your life. Of God in your families and friends lives? Well, it’s probably you. But the good news is, it’s not too late to do something about it. So stop justifying yourself to Heaven and everyone else. Stop letting pride stand in your way of really opening up and letting God in.
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